Margaret Richard fans please come here

[smith938]

ooh thanks donna I forgot about memorial day! and july 4th is coming up too! maybe I'll complete my collection LOL!

[Pat58]

Thank you for those breakdowns Susanna! I'll definitely keep watching for sales.

[mtngoat]

I am very pleased with Margaret's downloads . She uses Skilljar. No special player required. You may download a complete workout, or by chapter (exercise). You may also stream. The cover is also included- a nice bonus!

[shawnt]

I have all of Margaret's DVDs except Maggie. Margaret is one of my "go to" instructors -- she's so quirky!

I like all of her DVDs, some more than others. I just finished an Unplugged rotation (both 1900 and 2000) and liked those. My impression is that Margaret's workouts have gotten easier over the years, but I'm not sure why I think that? Neither the 1900 or 2000 Unpluggeds are killer, but that's partly because of the 25 minute format, which includes a short warmup, a short stretch, and about a minute of Margaret's thoughts on life and exercise (called "Food for Thought") (so the workouts themselves really are 15-20 minutes).

It's been a long time since I've reached for some of her other workouts, but I'll echo the recommendations for Triple Threat, All My Best (both Vols), and Sculpture. The one I reach for most often is Good for You, but I think this one is on the easier side (which is probably why I like it!).

I don't find Margaret's stretches very effective (for me -- others might), so I wouldn't start a Margaret collection with Muscle and Grace or Strong and Limber, since half the DVD is short stretch workouts. Just a suggestion...

My recommendation would be to either pick a DVD that has workouts of a length that you like (she has 20, 25, 30, and 60 minute formats) OR start with All My Best (either Volume) to see which ones appeal more to you. You could also read some of the reviews. I think there is at least one review of each of her workouts in the VF database.

Hope that helps!

[smith938]

ok I just did Good N Strong workout 1. I've only done it once and Getting Better 1x so trying to remember. The similarities are both upper and lower body in about an hour - think it was around 50 min total with the stretching/warmup. she uses dumbbells though only says 3 lbs once (and I'm pretty sure I was struggling with 5s the exercise before...would've switched but didn't have them handy - so if you get this one have some 3's handy...)she uses a heavier one for biceps - as heavy as you can and keep your form. also she uses that ball shown in the clips of spark, fight age with strength and may show it in the clip of this one. I liked it in some exercises but found it annoying in others. some it's used just to get the form right not to support but she uses it in the abs and quads to hold that halfway sitting/halfway lying position and I find that rough on my neck and shoulders. I'm using my walmart ball and I think hers might be a little more squishable..I have one that came with one of her dvds but lost the needle somewhere between the dining room table and bedroom upstairs -so far neither me nor my dog have found it... she also uses leg weights- I finally put them on for the quads but had to hit pause since I only found one of my weights..

I didn't enjoy the pushups but I'm beginning to think they're a necessary evil - she does variations though one variation was to alternate from being off knees to knees every other one (since I was already on my knees I just carried on with a few, um, rests...)seems like she does another variation but can't remember what was just happy to finish. she did the lying on back french presses - I happen to like these even though hard to see the tv - weights are separate in each hand and she turns the palms up for a variation. no flies out to the side though which I kinda missed. seems the other arms are standing. the biceps she does a neat 'x' move where they start at hips go in then out as they reach waist and above - can't explain but it was pretty cool. the shoulders/back were doozies with some extension type moves going from hip to opposite shoulder and some other kind of move - these bothered me a bit but probably should have lowered the weight. upright rows..the legs were all floor -inner thighs were some kind of fast squeezes with the ball. the type of leg lefts from getting better where you're on your side and lifting leg, extending leg- some different extensions but same type. hamstrings were on back lifting one leg up and down with other leg held off floor in different posions then switching (think she stretches between) felt in my booty some..the booty was both feet on the ground with ball between knees and lifting. some of these with teh ball like the inner thighs I had to play around with the ball position and feet position and found I felt it more in certain positions. no lunges and no tricep dips at least not in the first workout. the 2nd workout pops up right after this one (I was still putting stuff away) and she's in a different outfit- bright green I think. I like the outdoor scenery in this one and being able to get some of each major muscle group in less than an hour. not sure about that ball though but it was needed in some of the exercises - the abs I tossed it aside and just went to my back. I think the standing for the arms allowed some wider range of motion exercises than getting well did but I missed some of the moves from getting well...time went by pretty quick i thought- I glanced at the clock a couple of times but was surprised when we got to the legs then she said something about stretching. she uses the ball in the stretch which didnt' do much...overall I liked it and think it was worth getting though starting with pushups might be a bit of dread factor for me LOL!

[Breezy Trousers]

Margaret Richard has a sale every week or two -- just join her email list.

I purchased Triple Threat and Sculpture solely for the high-rep upper body workouts and recommend both.

[MsThistlebottom]

Big Margaret fan here. I have all of her DVDs. Some favorites: Beauty to the Bone, Getting Better, Forty and Fabulous (from the Classics collection), Sculpture, The Spark, Raising the Bar.

[smith938]

Joan do you use the bodybar with raising the bar? I recently got the dvd but don't have the bar- think she said dumbbells could be used in some of the routines..wish I still had my firm sculpting stick

[MsThistlebottom]

Yes, I do use a body bar, but I think you could sub with dumbbells.

[smith938]

thanks!