New/Upcoming Release Bettie Page Fitness DVD

[Sue B]

A fitness DVD "inspired" by Bettie Page will be released next month. Anyone know anything about the instructor?

http://www.bettiepagefitness.com/

[Vintage VFer]

For those who may not know, Bettie Page was a beautiful pin-up girl icon from the 50's. She passed away in 2008.

From Wikipedia:

Bettie Mae Page (April 22, 1923 – December 11, 2008) was an American model who gained a significant profile in the 1950s for her pin-up photos. Often referred to as the "Queen of Pinups", her jet black hair, blue eyes, and trademark bangs have influenced artists for generations


For some reason, it kind of creeps me out that some fitness instructor is using Bettie's name for her venture. I hope she cleared it with Bettie's estate.

[TinierTina]

Originally Posted by Vintage VFer

For those who may not know, Bettie Page was a beautiful pin-up girl icon from the 50's. She passed away in 2008.

From Wikipedia:

Bettie Mae Page (April 22, 1923 – December 11, 2008) was an American model who gained a significant profile in the 1950s for her pin-up photos. Often referred to as the "Queen of Pinups", her jet black hair, blue eyes, and trademark bangs have influenced artists for generations


For some reason, it kind of creeps me out that some fitness instructor is using Bettie's name for her venture. I hope she cleared it with Bettie's estate.

LOLOLOLLOOL!

Is it based on the dominatrix/BDSM kinds of workouts I read about? Whips,chains, lace/silk ties/leather

She represented that bit of demimonde, too you know ...

[luvcritters]

Amazon has some of her posters but beware, some have full frontal nudity.

[Sue B]

Originally Posted by Vintage VFer

For some reason, it kind of creeps me out that some fitness instructor is using Bettie's name for her venture. I hope she cleared it with Bettie's estate.

She must have licensed the name, because the bottom of the site says "Bettie Page’s name, image and photos used with permission from/by CMG Worldwide." I looked them up, and they have lots of famous names for rent.

I think I'll hold out for the John Belushi Fitness DVD

[TinierTina]

Originally Posted by Sue B

She must have licensed the name, because the bottom of the site says "Bettie Page’s name, image and photos used with permission from/by CMG Worldwide." I looked them up, and they have lots of famous names for rent.

I think I'll hold out for the John Belushi Fitness DVD

Why do I suddenly—and how unlikely, too—feel that you and I are on the same "Page" about this?

Female empowerment via handling riding crops being for equestriennes, just sayin'

[pcramer]

I'm thinking we won't see any riding crops, at least not from this discription

The central focus of Bettie Page Fitness is a series of body-positive workout videos inspired by the Queen of Pinups, and designed and led by mind-body health expert Tori Rodriguez. When Tori began to notice that many of Bettie’s modeling poses resemble exercise moves, she got the idea to create workouts based on Bettie’s poses and informed by her incredible strength, balance and posture. It’s obvious that Bettie appreciated her body and enjoyed moving it, and Bettie Page Fitness aims to help viewers tap Bettie’s inner and outer strength as motivation to enhance those qualities in themselves.

The workouts are inspired by Bettie’s spirit and physique–not for purpose of looking like her, but for embodying her strength, joy, beauty and confidence. Bettie clearly had a beautiful body, but beyond that, she was extremely fit and healthy (she was known to work out regularly), with what fitness lovers know to be the all-important strong core, which has been proven to be essential to good health and safe exercising. The Bettie Page Fitness workouts emphasize her excellent posture–of which there are numerous mental and physical health benefits. You can see in Bettie’s photos that she’s always lifted, energetic, strong and centered– and those qualities aren’t limited to specific poses or body types. Bettie Page Fitness workouts are infused with those elements, in addition to incorporating many of her actual poses and translating them to exercise moves. To maintain the body positivity vibe that Bettie represents to fans, and that is important to Tori as a health expert and activist, the workouts emphasize those qualities over appearance. For example, rather than going for a “tiny waist,” which just isn’t possible for many body types, the focus is on the health benefits of overall physical fitness, good posture and core control. Along these lines, Tori offers valuable mind-body tips that viewers can carry into the rest of their lives.

[TinierTina]

For a serious, studied Female Empowerment (not saying Feminist) icon to break new ground in display of their sexuality, I mean, what have we got today? Lena Dunham? ... Meghan Trainor? ... Beyoncé? ... Nicki Minaj? ...Zoe Saldana? ... Lady Gaga? ... Miley Cyrus?

There is still too much body-style policing going on to take inspiration especially for non-fringe fitness, from current (and, essentially, post-feminist, which adds a layer of brash outré-ness) ground breaking role models.

Cult movie alert:

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/be...veals-all-2013

So, we reach out to the historic icon, but it pays to understand the real backstory ...

[slysam]

I am quite curious and interested. I have a pin up DVD from a dance DVD producer (World Dance New York) and have practiced some of the poses in it and they do take a certain amount of isometric strength to hold the pose. On reminded me a lot of Betty Page and was a little like hovering in a low thigh dancing position. So I can see that these poses can be used for inspiration for a good workout especially one that uses small isometric moves. At least the poses in the video I have (not a workout DVD, more for people interested in retro style and pinup culture), the poses involve a certain amount of muscle engagement to hold as it gives a more "toned" and sometimes slightly more elongated look for a photograph.

It is funny that I don't see these pinup icons as any more or less body positive than any other imagery or workout media. I think Betty Page's figure is just as impossible an ideal for some woman as a runway model or fitness competitor. It all depends on body type. I could be wrong, but in the images i have seen of Betty Page she looks tall and very slim but she happens to have the curvy bust line and hips while being thin. A lot of women don't retain that while that slim (and a lot do) and not all have the length. Really any body type that is considered an idea at any one time is inaccessible to those without similar genetics. (I do get that is not the goal of this program since the promotion blurb states the goal isn't to look like Betty Page). So that was a silly digression anyway.

I would be curious about this workout though.

[TinierTina]

Originally Posted by slysam

I am quite curious and interested. I have a pin up DVD from a dance DVD producer (World Dance New York) and have practiced some of the poses in it and they do take a certain amount of isometric strength to hold the pose. On reminded me a lot of Betty Page and was a little like hovering in a low thigh dancing position. So I can see that these poses can be used for inspiration for a good workout especially one that uses small isometric moves. At least the poses in the video I have (not a workout DVD, more for people interested in retro style and pinup culture), the poses involve a certain amount of muscle engagement to hold as it gives a more "toned" and sometimes slightly more elongated look for a photograph.

It is funny that I don't see these pinup icons as any more or less body positive than any other imagery or workout media. I think Betty Page's figure is just as impossible an ideal for some woman as a runway model or fitness competitor. It all depends on body type. I could be wrong, but in the images i have seen of Betty Page she looks tall and very slim but she happens to have the curvy bust line and hips while being thin. A lot of women don't retain that while that slim (and a lot do) and not all have the length. Really any body type that is considered an idea at any one time is inaccessible to those without similar genetics. (I do get that is not the goal of this program since the promotion blurb states the goal isn't to look like Betty Page). So that was a silly digression anyway.

I would be curious about this workout though.

Right.

Dita von Teese (and believe me, I think about her a lot—mostly for kidding around) is today's post-feminist burlesque's answer to Bettie Page and fairly close in body-style (perhaps dance-honed) and there's other tricks than old-school BDSM up her sleeve... but she is not about to go back to her given name Heather and pump out any fitness videos any time soon ...

Almost curious about Bettie Page (I'd seen the other cult movie with great referentials to Bettie Page's style ... the fictional movie , Secretary ...)