Raquel: Total Beauty and Fitness

update to prior review (2008-12-10)
I did receive an email from this vendor about my very negative one star feedback on a useless tape they sent me but since they were generous enough to return HALF my money......per my promise to them I would try to correct my first very damaging one star rating to a five star rating.

a really thorough and challenging practice (2008-08-22)
I was first introduced to this tape in high school and let me tell you, I wore this tape out! I will freely admit that as a 16-year old, what drew me towards this was my natural flexibility and balance, so I felt like I'd finally found something that embraced my specific physical gifts, but I got into amazing shape with this class.

On the annoying side is the fact that Raquel teaches, which I find annoying because a) she's not a teacher and that is not something to be taken lightly, and b) she's a competitive woman, which shows as she looks around at her classmates with that catty glint in her eyes. But, that said, I have to admit her voice is soothing, her alignment cues are precise and she obviously practiced this a lot and really enjoyed every moment. You could see her unwind and relax throughout as well. And as far as being a good model for demonstrating the pose, Raquel was very precise and graceful.

The presentation here was unique; filmed in a gorgeous open air living room on a beach in Mustique (I believe that's the island), it was visually lovely. Yes, Raquel shows off her natural assets in a zebra print bathing suit, but so what? She looks great and it's comfortable for her. If male yoga teachers can wear shorts only and go without ridicule, women should be entitled to be comfortable as well.

The Bikram series (which I didn't realize was what this was until recently) is usually done in a heated studio ("hot yoga") but I remember doing this almost daily during high school and feeling tremendous effects without that added element.

She does each of the postures twice. The first set is designed to warm you up, the second is to help you make quick progress (I'm quoting verbatim because it's so ingrained from my practice all those years ago!). And I really like that. The second time around is always better, deeper.

I, too, am sad that this will never make it to DVD. I read the comment on someone's review here that explains the lawsuit. I won't even go into my personal opinions on yoga teachers who sue over an ancient art, but you get the idea. But I think I still have this gem on old VHS someplace at home and I want to dig it out to experience it again.

You get a thorough yoga set, complete with breathing exercises, chair pose, eagle, side stretch, triangle, balancing t, standing head to knee, dancer's pose...it's about 90 minutes from start to finish if memory serves. You'll work on balance, coordination, flexibility, strength, determination, concentration, and in the end you'll know you've worked every nook and cranny you've got, all while breathing deep and staying calm.

If you can find this someplace, and you love doing yoga at home, get it. This is challenging, no doubt, but there's room to grow. The music is soft and soothing, not too loud or noticable, and it's a great set.

I'm going home tonight to see if I can relive fabulous old times with Lee, Nicole, Marguerite, Susan, Suzanne and Raquel. ;)

Still the best yoga tape -- why not on DVD? (2008-08-12)
I got the VHS tape when it first came out from HBO and used it so much I wore it out. Since then I've tried many others, but the beauty, grace and tranquility of this presentation combines with the calmness of Raquel's voice and frequent reassurances to coax my body into better flexibility and core strength than anything else I've tried. I really don't want to pay over $30 for another VHS tape. Please, Amazon, champion us fans and find a way to bring us this presentation in DVD.

the Best Ever (2008-05-26)
Like most I to bought this back in the 80's, it was the first yoga I had ever done, I loved it so much I went to Calif. and took a yoga teachers class. Since then I do yoga every now and then at home. I have 4 of this tape, 4 because I never want to not have this one tape. I really think it is the best one made, thank you Raquel for changing my life for the better. yoga seems to be a way of life it gets in your blood, I only wish Ms. Welch would make another yoga tape.

raquel welch total beauty and fitness video (2007-10-08)
this is the third time i have purchased this same video... it is the best yoga tape that ive done... learning the poses with raquel works...been doing them on/off for 20+ years, keep going back to her video... it is a kind/ but challenging workout for your body whether you are in shape or not.