PLAYBOY’S PLAYMATE GUIDE TO PHYSICAL FITNESS (1982) ***

Playboy Playmates Jeana Tomasina and Victoria Cooke star in this Playboy workout video.  MTV was all the rage when this was released, so naturally, the aerobics sequences have the look, feel, and attention span of an early ‘80s music video.  Except, you know, with some occasional nudity.  

If you’re looking for something other than scenes of Playmates working out to pop music from the ‘70s and ‘80s, you might be disappointed.  Playmates run in slow motion to Olivia Newton-John’s “Heart Attack”, lift weights to the beat of The Commodores’ “Brick House”, perform aerobics set to Queen’s “Body Language”, and participate in nude calisthenics to Carl Carlton’s “Bad Mama Jama”.  (Naturally, the opening sequence is set to Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical”.)  

There’s no instruction whatsoever, so it’s not really the “Guide to Physical Fitness” it’s advertised to be.  It’s mostly just lots of close-ups of Playmate anatomy as it gyrates and undulates in a suggestive manner while exercising, which is even better, if you ask me.  The scene where they use a Nautilus while the camera lingers on their legs opening and closing is particularly amusing.  

The exercise sequences are pretty good, but the cooldown scenes are often more fun.  No aerobic instructions are necessary during the slow-motion Jacuzzi and/or nude massage segments, and that’s just the way I like it.  The best part though is when the Playmates take a relaxing nude sauna scored to the familiar sounds of “Nadia’s Theme”, from The Young and the Restless.  

If you’re watching Playboy’s Playmate Guide to Physical Fitness sheerly for the nudity, you might be a little disappointed as the ratio of clothed to nude workouts is about three to one.  At least one of the exercises was later recycled into Playmate Workout, which was released the next year.  That video had a lot more in terms of variety.  It was also an hour long.  This one’s half that length, which is a bit of a mixed blessing.  While it’s much shorter, it also feels like it’s over just as it starts heating up.  However, if you’re looking for something low impact (take that anyway you like it), this should fit the bill.