INDIANAPOLIS — The 1980s were known for big hair and an even bigger fascination with personal fitness. While Jane Fonda dominated the at-home fitness market, local instructors were also in high demand.
Two such instructors found themselves teaching an aerobics class to the football team at the Indiana Central University, now known as the University of Indianapolis.
WRTV reporter Linda Lupear featured Susan Lang and Debbie Dick as they taught the school’s football team in April 1984. The women were brought in to help the team with its flexibility and cardiovascular fitness.
One of the women told Lupear, “They didn’t know what to expect. They were a little hesitant and so were we.”
But despite some moaning and groaning, the workouts paid dividends. Lupear reported some players improved their running times, shaving 40 seconds off a 1-mile run.
Lupear also reported that while the team’s coach didn’t know if the 40-minute class would make the men better ballplayers, it did probably make them better dancers.
