163. Sports Bras Were Invented When?! The Rise and Evolution of Women in Fitness

Are you aware of the history behind women’s fitness? We’ve come a long way, yet it wasn’t that long ago that women’s fitness and sports were unheard of. The women’s fitness movement came into existence in the 1950/60s and has increasingly evolved into what we have today. With social media today, the cultural awareness and the reasons behind women’s fitness have tremendously shifted.

In this episode of the Live Your Personal Best podcast, I speak with Danielle Friedman, journalist and author of Let’s Get Physical who’s obsessed with women’s fitness history. Listen in to learn how women fitness messaging has evolved from it being a tool to change how we look to a form of empowerment and self-care.

Key Takeaways:

· How women fitness evolved from the 1950s as a strength benefit and a beauty tool.

· The science, research, and cultural acceptance of women’s potential and strength.

· How the idea of women’s strength was seen as threatening and was opposed culturally.

· How fitness is shifting to a form of empowerment and self-care rather than a tool to change how we look.

· How social media rise has given power to women advocating for body diversity.

· The current push for women to harness the mental, physical, and emotional benefits of movement and fitness.

Episode Timeline:

· [3:01] How Danielle’s personal experiences led her to write about the rise and evolution of women’s fitness.

· [4:59] How fast women fitness progressed from the 1950s all the way to a sports bra invention in 1977.

· [11:53] The lack of cultural awareness that existed in the 1980/90s about women’s bodies.

· [17:06] How social media has transformed women fitness messaging giving power to the majority.

· [21:16] The impact of Title 9 law on women and girls’ fitness during and after college graduation.

· [24:30] Danielle on the expansion of fitness for women plus how to focus on what feels good.

Quotes:

· “When I’m active and feeling really good about how I’m using my body, I focus less on how my body looks.”- Danielle [17:31]

· “The more we can focus on what feels right and truly beneficial at that moment and not worry about meeting imaginary social goals, fitness can be really beneficial.”- Danielle [27:37]

Links Mentioned:

Elite to Everyday Athlete: https://amzn.to/3ysSbqW

Website: https://danielle-friedman.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daniellefriedmanwrites/

Book: Let’s Get Physical

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