Bad Cover Art: The Let's Get Physical Edition

Tuesday, June 15, 2010


Trying to work out to a 45 record seems to defeat the purpose: you can't *see* how to actually perform the exercises, you just have to use your best educated guess based on the instruction you're hearing. Yet in the pre-VHS and health club eras, workout albums were the only things most fitness conscious folks had to go on, when they weren't watching Jack LaLanne. Whether they were actually effective or not, they make for some great cover art to poke fun at. Most of these I found over at BizarreRecords.com. Move over, Jane Fonda - you've got nothing on this bunch!

Remember, ladies, trying to better your health and physical well being is not about YOU. It's all about HIM. Never mind that he doesn't have to do any work - just lie there and fantasize about you in various stretching poses:



Check this out; who wouldn't want to do aerobics with Ron Brad...whatever? Featuring "Fame" and "E.T."! Wait, what song is "E.T."?





Jesus saves those that are flexible.



"I'll beat your back." Yes, Arnold actually put out a workout album in 1984, featuring cuts from The Weather Girls and Deniece Williams.





Another celebrity workout album...by Miss Sour Pickle herself.



Who's Doris? Who knows, but for some reason she reminds me of Ellen DeGeneres.



You can't handle the truth, and you can't handle a pushup!!!



For those who take their skiing very seriously.



Bonnie Prudden was apparently a well known fitness instructor, because I came across a lot of her albums. However, is it just me, or is that girl doing no work whatsoever on the cover? She appears to be distracted by daydreaming.



Another popular one by Bonnie...I've often thought of trying these baby and me exercises with my cat, but somehow I think I might have to stock up on bandaids and Neosporin as a precaution.



Carpet Square, you say? Or just plain square?

11 comments:

  1. Enjoyed reading this post very much. I often wonder what "people" will be saying about life in 2010 in 50 years. Do we look as foolish as most of these people?

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  2. You reminded me that I actually did have a Jane Fonda Workout book. I might've had the tape too. I hated exercising so I probably hardly used these.
    Those albums are very funny, especially the Christian one.

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  3. Ha ha! These are great! I half expected to see a cover on Richard Simmons, though! :)

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  4. I have several of the Jane Fonda vhs tapes and one of those weird aerobicizing videos where it looked like leotard porn. Remember those? It's kind of awesome...

    I'd love to have some of these records. I'd probably try to work out them. The Jane Fonda video I tried out was HARD!

    This post started the day off just about right. Thanks!

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  5. One of my older sisters had a Jane Fonda VHS tape. I heard not long ago that women who did her routines rigorously in the 80s are now suffering from neck and back problems. Wonder if that's true?

    Believe it or not I couldn't find that many Richard Simmons albums! Maybe he didn't do any?

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  6. Those covers definitely gave me a good laugh. I don't think I had ever see any of these before.

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  7. Hey! I've got both Debbie Drake and Bonnie Pruden's books! I'd be delighted to have Debbie Drake's figure...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsoXBroVIBI

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  8. Screw Pilates and Yoga - I'm goin' all out Carpet Square.

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  9. I think I just laughed off the burger and pasta salad I had for dinner. Who needs Jane Fonda when we have your blog? Thanks....think I'll have some ice cream and read your post again.

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  10. Pam, I don't think records were Richard Simmons thing. He was way ahead of his time. Straight to VHS, man!

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  11. Hi LaVonne, just wanted to thank you for your comments and for discovering my blog! Glad you are enjoying it.

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