Jane Fonda Reflects on Success of Her Iconic Workout Videos as She Teams with H&M Move : 'I'm Very Proud'

Dotdash Meredith and Yahoo Inc. may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Sansho Scott/BFA

The year may be 2023, but Jane Fonda's still movin' and groovin' like it's 1982!

At 85 years old, the woman who's become synonymous with fitness since the release of her first eponymous home workout video over four decades ago has teamed up with H&M Move for its latest campaign.

The two-time Academy Award winning actress and activist chatted with PEOPLE about her current partnership with the brand, while also reflecting on the legacy she's created in making fitness accessible to all.

"I'm very, very proud of it because it really changed a lot of lives," Fonda tells PEOPLE exclusively of her enormous impact on past generations and future ones to come. "It means that they're discovering that what I did back then really works."

And worked it has! Because on Wednesday night, the fitness icon surprised a room full of guests (of all ages!) at the Brooklyn-based "Move Studio" in Williamsburg who took part in a high-energy, bespoke workout class inspired by Jane's Original Workout, led by acclaimed choreographer JaQuel Knight.

RELATED: Looking Back at Jane Fonda's Life and Career in Photos

Sansho Scott/BFA

The reason for Fonda's involvement in the campaign is simple: "Keeping moving is the mantra for growing old successfully," she tells PEOPLE. "You don't have to be an athlete, it doesn't have to be a sport, it doesn't even have to be in a workout class. But, walk, move, stretch, stay limber."

In addition to H&M Move's "bright and uplifting" collection, the brand's "global effort to get everyone moving" struck a chord with the fitness fan for various reasons — but the idea of "democratizing movement" stood out to Fonda in particular, especially as she grew older.

But don't think that just because she's 85 years old, she can't bust out a total body aerobic, strength and flexibility workout that she knows best! In fact, Fonda says that "many of those moves are the same" for her workouts today.

RELATED: Jane Fonda Says She 'Did Not Think' She Would Come Back to Acting After Her Marriage with Ted Turner

Harry Langdon/Getty

Well, sort of. "I move slowly," she admits, which is why she doesn't resort back to her original workout tapes... at least "not the early ones," says Fonda. "I moved very fast in those. I risk hurting myself."

But that doesn't matter! "What matters is that you don't get hurt when you're older." And for Fonda — who says she has osteoarthritis, in addition to having a recent shoulder replacement surgery — that means she has "to be careful how [she] moves."

Fonda's go-to when it comes to strengthening her bones? Weight lifting. "I used to lift 15 pounds for biceps," she says of her past routine. "Now, I lift five pounds. But it doesn't matter. It maintains muscle." She adds, "I use resistance bands a lot and things like that."

RELATED: Jane Fonda Says Meeting Tom Brady Left Her 'Completely Starstruck': 'My Knees Actually Got Weak'

Sansho Scott/BFA

Regardless of her age and decreased workout speed, Knight tells PEOPLE "Jane definitely still has it!" The famed choreographer — who's worked with some of Hollywood's biggest names and projects, like Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" music video — says he's "so inspired by her," in reference to Fonda's many accomplishments.

"Literally, her daily fight, how she continues to turn on and do all the things," begins Knight. "From standing up for rights to keeping moving, to helping people, to being an actress. She literally is doing it all.

He adds: "She's a true inspiration for me who really pushed me to do my best work."