Blast From the Past: 5 Vintage Unique Exercise Machines

Creative fitness solutions can make the exercise process more enjoyable and make it easier to achieve all of your workout goals. Some of the latest unique exercise trends include goat yoga and mermaid swim classes.

These inventive trends also come in the form of unique exercise machines. There's a lot more to the world of at home workout equipment than just treadmills and stationary bikes. Over the decades, there have been many interesting exercise solutions developed to be a part of home gyms. 

Here are five unique exercise machines from the past that prove people have been trying to innovate at home workout equipment for decades — and why Aeroski is the modern solution to an exercise experience that is fun, unique and effective.

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Revolving Hammock

In the early 1920s, the Molby Revolving Hammock was all the rage in the category of at home workout equipment. Some of the promises attached to this fitness craze were that it would stretch out the user's muscles, help straighten the spine and soothe one's nerves. To take advantage of this unique exercise machine, the user had to lay face down in a hammock, and the machine would then stretch their body. 

A vintage advertisement for the Molby Revolving Hammock claimed that users would "Live longer and enjoy life more" and included the following statement as the explanation of its benefits: "All the keen relish of a healthful existence comes to the man or woman whose spine is straight, strong and supple, with no tension on the sympathetic nervous system and with every spinal nerve relaxed." This piece of at home workout equipment was marketed as a way for people to exercise while lying down while still receiving health benefits.

Wondercycle Exercisulator

The strange concept of this piece of at home workout equipment lives up to the odd name. It appears as though the company that developed this machine took inspiration from the equestrian world. It was billed as something similar to a rocking horse without the rockers and shared some features with actual horses. 

The motion of the Wondercycle Exercisulator was similar to the trot of a horse. The user sat in a saddle and placed their head into a contraption meant to mimic reins connected to the machine's handlebars. When the user peddled the machine, the saddle would move up and down like it would if the user was seated on a live horse.

Users who were willing to take a chance on this strange piece of at home exercise equipment were promised several fitness benefits. According to an article promoting the machine in 1931, there were multiple ways to use the Wondercycle Exercisulator. Depending on which method was chosen, the back, stomach, legs or neck muscles would be targeted and strengthened. This machine could be considered a very early version of the modern stationary bike, albeit with a unique flair.

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Reduce-O-Matic

This unique exercise machine takes a different approach to most of the other at home workout equipment described in this article (and most available today, for that matter). The Reduce-o-Matic was popularized in the early 1940s. Essentially, it was an at-home sauna. To use the machine, people would zip themselves into a large cloth bag while sitting in a chair. Once the machine was turned on, the bag would fill up with heat. 

According to beliefs at the time, this unique exercise machine was thought to be able to melt excess fat in the body due to the high temperatures of the sauna experience. Research has shown that while sitting in a sauna might result in mild decreases in weight due to the loss of water in the body through sweating, saunas are not a viable tool for maintaining a healthy weight. While they can have some other health benefits, they should not be used to try to lose weight.

Slenderizing Salon

Another unique exercise machine from the 40s was the so-called Slenderizing Salon. This was a group of several pieces of at home workout equipment designed to target different body areas. Metal rollers that looked like thick, giant springs would roll over the target area. All the user had to do was stand within the machine and let the metal rollers do their work. Marketed as a weight loss solution, it's another example of a vintage workout machine based on minimal effort from the user.

The metal rollers of the Slenderizing Salon were said to be able to work "up and down to rub away stomach, hips and thighs electrically." Examples of individual unique exercise machines that were a part of the Slenderizing Salon were the "Slendo Massager," which focused on the abdomen directly; the "Back Ring Roller," which targeted the back; and the "Wooden Barrel Massager," whose efforts centered on the butt and hips. 

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Vibrating Belt

This is probably one of the stranger unique exercise machines you'll encounter when browsing fitness trends from the past. Vibrating belt machines were a very popular form of at home workout equipment in the 60s and 70s. One of the major selling points of these products was that they were supposed to work out your body without you putting in much effort at all. 

All you had to do was place the belt around the part of your body that you wanted to target with a workout, and it would vibrate to do the work itself. It was believed that the vibration and massage properties of the machine would lead to improved overall wellness. 

Marketing campaigns focused on the minimal effort that a user would need to put in and touted various benefits that could be expected after consistent use of the machine. Vibrating belts promised customers results such as the ability to shake fat away, enhance muscle tone and help cleanse the body of unwanted toxins. Advertisements encouraged users to spend as little as 15 minutes while reading or napping using the machine to see the benefits of the vibrating belt machine. 

The Ultimate Modern Unique Exercise Machine: Aeroski

Aeroski is the 21st Century's answer to the desire for a unique exercise machine that is functional and fun. An Aeroski workout targets all major muscle groups, allowing you to do more with just one machine. The skiing fitness machine from Aeroski is the best at home workout equipment, designed to give you a full body workout. 

Aeroski is not just effective, but it's also fun and innovative! The motions of the machine simulate the movements of downhill skiing, so you'll feel like you're on the slopes instead of using just another piece of boring exercise equipment in your home gym. The exciting Aeroski experience isn't limited to the motions of the machine — it's fully immersive when you use the VR goggles that come with every Aeroski. With the included VR headset, you'll be transported to the virtual vacation getaway of your dreams, from gorgeous alpine scenery to relaxing forest trails. 

If you've been searching for a unique workout experience, Aeroski is genuinely the best choice. Unlike the examples from the past, Aeroski utilizes modern technology to support workouts that get results, help you meet all of your fitness goals and enjoy yourself along the way. 

Try Aeroski today to put a unique spin on your everyday workout routine!

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