Review: Margaret Richard's Getting Better

[SharonNYC]

http://www.bodyelectrictv.com

[horsemom2]

how her videos compare with her tv show

Barb
who first started weight training by watching Body Electric

[Messe]

Margaret Richard is having a sale through February 28--any two videos for $49.95. Must...resist..flexing...credit card....must...resist...flexing...credit card....

[Debbie B.]

I would really like to hear more about Margaret's Fitness Over 50 video... how about it Jane? Can you give us a mini-review here?? Now that you have us ALL interested!

Thanks so much!

Debbie

[Lenore Levine]

Originally posted by Martha Edington
Margaret Richard is having a sale through February 28--any two videos for $49.95. Must...resist..flexing...credit card....must...resist...flexing...credit card....

Hmmm...I don't know much about her but Getting Better sounds good. What other videos does she have?

[Punkin]

I'll be shopping there! She's never had a sale -that I've seen before. Maybe I've just never been fortunate enough to catch one! I've read that the Upper Body Sculpture is good, there is a review for that one.

Yipee!

[Jane C]

Originally posted by SharonNYC


Simply out of professional curiosity: what's the artist's name?

and actually, upon investigation, apparently his only local connection is that he's exhibited at the Albright Knox in Buffalo (they have a very good abstract expressionist collection), and is represented by a local dealer.

I would also guess that Margaret films here more as a result of WNED's Toronto connection then its Buffalo one (interesting, its a public television station that serves both cities - so its international).

I'm not sure if Body Electric is still aired locally.

[Jane C]

Originally posted by Debbie B.
I would really like to hear more about Margaret's Fitness Over 50 video... how about it Jane? Can you give us a mini-review here?? Now that you have us ALL interested!

Thanks so much!

Debbie

I really can only mini-review, because I see the tape through the lens of my uncle, who, to make a long story short, is sort of unique in his needs and circumstances.

The tape was produced under the auspices of the "National Council on Fitness" (whatever that is - apparently there's a free companion book - I called the 800 number but it has yet to materialize!). There's a discussion in the beginning about the importance of fitness in the aging process. Its a weight training tape using light dumbells.

The thing that's nice about it is that she is very clear and factual without being condescending or dumbed down. She's understandable. U.Bert was getting lost with even Richard Simmons and Leslie Sansone, but he connects with Margaret.

The exercises are all done either standing or in a chair. She does 3 sets of 15, I think, of each exercise. Its definitely beginner although the sets *are* kind of long. (Uncle Bert typically only does one set).

There are two background exercisers, a man and a woman. Some variations are shown. If there's music its very low key.

[horsemom2]

I had copied some of the upper body work from The Body Electric Show which as far as I can tell is no longer available in my area When I want to truly feel it the next day, I go back to these workouts. MR may be older but she isn't easier.
The best part of her show was its variety from towel stretches, simple dance warmups, to working in every kind of position imaginable with few props only needing a chair and dumb bells. Of course, now I adapt whatever I can using the big ball and inclined bench for more range of motion.
MR believed in muscle in aging women for health long before it became popular as a means towards fat loss for women.

Barb
who is really curious if any of her videos use more props and takes her variety to another level

[WendyB]

I've only got a few of Margaret's tapes, and I've never seen her TV show, so I can't comment on similarities or differences. Two of the tapes I acquired recently are entitled "All My Best", Volumes 1 and 2. They are compilation tapes with segments from her other workouts. I thought they looked interesting but I haven't tried them. The segments I liked the best in these tapes were the ones from her Sculpture series and Forty and Fabulous.

Her Sculpture, Getting Better, and All My Best tapes can be broken into shorter 1/2 hour workouts or done as a one-hour total body workout, which I also liked. None of the segments I saw were "prop-heavy". You needed dumbbells, a mat, towel, and maybe a chair or bench. Period. I liked that, personally. And you didn't need a huge range of dumbbells either, so setup and tidy up time should be minimal, unlike my Firm tapes for example where the floor is littered with all sorts of equipment. Her weight work looks deceptively easy until you actually do the workout. She also works the muscles from many different angles, using moves I've never seen before in other sculpting tapes. As I can, I'll try to add to my reviews. Her sale prices are tempting though! I'm seriously thinking about Strong For Life. That workout had lovely Spanish guitar music and a beautiful set!

[edited by WendyB 10 Feb. 2002]