You can still track down Cindy Crawford’s “Shape Your Body” on VHS (the vintage tapes continue to float around on eBay), but luckily, there’s also an unsanctioned one-hour-long compilation of Crawford’s 1992 workout series on YouTube, uploaded by an avid fan named Olesya. The video, which is slightly over one-and-a-half hours long, boasts over 1.1 million views. In it, Crawford works out with her trainer Radu, a compact Romanian man, doing twists and push-ups in a variety of locations including an exposed-brick New York City studio, a Hamptons beach, and a roof with water towers in the distance.
Many of the YouTube comments are, understandably, nostalgic: “I used to do this at 16,” or “I did this workout religiously in ’94.” But what is most impressive are the comments that applaud Crawford’s “Shape Your Body” as a stellar workout even in 2023. As one reads: “I did it as a teenager in the ’90s and it got me in great shape then; now, I’m doing it again in my 40s.” According to the New York Times in 1995, “the best-selling single fitness video of all time is ‘Cindy Crawford: Shape Your Body Workout,’ which has sold seven million copies”—and it seems the supermodel’s cinematic approach to exercise is as relevant as ever.
So what’s the perpetual draw of Crawford’s cutting-edge “Shape Your Body”? For one, it’s incredibly shot. Directed by British music video director Peter Care, known for his work with Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, and REM, its arty aesthetic changed the world of workout videos—which at the time were dominated by the ‘80s-era of slick, studio-shot aerobic workouts, fronted by a spandex-loving Jane Fonda or a peppy Richard Simmons. “I thought it was intriguing to make something visually exciting and beautiful but most importantly you could follow when you were doing the actual workout in the home,” Care tells Vogue.
Instead, Care took a grittier approach. The imagery shifts from black and white to colorized, and there’s a dramatic camera pan once in a while. It’s intentionally shot like a music video, using multiple cameras on 35mm film—and the soundtrack, which Care spent over 100 hours timing perfectly to Crawford’s movements, is incredible. From the soul choir in “Moving On Up” by Primal Scream singing in sync with Radu, who counts in his Romanian accent as Crawford kicks and pumps, to Crawford doing a high-kick on a rooftop to Seal’s “Crazy” while New York sirens blare below, at times the video’s artful mix of sound and visuals verges on the spiritual.
As for Crawford, she is her supermodel self, but still warm and amicable—her infectious girl-next-door personality seeping through every frame. “I want you to feel empowered and energized,” she exclaims at the beginning. There’s an incredible dichotomy: Crawford with her signature blowout, but with the genuine sweetness that’s apparent in her backstage interviews, or in her MTV “House of Style” videos.
And while it has plenty of artistic flair, what makes the workout so addictive is that it feels believable. (Trust me, I can still feel the burn in my triceps from doing Crawford’s solo chair workout). Even though these reps are dictated by a living, breathing supermodel, it somehow feels approachable. We know that Cindy actually does these workouts! She twists, she turns, then we get wacky moments like Crawford taking a break and guzzling a bottle of water, recalling that epic Pepsi commercial. (There are some funny crotch shot moments, too, but we’ll chalk those up as very detailed instructionals.). The best moments are when Crawford comes a little undone in that New York studio, messy top bun and all. “Try to keep your knee up on those: I know it’s hard but you get more benefit,” she says, swinging her leg across her body. It’s highly produced, yet it still feels raw: we even see Crawford out of breath at various points.
So, does the workout actually work? Well, yes. Physically, it may be no different than the Alo Yoga-wearing babes of YouTube offering 10-minute butt-toning service workouts. But with Cindy, we know we’re getting the real deal, and the way she instructs us to do a high kick prompts a reassuring burn in the glutes. But even without the fitness element, just watching Cindy squat on the beach is a joy in and of itself. Really, it’s just as much fun to watch as it is to participate—and how many workout videos can you say that about?