Is “STAR TREK: Body by Starfleet” worth buying? The uniforms of Star Trek: The Next Generation are unforgiving. Made out of spandex the crew had to maintain a strict exercise regimen to stay in shape. The only time we really know what kind of exercises they do was in the 1989 episode “The Price” which showed Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) doing stretches. Not much to go on. So what’s a new Starfleet cadet to do?
I got a copy of the new fitness book by Robb Pearlman and it’s a fun way to get in shape. Watch the book trailer below.
Here’s the official book description
“A fully illustrated guide that bridges the nexus between stasis and health, Star Trek: Body by Starfleet provides real, practical, and fun exercises for Star Trek fans of all ages and physical abilities so that they may boldly live long and prosper.
“Drawing from the most celebrated and iconic elements of over 50 years of Star Trek, Body by Starfleet will provide any pop-culture (or junk-food) junkie a fun and healthy way to engage their warp core and get moving. Whether you view the gym as an impenetrable final frontier or regularly bench press boulders like a Gorn, these simple, easy-to-follow instructions — created in consultation with a certified fitness trainer — is for readers of all ages and fitness levels to navigate through a series of enterprising exercises.
“Everyone, from an ensign in the Command Training Program to an admiral who’s voyaged through every quadrant, will benefit from the more than 30 exercises featuring Klingon Tribble Twists, Chekov’s Cossack Squats, Jefferies Tube Climbers, and Wesley Crunchers. All of the exercises in Body by Starfleet are designed for standard gravity so they can be performed with little to no equipment everywhere from living rooms to gyms to holodecks. Also included is a section covering nutrition so readers can program their replicators to eat better and cleaner, a workout log for recording activities and progress, and special exercises aimed toward non-humanoid species including Horta and Medusans.”
Pearlman is known for his quirky and fun books like Search for Spock: A Star Trek Book of Exploration: A Highly Illogical Parody and What Would Skeletor Do?: Diabolical Ways to Master the Universe. It’s well-written in his usual tongue-in-cheek style.
The exercise list is pretty extensive and most can be done with minimal equipment. That means you can do most of them with little or no expense. The titles work-outs are imaginative and Star Trek fans will love the little inside jokes. Having an exercise called “Uhura Tribble Twists” is funny because she absolutely adored the little furry creatures. On the other hand Klingon’s hate Tribbles so the “Kingon Tribble Twists” plays on that gag.
“Deanna Troi’ Active Listeners” references the in-joke that Star Trek: The Next Generation would often cut to a close-up of Troi nodding while a character talks.
Non-fans will still enjoy the routines too.
The 2D computer illustrations are well-done and even include little visual gags like having Spock give the Vulcan salute while doing planks.
My only complaint is the sample routines. There are some sample workouts for conditioning and working your core muscles.
These are great but I’d like to see a sample week of exercises to show which days would be best to work on which muscle groups. If you did a core workout seven days a week you wouldn’t get good results and would overtrain. So, if I have one suggestion, only do a core workout two to three times a week. Also, it also doesn’t say how many reps or sets you should do.
Other than that it’s a fun book and a great resource for Star Trek fans beginning their workout routine.
Overall: Buy “Star Trek: Body by Starfleet: A Fitness Guide”
If you’re looking to start exercising and you love Star Trek then you should buy this book. You’ll use it for years to come.
About “Star Trek: Body by Starfleet: A Fitness Guide”
Author: Robb Pearlman
Description: “A fully illustrated guide that bridges the nexus between stasis and health, Star Trek: Body by Starfleet provides real, practical, and fun exercises for Star Trek fans of all ages and physical abilities so that they may boldly live long and prosper.”
On Sale: December 3rd 2019
Price: $16 / $22 (CAD)
Page Count: 136
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About the Author Maurice Mitchell has been a passionate science-fiction fan of movies, television, books, and comics since age five. He and his twin brother Nigel created the site “The Geek Twins” to share that passion. Maurice has written and created infographics for sites like The Geek Twins and About.com. His work has been featured on sites like Business Insider, io9 Slashfilm and more. Read more of his posts | Follow him on Twitter @Mauricem1972 |
What do you think of the book? Let us know in the comments below!
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