Whatever happened to the good old days when a person didn't need a VCR and a TV to sweat? Everybody but Orson Welles is making exercise tapes: Jane Fonda, Debbie Reynolds, Richard Simmons and now, for something completely different, Lyle Alzado, the intimidating defensive lineman of the Los Angeles Raiders. The guy is built like the Sears Tower in jogging shoes and not exactly graceful. But he is forceful. "Do it like I'm tellin' ya!" he grunts, as you grunt along with his exercises. Thank goodness he doesn't spend too much time talking. An example of what he does say: "Follow this program, and you're going to go from mediocrity to greatness. You'll have the endurance, the ability, to be what you want to be anytime you want to be that." Instead of sermonizing, Alzado exercises, exercises and exercises to disco ditties produced by Michael Sembello (who wrote the song Maniac from Flashdance). All the while, the mountainous Alzado is surrounded by a group of skinny people with bodies the size of one of his legs. It may be good for you, but it's boring. (Karl Home Video, $39.95)
Your Reaction
