Jane Fonda's First Workout Video Released 34 Years Ago Today

Actress JaneFonda donned her signature stretchy black legwarmers and a grin for the cover of her first bestselling aerobic workout video, Jane Fonda's Workout. With this VHS tape, her fitness career launched into people's living rooms on April 24, 1982, 34 years ago today.

Fonda is credited with revolutionizing exercise for women. Her 1982 workout tutorial topped the charts, becoming the first non-theatrical home video to do so. She sold over 17 million copies.

"We rehearsed a few days, made some mistakes, did our own hair and makeup, had one camera, and figured it was no big deal," Fonda wrote in a blog post for the 30th anniversary.

Over time, she released more than 20 fitness tapes, sporting tights, matching high-legged leotards, and legwarmers, influencing athletic fashion.

"I remember writing the script on the floor of a hotel room during a Christmas skiing vacation in Calgary. It was spit and prayer, flying by the seat of our tights and leg warmers," she wrote.

The video was based on her 1981 bestselling book, Jane Fonda's Workout Book, which held the #1 spot for two years.

After the success of her book, she was approached by StuartKarl to film her routine. Fonda was apprehensive about filming her workouts. She worried it would be harmful to her acting career.

But Karl was persistent.

She finally relented, "What the heck, it won't take long, not too many people will see it, and a video will bring in a little extra funding to CED," she wrote. CED was the California Campaign for Economic Democracy, which Fonda and her husband at the time, TomHayden, had founded.

She did not anticipate the craze that was about to happen. "I don't remember exactly when I realized that, in spite of myself, this little Workout video had given birth to a new industry," she wrote.

These videos originated phrases like ‘feel the burn' and ‘no pain, no gain.'

Jane Fonda began her career as a model before following in her father, HenryFonda's, footsteps by moving into acting. She is known for projects like On Golden Pond, 9 to 5, and Barbarella. She won two Academy Awards during her career.

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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 10:33 AM.