Let's Get Physical... Texercise with Irlene Mandrell!

“Today’s active lifestyles demand that we all stay in top condition! Not only for ourselves but for our families as well!” So says Irlene Mandrell, the youngest sister of country superstars Barbara and Louise Mandrell. As a Cover Girl model and celebrity spokesperson, Irlene needed to look her best for the cameras, and nowhere did she shine brighter than in her 1983 exercise romp, Texercise with Irlene Mandrell.

“Let’s get started and Texercise!” Her enthusiasm for her down home workout is downright delicious—everything she says ends in an exclamation point! But the best thing about this video? No, it's not the fantastic bathing suit that utilizes practically every shade of purple and blue known to man that she wears in the opening. It’s the fact that you don’t need to go to a health club or spa in order to Texercise, you can do it while “on the road doing concerts, TV shows, or on location for a movie!" (According to her imdb listing, Irlene never actually appeared in a movie—let alone one that was shot on location—but she did showcase her pretty face on Love Boat, Hee Haw, and several of her sister's Christmas specials.)

Irlene so believed in Texercise that she put out an album with the same name. Featuring such ditties as “Saddle Bag Stomp,” “The Pecos Pull,” and “Thighs of Texas,” it helped people burn some serious calories in the early '80s.

Practically every Texercise moment is a gem to be savored, but here are the parts that really got my heart racing: the super gay guy in yellow dancing at 1:53, the “country jog” at 3:45, and the Texas hustle at 4:00.

Sure, this video is a bit dated, but one look at Irlene’s fantastic figure is all the proof you'll need that Texercising really works! Yeeeehaaawwwww!!!