God save the lean

I bet that in your last exercise class you didn't run around the room like a banshee to The Ramones or scream obscenities when the going got tough. The rebellion against Jane Fondatype exuberance continues with a new breed of exercise from Boston, USA. Debuting at the Dome in June, this is aerobics that breaks all the rules.

Energy in the UK

The classes were formed in the best punk spirit of 'no previous experience but fistfuls of raw energy'. Maura Jasper (punk rock aficionado) and Hilken Mancini (ballet artist-cum-rock guitarist in Fuzzy) were bouncing up and down to punk rock tracks one day in their living room when they thought, according to Jasper: 'Wow, I can dance until three in the morning to this s***, someone should do an exercise class.'

Two qualifications as aerobic instructors followed and a work-out summed up by the ethos: 'No more sucky classes full of brain-dead bimbos in spandex thongs.'

The hour-and-a-half session is divided into cardio, floor-work and resistance. Spray-painted bricks are substituted for the free weights; knee-high fishnets and ironic T-shirts for Lycra. The moves are tongue-in-cheek references to the punk movement: Iggy's Pop (jumping up and down with your hands in the air); Slutt Butt (squeezing your bum off the floor using your abs) and Pogo-ing (more jumping up and down with your hands in the air.)

Jasper says they try to keep the class easy to follow: 'We do three moves to each song usually, just like the three guitar chords in punk rock songs.' All this to the backdrop of Sex Pistols, The Undertones, The Ramones and The Stooges with a wind-down to German electronic band Kraftwerk and My Bloody Valentine.

The classes were born out of a desire to appeal to those who don't have a gym membership and who are turned off by the body beautiful culture. Alternative venues such as YMCAs and clubs before soundcheck are chosen for their dark interiors and lack of imposing mirrors. Jasper says: 'We call it our simulated mosh pit. It can be like controlled chaos; there's one point where we do the song Someone Got Their Head Kicked In and people go crazy, running around the room, slamming into each other.'

It's an arena that requires you to check in a sense of humour and leave inhibition baggage at home.

Never mind the Botox

The work-out promises to be as sweat-inducing as a gig, and as enjoyable; Jasper and Mancini like to dress up in silly costumes and ex-Minutemen bassist Mike Watt, who has been known to chain-smoke throughout the class, is one of the guest DJs. When the class is over, they throw us chocolate.

Could this be the perfect crossover between health and lifestyle? Jasper confides that, at 38, she still has a predilection for late nights but, despite her opposition to exercise, is now in shape: 'I can't believe I am a certified aerobics teacher. I wanted to write to them when I got my certification and say: are you guys kidding me?

An aerobics teacher? Me?'

Punk Rock Aerobics Classes will be taking place on June 21 and 22 at The Dome, World Skateboarding Championships weekend event. For tickets: www.aloud.com, Tel: 08701 251 251. £12.50 day. www.punkrockaerobics.com The Garage, Highbury Corner, London Tel: 020 7607 1818, June 23rd, £5.