Baron Baptiste made a three-video series in 1998. There are at least two versions of these tapes on the market, and the production quality varies significantly. The videos labeled as "Hot Yoga" are distributed by Good Times and are the poorer quality versions, and the video's labeled "Power Yoga" are the better productions - however, it aint quite that simple...

The covers of the better tapes are labeled: Baron Baptiste's Power Yoga, and the individual tapes were titled 1) Level 1: Power Yoga For Beginners, 2) Level 2, Ultimate Power Yoga Challenge, and 3) Power Yoga The Next Challenge. They do not mention "Good Times" as the distributor.

"Good Times" productions began distributing the tapes shortly after they hit the market. Good Times made cheaper reproductions that look like 5th generation copies and have spots on the tapes that are blurry - at least mine do! Good Times originally mass marketed the tapes for $14.95 each but many people got the Good Times version as part of a Walmart distributed three-pack which sold for $12.96 for the set of three. Rather than being called *Power* Yoga, these tapes are called "Baron Baptiste's *Hot* Yoga", with the same individual tape titles as the *Power* Yoga version.

So, you're figuring, "ok, if I want good quality, I'll just get the *Power* Yoga tapes rather than the *Hot* Yoga Tapes. Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple.

Baronbaptiste.com offers tapes which show a cover graphic for the *Power* Yoga series, however, the description which accompanies the graphic says *Hot* Yoga, Levels 1, 2, and 3. This was done so people would not mistakenly buy the Power Yoga series believing it was a different program than the Hot Yoga series. The baronbaptiste.com tapes sell for $20 +S&H each.

Collagevideo.com indicates they purchased their tapes directly from Baron, and were quite miffed that Baron had allowed Good Times to package a lower quality version for $12.96 for all three - a price below their wholesale cost for the better tapes. The Collage tapes are entitled *Power* Yoga. However, you might get confused because their catalog and website graphic for the Level 3 tape says *Hot* Yoga (they indicate this will soon be corrected). Collage sells the tapes for $14.95 each, and the set for $40.00+S&H.

The $12.96 Walmart three-pack does not appear to be currently available. It does pop up on Ebay, and the Videofitness and Firmbelievers swap forums. Please note that in addition to the 3 shrinkwrap bundle, the tapes are individually shrinkwrapped, so it's quite possible to unwittingly trade for one of the cheesy Good Times tapes. If you want the better tapes, avoid versions which reference "Good Times" productions.

Finally, none of this has anything to do with Baron's most recent, and completely different series, which came out in 2001 and is entitled "Baron Baptiste Live" - these tapes feature a completely different program which I personally prefer - the real smart money will go there.

Jane C.