The fitness fad everyone was trying the year you were born

Miramax

• Exercise fads, from products to classes, have been on the market for decades. 
• Some of these are still used and practiced today.
• A few have made comebacks while others, thankfully, died out. 

Fitness fads aren't anything new. In fact, they've been around as early as the '50s. Some of these products and exercises are still popular today, while others have been shunned or forgotten.

INSIDER created a fitness fad timeline documenting the most popular trends over the years, from exercise classes to workout gear. Here's what fitness fad was popular the year and decade you were born. 

1958 — Hula-hooping

Before it was a toy, hula-hoops were a workout tool. Wham-O founders heard about twirling hoops that were gaining popularity in Australia, according to Hulahooping.com. They started making their own version of the product in 1958, and even held demonstrations on how to use it. History.com reports that an estimated 25 million hula-hoops were sold in the first four months of production. 

Today, weighted hoops are used by people who want to take their skills (and workout) to the next level. The Mayo Clinic reports that 30 minutes of hula-hooping can even burn between 165 to 200 calories. 

1960 — Vibrating belts

A hot commodity in the '50s and '60s, the vibrating belt was used to shake your waist, legs, arms, and butt into shape. According to The Washington Post, the machine was marketed as a way to vibrate fat and make it easier for the body to "flush it away."

Scientists eventually discovered that you can't vibrate fat off of your body, causing this trend to die down. If this product was still in stores, we would add it to our list of health products to never buy. 

1977 — Bodybuilding

Lifting weights gained popularity in the '70s thanks to "Pumping Iron," a semi-biographical movie that glorified the sport of bodybuilding. The film's star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, became the first real celebrity and champion of the routine. 

Although bodybuilding can be traced back to as early as 1890, Schwarzenegger's physique and the film inspired people to hit the gym during this decade.