The Guitar Hero's Workout: Shred The Pounds Away
Angus Young of AC/DC knows how to work up a sweat while playing. His endless energy, enthusiasm and affinity for shorts make him the Richard Simmons of the Guitar Hero workout. Getty Images hide caption
Angus Young of AC/DC knows how to work up a sweat while playing. His endless energy, enthusiasm and affinity for shorts make him the Richard Simmons of the Guitar Hero workout.
Getty ImagesDo you know why you never see Slash at the gym? Because rock guitarists have found a way to cram an entire workout into a single show.
We studied the performances of rock's guitar legends and compiled the best moves to build both your muscles and your godlike mystique. Keep a bottle of Jack on hand for hydration, drape some old silk scarves around a microphone stand to dab your sweaty brow, and move like you've seen a million faces and rocked them all.
For maximum results, toss that piece of black molded plastic with colorful buttons and strap on a real Flying V (preferably a 1959 Gibson).
Tell us about the flab-busting guitar moves we missed in the comments below.
BEHIND THE HEAD: Warm up, stretch your delts and wow the audience by playing the guitar behind your head. Though Jimi Hendrix made the gimmick a rock standard, this act of guitar showmanship dates back to blues musician Charley Patton and R&B show bands of the early 1900s. (See video at 3:18.)
MONITOR LUNGES: Improve your balance and your quads by copping Courtney Love's signature stance. Prop your leg up on a monitor, rock back and forth, and howl. Do you use in-ear monitors? Then an amp, drum riser, piano bench or a front-row fan will do. (See video at 0:13.)
THE DUCK WALK: Chuck Berry claims he discovered this attention-grabbing move as a child while retrieving a ball from under a table. It became a staple of his stage show and an excellent way to tone the glutes. Hold the guitar to your side, squat down, kick one leg forward and scoot across the stage. Do not fall down unless you want to lose all the credibility you just earned by attempting the move in the first place. (See video at 1:55.)
STYLISH JUMPING: Pete Townshend of The Who is known mostly for the arm-swinging windmill move (See video at 2:03), but if you're trying to burn some serious calories, kick it up a notch with his signature jumps. Simply jump in the air and kick out your feet or jump sloppily from side to side. There are enough variations for an aerobic workout that'll leave you breathless before the encore. (See video at 0:51 and 1:53.)
THE SPASM: Start your cool down by falling and writhing like you're possessed by Satan herself. Oh, and keep playing. AC/DC's Angus Young perfected this move by using his legs to spin in circles on the ground. (See video at 3:30 and 5:45.) If you're getting tired, have your lead singer carry you around on his or her shoulders for a few minutes. (See video at 1:45.)