LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Fitness at the Beach: The Bare Facts |
by Rick Moore |
It was a great 4th of July, wasnt it? Perfect weather, sunny, hot, and ocean temperatures just right for an ocean frolic. Well, Steve, Mike, Dave and I wound up in Cape Henlopen State Park. The crowds were amazing. Luckily, a very kind couple was about to leave their parking space and offered it to us to park "Cadzilla," our 64 Cadillac convertible. Usually it takes three people to help berth this titanic piece of iron, but with a little help we managed to park it with room to spare. On to the beach we went. We squeezed into a blanket spot just large enough for us, and we proceeded to have fun in the sun. Just like everyone else, we do the usual boy/girl watching. I made the comment that with several thousand people on the beach, no two bathing suits were alike. So Dave and I decided to take a stroll up to the towers through the sea of humanity. I noticed that one gentleman had on a bathing suit very similar to minea lime green bikini. But it so happens that mine had the in-seam sewn with elastic on the rear (called a buns bikini) while his did not. Lucky me. I remarked to Dave that it would be interesting to trace the history of the bathing suit, since there were so many different shapes, sizes, colors, and designs. Im a man who owns about 50 bathing suits, at last count. Bathing suits have been the springboard to fame for many celebrities. Did you know that Marilyn Monroe got her start modeling Jantzens "Double Dare" and "Temptation" suits? Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller helped pioneer swimwear, as did James Garner. (Remember the "Rockford Files?") Who could forget Esther Williams? The woman was always wearing a bathing suit, her choice being the one-piece. Did you know that at one time, both men and women were censored on the beach for wearing swimsuits? It wasnt that long ago that men couldnt even bare their chests on the beach. What a loss. Many men were even arrested for indecent exposure. My, how times have changed! What other piece of clothing has pushed the levels of public acceptability like the bathing suit? A perfect example is the bikini. Did you know that its actually named after Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, which was the site of U.S. nuclear explosions in the 40s? The inventor, Louis Reard, was looking for an exotic name for his new creation, and he found it. Voila, the bikini. He promoted the new fashion as "smaller than the worlds smallest bathing suit," because it used only 30 inches of fabric. As you know, it was basically a bra top and two inverted triangles of cloth connected by string. Very risque for the times. It was so small that no Parisian fashion models would wear it on the runway in 1946. He had to resort to using a nude dancer. Spain, Italy, and Portugal banned the bikini right away. Its funny that women can go topless in these countries today. I knowIve been there. (The only restriction is that youre not allowed to take any pictures!) In 1957, Modern Girl magazine wrote, "It is hardly necessary to waste words over the so-called bikini since it is inconceivable that any girl with tact and decency would every wear such a thing." Of course, teenage-girl magazines today write about drug abuse, sex, pregnancy, bulimia, you name it. If the worst thing a parent had to contend with today was a girl who wore a bikini on the beach, theyd be overjoyed. Some of you wont want to admit it, but you may remember a very popular song recorded in 1960 by Brian Hyland, "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini." That song created a rage among teenage girls. And the bikini itself spawned movies starring the busty Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon, such as "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini" in 1966. Whats ironic is that Annette was not allowed to wear a bikini in this or any other of her movies due to a contract she had with Disney. They wanted to keep her wholesome image intact. Of course, by the 80s, a bikini was no big deal on a star. Even Princess Leia (played by Carrie Fisher) wore an ornate bikini in "Return of the Jedi." Check it out. Its the scene where shes being held prisoner by Jabba The Hut on his barge. Then along came the thong, a.k.a. "butt floss." This string bikini became popular in Rio and St. Tropez for both men and women. Its original name was the "tanga suit." They arent allowed on our Delaware beaches. Youll run the risk of being issued a citation and being asked to cover up. It seems that the thong is acceptable as the suit of choice only among certain professionals, like male and female strippers, bodybuilders, and poster pin-ups. Luckily, bathing suits have evolved into the "sports bikini" for women. Its a halter-top design made popular by volleyball star Gabrielle Reece. Check out MTV; the sports bikini seems to be all the rage. So there you have it. Whether you choose boxers, two-piece, one-piece, bikini, or even cut-offs, youll find a bathing suit that suits you. See you at the beach. Rick Moore is a personal trainer certified by the American Fitness Professionals & Associates. He believes in common-sense, drug-free training. Visit him at Ricks Fitness & Health, Inc., in beautiful downtown Milton. Check out his website at http://www.enrapt.com/ricksfitness, or give him a call at (302) 684-3669. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 8, No. 9, July 17, 1998. |