Let's Get Physical

How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World

By: Danielle Friedman

Narrated by: Danielle Friedman

A captivating blend of reportage and personal narrative that explores the untold history of women’s exercise culture—from jogging and Jazzercise to Jane Fonda—and how women have parlayed physical strength into other forms of power.

For American women today, working out is as accepted as it is expected, fueling a multibillion-dollar fitness industrial complex. But it wasn’t always this way. For much of the twentieth century, sweating was considered unladylike and girls grew up believing physical exertion would cause their uterus to literally fall out. It was only in the sixties that, thanks to a few forward-thinking fitness pioneers, women began to move en masse.

In Let's Get Physical, journalist Danielle Friedman reveals the fascinating hidden history of contemporary women’s fitness culture, chronicling in vivid, cinematic prose how exercise evolved from a beauty tool pitched almost exclusively as a way to “reduce” into one millions have harnessed as a path to mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

Let’s Get Physical reclaims these forgotten origin stories—and shines a spotlight on the trailblazers who led the way. Each chapter uncovers the birth of a fitness movement that laid the foundation for working out today: the radical post-war pitch for women to break a sweat in their living rooms, the invention of barre in the “Swinging Sixties,” the promise of jogging as liberation in the seventies, the meteoric rise of aerobics and weight-training in the eighties, the explosion of yoga in the nineties, and the ongoing push for a more socially inclusive fitness culture—one that celebrates every body.

Ultimately, it tells the story of how women discovered the joy of physical strength and competence—and how, by moving together to transform fitness from a privilege into a right, we can create a more powerful sisterhood.

©2022 Danielle Friedman (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

One of The New Yorker's Best Books of 2022
One of Veranda’s Most Anticipated Books of 2022

“Friedman’s engaging stories of the women who created and transformed the fitness industry illustrate an evolution built upon strong female shoulders.”—The Washington Post

“Friedman’s engaging stories of the women who created and transformed the fitness industry illustrate an evolution built upon strong female shoulders.” —The Washington Post

“[A] fascinating look at the world of modern exercise and some of the main female players in it.”—New York Post

Great and Unexpected read

I heard Danielle on a podcast talking about her book on women’s fitness. Laughed out loud and was engaged throughout. Pleasantly surprised, since I wasn’t sure if a whole book on women’s fitness would be something I would enjoy, highly recommend!

Eloquently told story of womens fitness

A week written historical run through of womens journey into fitness, with forcus on some of the industries pioneers. Its eye opening to think that women only had access and acceptance into the fitness scene very recently.

What a great listen!

This book is just wonderful. It’s a really interesting look back at the story of women’s fitness. As an athletic, middle class, Caucasian woman in my mid-30s, I often take for granted that I’ve always been able to do pretty much any physical activity I felt like doing. I too often forget that someone had to be first, and that someone had to be brave. The author does a great job narrating. I laughed, I cringed, I rolled my eyes at the absurd things that used to hold women back (like the belief that running would cause your uterus to literally fall out). If you enjoy feminism, fitness, history, and/or feeling in awe of those who came before us, give it a listen.

Excellent - I loved it enough to re-listen.

Very thorough research and insightful analysis of how fitness trends reflect changes in American culture (specifically regarding women). This is an empowering read and something I’ve found myself listening to over and over. Well worth the purchase.

Please read & share

Such an insightful book that illuminates the struggles and triumphs of women regarding fitness, self worth and acceptance.

Loved

This was amazing. So much history I didn’t know anything about. Learned a ton about a subject that fascinates me

The history of women in the modern fitness culture

Fantastic book on the history and importance of women in today’s booming fitness and wellness industry and why. The author did not go into pilates because Joseph Pilates was clearly not a women and that history is more of a #metoo book. Yoga is covered extensively as well and the author goes into great detail of the aerobic craze which really started it all as the big business we know today

Loved this book read it multiple times and also love it as audio

Skipped pilates, history wiki style

Author went more into running than anything else. Her sport. Jazzercise and aerobics was covered but the true spiritual beginning of yoga and all its history as well as Pilates was totally skipped. One could get most of the too general info here on Wiki. Disappointed and a waste of credit.