The Outdoor Athlete

Combining new-age gobbledygook with exercise and stretching tips, author Steve Ilg's The Outdoor Athlete (based on his book) offers a "cross training guide for holistic fitness." The program is divided into five sections: strength training, cardiovascular fitness, kinesthetic training, meditation, and fitness. Only the strength and kinesthetic sections offer any real instruction, with Ilg demonstrating some weight lifting moves in the former, and some yogic calisthenics in the latter. In the cardiovascular section, Ilg advises viewers to run or do something to pump up the heart; in the meditation section he says to meditate passively or actively (like while doing dishes, which "instills a certain stillness in your life," an example of one of the numerous tautological verbal baubles that Ilg throws out. The great thing about meditation, we're told, is that it gives us "understandment of our inner joy," whatever "understandment" is. In the final segment on "nutrition," Ilg simply tells viewers to read his book and buy his new book (The Outdoor Athlete's Training Journal). While some of the weight training and calisthenics exercises appear sound, too much of the program is stratospheric filler. Video and audio qualities are passable. Not recommended. (Available from: Johnson Books, 1880 South 57th Court, Boulder, CO 80301; (800) 258-5830.)