Outdated Boomer Exercise Trends That Actually Deserve A Comeback

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Don't sleep on the baby boomers, y'all — or their so-called outdated exercise trends. Contrary to the "Thanks a lot, boomers" phrase that younger generations are quick to mumble under their breath, it's those same people who are actually responsible for pioneering a boatload of fitness and exercise trends that are fully capable of standing the test of time and, quite frankly, need to make a comeback. 

But don't just take our word for it. "Baby boomers led an unprecedented fitness revolution, into a kind of golden era of health," Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper, aka "The Father of Aerobics," told AARP in 2014. "Our workouts became a sort of self-expression and a badge of honor," aerobics fitness instructor Kathy Smith recalled fondly to AARP about what made the boomers' fitness era so special. 

And while Cooper's contribution of aerobics was certainly important to the boomer fitness era, it wasn't the only activity that we'd bring back in spades. We're talking frisbee, hula hooping, and even rollerskating — all activities that were great for both fitness and social recreation. So, yeah, thanks a lot, boomers. Truly!

American inventor Walter Frederick Morrison, aka the Father of the Frisbee, first came up with the idea for the gliding circular toy in 1937, when he and his future bride, Lucile Nay, figured out that tossing the lid of a popcorn container was actually pretty fun. Eventually, they moved on to cake pans. However, it wasn't until an onlooker on the beach offered him a quarter for the contraption that Morrison realized he was on to something. "That got the wheels turning," Morrison told the Virginian-Pilot in 2007 (via Time). "You could buy a cake pan for five cents, and if people on the beach were willing to pay a quarter for it, well — there was a business." And the rest is simply history. 

In 1957, Morrison sold his invention to the Wham-O toy company, which went on to market it as what we now know as the Frisbee. Suffice it to say, it spread like wildfire. "It caught on because it is childish. It relieves the mind of the tensions of college," a Princeton University student explained during an interview with Sports Illustrated in 1957 (via Flying Disc Museum). 

But aside from the supposed mind-numbing benefits, many experts are adamant that it's also a great form of exercise. According to a 2016 study conducted by the American Council on Exercise, participants between the ages of 18 and 25 years who completed one match of ultimate frisbee burned an average of 477 calories. Consider this our formal petition to bring friendly games of frisbee back into the mainstream.

Are you even a baby boomer if you didn't hula hoop at least once in your life? The story goes that the Wham-O toy company started selling the large circular toy marketed as the hula hoop in 1958, and it quickly became all the rage. ”No sensation has ever swept the country like the Hula Hoop,” Richard Johnson penned in his book ”American Fads." Per Johnson, the hula hoop ”remains the one standard against which all national crazes are measured" (via The New York Times).

According to the Mayo Clinic, with just one 30-minute weighted hula hooping session, women and men can burn an average of 165 calories and 200 calories, respectively. Not too shabby, eh? But wait, there's more! "Hula hooping is mindful, meditative, and creative," hula hoop instructor Brittany Colbert explained to Women's Health in 2025 when discussing why hula hooping should be part of your workout routine. "Besides being a good workout, it clears the energy around you and makes you feel good," she added. A cardio workout that also doubles as a meditative experience? And it's actually fun? Let's run it back!

Roller skating was also a big exercise trend among the baby boomers. In fact, the period of time from 1939 to 1959 was known as the golden age of roller skating, and for good reason. Roller skating was everywhere. Restaurant waiters were serving patrons their food while laced up in a pair. It even had the seal of approval from the American government. "We are convinced that on the American scene, one of the most potent ways of attaining fitness is by well-administered, wholesome, healthy sports, and what fits into this category better than roller skating?" Dr. Shane McCarthy, the director of the President's Council on Youth Fitness, declared in support of the popular pastime in an informational video from the '50s called "This is Roller Skating" (via YouTube).

Luckily, those same health benefits of roller skating still apply. "It's the closest feeling to flying," the founder and CEO of Moxi Skates, Michelle Steilen, told HuffPost in 2020. "It's really great to just tune out the world and it's good for your mental and physical health."  As Healthline further notes, roller skating can improve strength, balance, and core stability while also improving your cardiovascular health. It's also a great way to burn calories, which can help you maintain a healthy weight. So, lace up those skates and get rolling!