Punk Rock Aerobics: 75 Killer Moves, 50 Punk Classics, And 25 Reasons To Get Off Your Ass And Exercise

Are you not immune to the occasional Joe Strummer-style air guitar jump?

If you answered "yes" to either of these questions, here at last is your workout book. As simple as throwing on that old Ramones (or even White Stripes) record, punk meets fitness in an exercise craze that is spreading like wildfire amongst teens and aging rockers alike: Punk Rock Aerobics. Though punk and aerobics may seem to be unlikely bedfellows -the love child of Richard Hell and Richard Simmons?-here are two "formerly decrepit, lazy, cigarette-smoking, beer drinking" rockers-turned-certified-aerobics-instructors as enthusiastic about X and Iggy Pop as they are about getting into shape.

Full of easy-to-follow moves in a home-exercise-friendly format, Punk Rock Aerobics is a calorie-burning, DIY workout. Back in the "good old days" cigarettes might have sufficed to keep rockers slim, posit these authors, but to really be able to rock out all night, you need to drop those chips and get off the couch. Peppered throughout to help you stay inspired are Q&A's and photos of rockers on their own workout routines:

I have to take an mp3 player to the gym so that I can do cardio to Siouxsie & the Banshees and the Replacements. How cool it must be to have a whole class of dancing to the Ramones and Television! I'm dying to start my own class, although I'm not sure the attendance will be very high in the deep south.

And if you buy this book for no other reason, J Mascis demonstrating one of the butt exercises is worth the price. Buy this book.


For the anti-gym bunny in all of us...   March 17, 2004
vickys (Somerville, MA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

Traditional aerobics classes annoyed and intimidated me. The thought of being surrounded by gym bunny types while listening to bad music for an hour or so horrified me. Then came PRA. I *heart* PRA. It's weird and fun and kicks your ass everytime in a good way.

While there's nothing like going to a real PRA class, the book does a good job of demonstrating the moves used in class. The stories and pictures in the book are hilarious too. More importantly, the sound exercise advice they give is realistic. They don't expect you to become a hardbody, but they do encourage you to get moving in your own way. Can't get more DIY than that.


Punk Rawk Aerobics   January 9, 2004
antgirl (Cambridge, MA United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

Why hasn't someone thought of this before? What an amazing concept. An aerobic workout to really great music! No more techno musak and bimbos in thongs. Grab your crusty punk T-shirt and turn up the music.... really loud! The only thing better than doing the work out in the book is joining Maura and Hilken at an actual Punk Rock Aerobics class!


Pure ass-blasting genius   February 9, 2004
Jen G. (Somerville, MA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

As a kid I used to do the Jane Fonda Workout with the sound turned down and New Order cranked up on my stereo, so when I discovered Maura & Hilken's class, it was a dream come true (albeit a sweaty dream where my butt hurts and I can't breathe...). This book distills their aerobics routines, enabling the reader to mix and match moves to whatever music you like, so you can send Kathy Austin and her dance muzak packing! It's also a really fun and informative read, and the photography is great. If you can make it to the classes in Cambridge, MA, it's definitely worth seeing these ladies in action, but the book does a solid job of communicating the PRA principles.