This February there’s more than one way to celebrate Black History Month — and it doesn’t have to start and end in the pages of a textbook. Cue The Legacy Workout, a dynamic series of movements inspired by athletes, leaders, soldiers and other legends past. Created and performed by Yale graduate turned fitness activist, Andia Winslow, each exercise demands strength, reflection and a sense of purpose that goes beyond just the physical self.
“Every day we’re losing more and more legacy makers — and their stories are being forgotten,” Winslow reflects. “Our goal is to pay tribute to these people through the work of the human body.” One such legend is Winslow’s grandfather, a former Tuskegee Airman, and the inspiration behind the Tuskegee fly sit-up, a powerful move that begins on the floor and soars to standing. Follow those up with Jackie Robinson-inspired fast feet, Buffalo Soldier high knees and the Henrietta Lacks peacock pose, an expression of immortality and love.
“We’re calling it a movement-based movement,” says Monique Walton, The Legacy Workout’s co-creator. The call to action? “Action,” Walton says.
And it’s no coincidence that the video’s release coincides not just with Black History Month, but with American Heart Month. According to Winslow, honoring those who came before us is also about honoring our own bodies, and living long enough to keep these most cherished legacies alive.
“Because they dreamed us, because they dreamed of a better place for us — and for themselves — we owe them,” the filmmakers write. “We owe it to ourselves to do — and be — better … Infinity is our limit. THIS is The Legacy Workout.”
For more from Winslow and Walton, visit The Fit Cycle, where they transform everyday activities into awe-inspiring workouts.