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Post by Karla on Sept 17, 2023 14:48:29 GMT
Cougar Workout
Joyce Vedral
Year Released: 2009
This was my first experience with veteran instructor Joyce Vedral, who is so full of personality that she is nearly bursting through the screen. In this workout, she takes a term usually thought to have a negative connotation, cougar (ie, as most people consider a cougar to be an older woman on the prowl), and makes it her own, insisting that a cougar is a woman who has decided to look good no matter how old she gets. Along that vein, Joyce performs the workout with two female background exercisers, and she states that between the three of them, their average age is 53.
While Joyce's personality is definitely a bit over-the-top, the workout itself is solid. It is intended to be used as either a 2-Day or a 3-Day split. For the first option, you would do Upper Body the first day (28.5 minutes), Lower Body the next day (35 minutes), repeat twice, and rest on Day 7. For Option 2, you would do Upper Body on Day 1, Legs & Back on Day 2 (15.5 minutes), and then Hips & Abs on Day 3 (19.5 minutes), repeating the sequence once. All of the weight work is performed in a pyramid style--ie, you repeat a sequence of exercises for 12 repetitions each using your lightest weight, then pyramid up to a mid-weight for a second set of 10 reps each, and finally, you use your heaviest weight for a final set of 8 reps per exercise. Joyce encourages you to start light or even use no weights at first if needed.
All of the exercises for each segment are listed below. Joyce moves quickly from one exercise to another without pausing for rest between exercises or between sets.
UPPER BODY
First 16.6 minutes, standing:
Arnold press
double arm tricpes
reverse Arnold press
concentration curls
single arm kickback
alternating biceps curl
alternating kickback
simulataneous hammer curl
simulataneous kickback
side lateral
shoulder press
Pee-Wee lateral
front lateral
Final 12 minutes, performed on a bench:
flat press
flyes
curl press
triceps press
cross-face
close bench press
single dumbbell extension
(For the second set, Joyce adds a biceps curl and changes the order of exercises; the third set returns to the original order, no biceps curl.)
LOWER BODY/Legs & Back
seated back lateral
seated bent lateral
squat (alternate: standing leg extension)
front squat (alternate: seated leg extension)
bent lateral
hack squat
regular row
side row
palms up row
squat (alternate: seated side leg lift)
one dumbbell squat (alternate: lying leg lift)
upright row
leaning 1-arm dumbbell row
(NOTE: the alternate exercises are explained briefly on a separate chapter of the DVD entitled "Special Thigh Work.")
LOWER BODY/Hips & Abs (floorwork)*
Lying on one side:
saddlebag stripper
lower butt side kicks
lower butt curls
Lying on back:
crunch
bent knee lifts
clamshell front
ceiling stone lift
toe reach front
side reach front
bent knee crunch
elbow-to-knee crunch
leg raise
knee ins
Lying on other side, same exercises
*15 reps of all exercises; repeat entire series twice
The Warm-Up is a very brief (1.5 minute) segment that has Joyce and crew performing muscle stretches without sufficiently warming up the body first. For the "Cool-Down," Joyce and pals spend approximately 30 seconds lightly punching the various muscles worked while repeating over and over "Ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha!" Obviously, this is supposed to be fun, but as with the warm-up, the lack of a decent cool-down really detracts from what is otherwise a very solid workout.
Clearly, Joyce's personality is not going to appeal to everyone. She is really playing to the camera here, and some might even find her style to be a bit on the cheesey side. However, I could also see Joyce really connecting with certain women--particularly older ones--who are prepared to fully embrace the idea "I'm not getting older, I'm getting better!" If you have never worked out with Joyce before, I would suggest that you view a clip before purchasing this workout. But if you already know and love Joyce, this workout might be a good addition to your collection.
Instructor Comments:
As mentioned above, Joyce is clearly hamming it up for the camera in this workout. She makes a lot of goofy statements, from saying "don't look at my butt!" to assuring viewers that they will look better than her after this workout due to her own genetic limits. One of her two background exercises counts out loud for her, and the other shows modifications of some of the exercises.
Beth C (aka toaster)
01/09/2009
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Post by Karla on Sept 19, 2023 13:37:01 GMT
Just Bra-Roll-Boobs
Joyce Vedral
Year Released: 2005
This is a great one from Joyce with a slower lifting speed (Marthe counts). You have time to change weights between exercises.
Length: 25 min.
You super duper giant set for chest/back using the full pyramid system 12/10/8/10/12 reps. If youâre time crunched, stop after 3 rounds (so you pyramid up only).
1)Seated circular brall roll and boob lifter(this exercise is similiar to what Marthe does in Bone builder instead of side delt lifts)
2)Standing bent lateral
3)STanding back lateral(similiar to Firm rhomboid pinch)
4)Seated bent lateral
5)Chest fly
6)Chest press
7)cross bench pull overs
8)seated bent lateral
9)double arm reverse row
10)1 arm row
This is just 1 giant set of 10 exercises. You repeat this 4 more times using the true pyramid system!
I think Iâll sub exercise 5 with pushups. That way Iâll get in 52 pushups during the course of the workout, and my shoulders donât like chest flyes anyway.
Rotation tip:
One could alternate full versions and time crunched versions of the Just Joyce titles, thus maintaining a two-day split and shorter workout time, but still reaping the benefits of doing the full pyramid this way:
Day 1: Just Arms (full) + Just Bra-Roll (time crunch)
Day 2: Just Thighs (full) + Just Butt (time chrunch)
the next two days are REVERSE:
Day 3: Just Arms (time crunch) + Just Bra-Roll (full)
Day 4: Just Thighs (time crunch) + Just Butt (full)
Day 5: See Day 1
Day 6: See Day 2
The next week you would start out working the lower body instead of upper body, keeping upper and lower body in balance.
So you alternate full and time crunch versions of the titles, thus maintaining a two-day split and shorter workout time, but still reaping the benefits of doing the full pyramid.
Instructor Comments:
sidse
04/01/2005
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Post by Karla on Sept 19, 2023 13:38:17 GMT
Just Butt
Joyce Vedral
Year Released: 2005
This is a great one from Joyce with a slower lifting speed (Marthe counts). You have time to change weights between exercises.
Length: 21 min.
You do 3 rounds of various mostly butt oriented exercises. A round concists of 12 exercises. If youâre time crunched, stop after the first or second round.
1)lying lower side circle 1st leg
2) Lying butt lift
3)lying lower side circle 2nd leg
4)lying floor scissors
5)front to back 1st leg(looks like a pilates move. I also saw this move in Firm Better body and buns floorwork. Where you swing your leg front to back)
6)Lying bicycle
7)front to back 2nd leg
8)alternate and together butt lift
9)Back leg kick up and to the side 1st leg
10 back leg kick up and to the side 2nd leg
11)kneeling back leg extension 1st leg
12)kneeling back leg extension 2nd leg
rest 15 seconds and repeat this 2 more times.
Iâll sub exercise 6 with inner thigh work (supine, opening and closing legs).
Rotation tip:
One could alternate full versions and time crunched versions of the Just Joyce titles, thus maintaining a two-day split and shorter workout time, but still reaping the benefits of doing the full pyramid this way:
Day 1: Just Arms (full) + Just Bra-Roll (time crunch)
Day 2: Just Thighs (full) + Just Butt (time chrunch)
the next two days are REVERSE:
Day 3: Just Arms (time crunch) + Just Bra-Roll (full)
Day 4: Just Thighs (time crunch) + Just Butt (full)
Day 5: See Day 1
Day 6: See Day 2
The next week you would start out working the lower body instead of upper body, keeping upper and lower body in balance.
So you alternate full and time crunch versions of the titles, thus maintaining a two-day split and shorter workout time, but still reaping the benefits of doing the full pyramid.
Instructor Comments:
sidse
04/01/2005
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Post by Karla on Sept 19, 2023 13:39:38 GMT
Just Thighs
Joyce Vedral
Year Released: 2005
This is a great one from Joyce with a slower lifting speed (Marthe counts). You have time to change weights between exercises.
Length: 34 min.
You super duper giant set for thighs using the full pyramid system 12/10/8/10/12 reps. There are 5 rounds (1 for each step in the pyramid) concisting of 8 exercises before you get a 15 second rest. All the standing leg work are squat variations. The 8 exercises are performed with or without dumbbells. If no dumbbells are required, 15 reps are performed. If youâre time crunched, stop after 3 rounds (so you pyramid up only).
1)Standing leg raises front and side (no bells)
2)Plie squat
3)Standing leg extension front (leg stays up, extend from knee, no bells)
4)Hack squat (bells behind back)
5)Seated simultaneous leg extensions w/bell between feet (no bells)
6)Squat
7)Supine single leg sweep (lift leg until perpendicular to ceiling, no bells)
8)Lying simultaneous leg curls w/bell between feet
This is just 1 giant set of 8 exercises. You repeat this 4 more times using the true pyramid system!
I think Iâll perhaps sub exercise 3 with quick shallow unweighted lunges in stationary position, and exercise 7 with unweighted tall box leg presses. If Joyce goes too fast for leg presses, Iâll stay on top of the tall box, dipping a leg slightly down behind the tall box 15 times, letting the stationary leg do a static contraction.
Rotation tip:
One could alternate full versions and time crunched versions of the Just Joyce titles, thus maintaining a two-day split and shorter workout time, but still reaping the benefits of doing the full pyramid this way:
Day 1: Just Arms (full) + Just Bra-Roll (time crunch)
Day 2: Just Thighs (full) + Just Butt (time chrunch)
the next two days are REVERSE:
Day 3: Just Arms (time crunch) + Just Bra-Roll (full)
Day 4: Just Thighs (time crunch) + Just Butt (full)
Day 5: See Day 1
Day 6: See Day 2
The next week you would start out working the lower body instead of upper body, keeping upper and lower body in balance.
So you alternate full and time crunch versions of the titles, thus maintaining a two-day split and shorter workout time, but still reaping the benefits of doing the full pyramid.
Instructor Comments:
sidse
04/01/2005
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Post by Karla on Sept 19, 2023 13:41:07 GMT
Non-stop - Day 1
Joyce Vedral
This video contains 3 giant sets of upper body work with no rest breaks. For each set, the weights go heavier, and the reps decrease (modified pyramid - 12, 10, 8)
Each set includes:
simultaneous bicep curls
simultaneous kickbacks
overhead reverse laterals
peewee laterals
bent over laterals
one arm tricep extensions
concentration curl
alternating bicep curl
alternating hammer curl
pushups
alternating shoulder press (military)
side lateral
front raise
chest press
chest flye
headbangers
cross face extensions
closegrip bench press
seated straight toe calves
seated angled out calves
seated angled in calves
The entire workout is about 24 minutes long!!! It elevated my heart rate, and my arms were burning.
I had to lower my weight for some of the shoulder work, so for all 3 sets, I used 3's for some exercises. I'm very intent on listening to my shoulders, as I don't want to be sidelined by a rotator cuff injury.
I give this routine a big thumbs up. Her rep speed is maybe 1 rep per second, but she goes a tad slower with the shoulder work.
Leela
02/12/2003
Non-stop - Day 2
Joyce Vedral
Year Released: 2003
I previewed this one, and I hope to do it today.
3 giant sets. Modified pyramid (12 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps). NO rest breaks. The non weighted exercises have 15 reps in all 3 sets.
Her form for squats is strange, and I couldn't see any difference between the first 4 squats, other than where the dumbbells were held)
Straddle squat (dumbbell between legs).
Regular squat (dumbbell in each hand)
Frog squat(cross arms, hold dumbbell on each shoulder)
hack squat(hands behind rear, holding dumbbells)
bent knee deadlift
sissy squat
leg curl
knee in/out (ab). Non weighted
crunch (non weighted)
reverse crunch with legs up(non weighted)
reverse crunch with legs in air, but bent at 90 degrees. non weighted)
bridge work (butt raise, non weighted, but I use my pilates circle, or a medicine ball between my legs, and give it an adductor squeeze)
lying side leg raise
hands and knees, straight leg raise
hands and knees, knee in,leg kick back (flexed foot)
hands and knees, knee in, leg kick up (flexed foot)
bent over row, palms up
double row, hinged forward
bent over row, palms down
seated back laterals
upright rows
Overall, looks like an excellent workout for legs and bag and abs. I plan on doing this at the gym, and I will likely substitute in the lat pulldown, the leg curl and the leg extension for some of her exercises just for variety and isolation.
Instructor Comments:
(See other reviews)
Leela
02/12/2003
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Post by Karla on Sept 19, 2023 13:43:08 GMT
Dynamic Tension Joyce Vedral This is one of my favourite Joyce routines. It is loosely based on her book "The 12-Minute Total Body Shaping Workout" but has fewer sections. The sections here are about 12 minutes long, and each works three body parts with two exercises done for 3 sets of 12. This is the only workout I have which has sections this short which still contain enough work to be effective. One can also combine the first three sections for a 35-minute total body workout. There is not much to say about the exercise choices here. Joyce picks old standards---biceps curls, shoulder presses and the like. No surprises  If you are weary of some of the new-fangled 'functional' stuff and want some back to basics gym work, this would be a good pic. It's not the right workout for everyone---Joyce is not as 'polished' as some instructors are, and has been described as a bit goofy. Her form is not wonderful. She works out alone, on a red set which some might dislike. But if you know Joyce, want a short total-body routine or a decent add-on program, or just want some back to basics gym work, this might be a good one. I know it is not her best-loved routine, but it is one I find I get a lot of use out of due to its conciseness and flexible format. Instructor Comments: I enjoy Joyce's personality on-screen, but her rep speed and form are only so-so. I would not recommend this workout to a beginner. Also, I would not recommend ordering off Joyce's website as her customer service leaves much to be desired. Joanna 04/09/2006 Dynamic Tension is the companion video to the book 12 Minute Workout. Joyce does supersets within body parts and just two exercises per body part and also 3 sets. I have the book along with the video and the video really is a good companion to the book from what I saw. I didn't know what Dynamic Tension was from reading the book so it helps a lot to see Joyce do it on video. I learned Dynamic Tension means to pretend someone is trying to prevent you from bringing the weight back to the starting position. What I did like was that she moves slow enough so that if you don't want to do Dynamic Tension, you can make it a slow and heavier weight lifting tape and still follow along by not doing the tension thing. She does 10 reps for each set, takes a breather for 15 seconds between each superset and then moves to the next superset. After the 3 sets for one body part, she moves to the next body part. The tape is meant to be broken down into 6 days (or 7) ...days 1 & 4, 2 and 5, 3 & 6. The 7th day is extra abs, hip, butt. Personally, day 7 is short so I would throw it in with day 2 & 5. Each part gets worked twice in a week or you can do the whole tape 2-3 times per week in under an hour. I like that you can skip the Dynamic Tension and make it a heavy Weight Tape. It sort of reminds me of Bottoms Up in it's speed but it's a bit slower. JMHO. The whole tape can be done in under 45 minutes, but she does not give a stretch at the end. Also, in the beginning, she does not give a warm-up either. She does these stretches: back/chest, side bends, torso twist, and what's funny is when she says she's going to stretch the biceps and triceps, she actually stretching the triceps overhead.  ) Last is the runners stretch and then into the workout. Here is a breakdown of the exercises (these are just suggested days Joyce mentions on the tape): DAYS 1 & 4 (Mon and Thurs) Chest/Tricep/Shoulder Flat bench press/Flat bench fly double arm kickback/lying french press side laterals/military press DAYS 2 & 5 (Tues and Fri) Quads, Hamstrings/Hip, Butt/ABS Leg extension/leg curl standing butt squeeze/seated scissors crunch/bent knee sewn lift DAYS 3 & 6 (Wed and Sat) Back/Calf/Bicep Seated reverse row/upright row Giant set for calfs (standing) toes pointed forward, out then in simultaneous curl/alternating hammer curl DAY 7 (Sun) Xtra Abs/Hip/Butt Knee raise crunch/ceiling sewn lift lying butt lift/saddle bag stripper The music is soft like in her Non Stop video. This time she is wearing blue so she does not blend in with the background quite soo much which was better for me. She also counts better!! If she missed a rep, she only missed it by one. ) One thing she didn't always do was name what the exercise she was doing and I sometimes forget what exercise I'm doing although I know what body part I'm working. But for me, it would help better for the review that I know the name of certain exercises. I have to say I like these new tapes but I guess with Joyce you either like her tapes or you don't. As for the price, it ended up costing $26 bucks and some change after the discount. Whoopie, what a discount. ;o) Well, I do like them and it'll be nice to add them in and play with along with her other vids. Nancy 07/05/2001 |
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Post by Karla on Sept 23, 2023 19:59:34 GMT
The Spark Margaret Richard Year Released: 2012 The Spark is filmed outdoors at the Decordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts. The setting is lovely, and in some of the segments you can see that there has been a recent rain shower. Margaret instructs alone on a deck overlooking the water. This DVD is a broken into four weight lifting endurance workouts, with most of the body parts hit twice. The exceptions are abs, glutes, back, and calves. Those are done only once. Youâll need dumbbells in varying weights, a playground ball, and a bench or chair. I also use ankle weights, although Margaret (for a change) does not. I would classify these workouts as intermediate, but itâs easy to change the level by increasing or decreasing the weight used. As Margaret says, âItâs not a beginnerâs workout and itâs not an advanced workout; itâs your workout.â WORKOUT 1 (24 minutes) Warmup Pectorals - pushups Triceps - dips and overhead press Abs - crunches and oblique twists Inner Thighs - squeezes with a playground ball Hamstrings - pulse with one foot on the bench and one foot in the air Glutes - lift/squeeze with feet on the bench WORKOUT 2 (19 minutes) Biceps - curls Deltoids - overhead press, front push, and a lateral raise Obliques - standing side reaches and twists Back - upright rows and back squeezes Outer Thighs - leg lifts and taps WORKOUT 3 (24 minutes) Pectorals - flys Triceps - french press Quadriceps - squats Calves - raises Inner Thighs - raises Outer Thighs - lifts WORKOUT 4 (20.5 minutes) Warmup Hamstrings - standing leg pulses/kicks Quadriceps - standing leg lifts, kicks, and pushes Biceps - curls Deltoids - scarecrows, rows Cool down What I liked I love Margaretâs weight work, and these workouts are pretty standard Margaret. I think of Margaret as the âQueen of Enduranceâ; sheâs almost 20 years older than I am, but she can still out lift/out last me sometimes. I think thatâs great! It makes me want to step up my game, and whenever I work out with Margaret, I actually smile⌠a lot! Also, Margaretâs floor work is some of the best out there. It has zero dread factor for me. Itâs not easy by any means, but itâs also not so hardcore that I never want to do it. I usually add leg weights, even if Margaret isnât using them, for an extra strength challenge. I liked some of the music. I didnât recognize much, but I think at least one of the workouts includes Madonnaâs La Isla Bonita (âLast night I dreamt of San PedroâŚâ), and there are some nice guitar instrumentals. Finally, because this DVD doesnât have a warmup with every workout, itâs easy to combine segments for a longer session. What I didnât like Because this DVD doesnât have a warmup or cool down, you have to add one on manually if you want to do each workout as produced/suggested. Then again, since Margaret adds a brief stretch at the end of each individual segment, a formal cool down isnât necessary (for me). Speaking of warm ups and cool downs, I donât find Margaretâs that effective. She loves dancey moves, but they donât really get my blood pumping or my muscles warm; and her stretches at the end are nice, but they arenât long. So I usually do my own thing for the warm ups and/or supplement what Margaret is doing. Margaretâs back exercises donât hit all areas of the back. In this DVD, they are limited to the upper back, and thereâs only one set of back exercises in all four workouts. I guess Iâm too used to working out with Cathe (she is my other âgo toâ weights instructor); I need lat rows to feel really worked out, and thereâs none of that here. What You Should Be Aware Of Only Workouts 1 and 4 have a warmup, and only Workout 4 has a cool down/stretch. So if you want these, youâll have to either add your own (since I donât find her warm ups or cool downs that effective, this isnât as crazy a suggestion as it seems ) or manually go back to the DVD menu and add them separately. Also, the Index on the DVD is informational only. It lists the exercises, but you cannot start any of the chapters from there. To play the chapters, you have to go to the âExercisesâ menu. Finally, Margaret doesnât always do exactly the same thing on both sides for leg work. Margaret says that youâd be bored if she did that, but I think some people wouldnât agree. Instructor Comments: Margaret is great, but she can be a little goofy. In every workout, thereâs at least one âMargaret-ism.â For example, in workout 1 she says âI told you not to wear your concrete shoes today, but you wouldnât listen,â and in workout 3 she says âthis is like the calf Olympics and you are a serious contender!â My favorite is âIâm a beast!â when she uses 16 lbs for bicep curls. Margaret sometimes cracks herself up, and I find myself laughing along with her. She clearly loves her job, and I can see why. Sheâs good at it! shawnt 01/11/2015 |
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Post by Karla on Sept 23, 2023 20:00:22 GMT
Good n Strong Margaret Richard Year Released: 2006 The Good N Strong DVD is comprised of Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 both 55 minute total body workouts. The DVD is chaptered. This is a nice lighter intensity total body workout compared to Sculpture or Triple Threat. That doesn't mean you won't feel it though. Margaret is alone on this DVD workout. Margaret also incorporates the use of a small squishy ball to work the abs and lower body. It is a nice change of pace to use the squishy ball for abs and lower body. Both workouts were taped outdoors possibly Margaret's backyard. Very nice nature setting. The music is Jazzy appropriate nothing fancy extraordinaire. Volume One contains: Warm Up Pectorals Triceps Biceps Deltoids Back Abs Outer Thighs Inner Thighs Hamstrings Glutes Quadriceps Cool Down Volume Two contains: Warm Up Pectorals Triceps Biceps Deltoids Calves Abs Inner Thighs Outer Thighs Hamstrings Glutes Quadriceps Cool Down Another nice total body weight workout with nice relaxing outdoor scenery. The workout flowed well and was effective. The scenery in this DVD looks the same as on her PBS shows. Instructor Comments: Margaret is very pleasant with a dancers flare. Sundari 08/21/2008 I am only reviewing Volume 1, but unlike some of her previous videos, both Volumes 1 and 2 here contain work for all the parts of the body (as opposed to half on Vol. 1 and the rest on Vol. 2). It's a 50-minute workout that just breezes by because you only spend about 5-10 minutes on each body part. Reminiscent of Sculpture's format and Triple Threat's outdoor setting, this is a solid signature Margaret workout. For the most part, I felt that she really whittled things down to provide the most efficient and effective work possible per muscle group. I.e. the hamstring work, done on your back with lifting one leg at a time, really fried me despite being so short in time length! The shoulder work, as always, fried my shoulders quickly also. The chest work consists of lots of pushups. The inner thigh work has you squeezing a playground ball between your legs, but that was one of the few cases where I didn't feel like I really worked the muscle. She does improve on the intensity of previous ab sections, by combining the crunch with the lower-ab roll-up. Quad work, done as you half-sit/half lie on the ground, is also not that intense, but outer thigh work on your side certainly is. Lying tricep extensions were adequately tough. You don't absolutely need the ball, it's mostly for helping you stay in alignment. I didn't find that my med ball worked that well. It's like she's using a stability ball that's only 3 feet in diameter. Leg weights definitely help out on intensity, especially since the segments are so brief. A valuable addition for Margaret Richard fans--another efficient, low-weight/high-rep full-body workout. Might be too mellow for others and more for maintenance rather than strength gains. The music is the same semi-Muzak as on her previous videos, which will bother some. I don't mind, I just pretend I'm hanging out on a mellow fall afternoon with Margaret in the woods, only we happen to be working some muscles. Instructor Comments: As usual, calm, mellow and wryly humorous. She cuts down on the long-winded explanations that dragged down Triple Threat a bit. She always strikes me as a "matron" of the exercise industry--a graceful duchess of workouts. She does that swaying dancing thing while standing up for bicep curls. acey 02/06/2006 This is a supplementary review of Vol 2 to go with my review of Vol. 1. Here, Margaret is now by a running brook. There is a fall breeze that occasionally ruffles her hair ("tropical breeze," she jokes). As with Vol. 1, you get a brief, efficient and often very effective session for chest, triceps, biceps, shoulders/back, calves, hamstrings, inner and outer thighs, glutes, abs, and quads. The exercises are different for each body part than in Vol. 1. For chest, you do flies. To intensity the work, she has you do several reps between the full range of motion. For triceps, she does a move I've never seen before: sort of a tricep pushup but with knees bent and your upper body moving forward and back. It certainly seems to work! Hammer curls and traditional bicep curls, again with the less-than-full range of motion to intensify. As always, Margaret gently tortures us with the traditional outer thigh raises using leg weights. She actually has a wicked smile while doing this! Inner thigh lifts are brief,but you get bonus work for those during the glute pelvic lifts using the ball. You also get a little extra shoulder work by doing front raises while actually doing squats for the quads. Margaret is one of those instructors that somehow gives me zero dread factor while getting a good low-weight/high rep workout. It's like having an afternoon siesta in a sunny glade, but you're working out. The music here is ever so slightly jazzier than in Vol. 1, sort of New Age/soft jazz/easy listening. If you are a Margaret fan, I think this is a fine addition to your collection. And maybe even if you're not. Instructor Comments: One of the best things about Margaret is that she really seems to be thoroughly enjoying working out and exudes a real warmth and professionalism. She is totally at ease in front of the camera and makes you feel like you're having a one-on-one weight session in her backyard with her. She gives excellent form tips using good visualizations ("your shoulder is an anchor") and makes some cute jokes without going overboard. acey 02/06/2006 |
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Post by Karla on Sept 23, 2023 20:03:35 GMT
Give Me Strength Toning
Margaret Richard
Year Released: 1998
This was the first workout I tried by Margaret Richards, and it's a full body strength workout (she also has an aerobics workout by the same title).
Margaret starts with a 3-minute warm-up that consists mostly of some flowing movements and a few stretches; it didn't really get my heart rate going all that much, so I didn't feel very warm by the end. She then moves into upper body work, starting with chest work using a step bench. She tackles each muscle group with several different exercises, hitting the chest, triceps, biceps, and then finishing with a tough shoulder series. Margaret varies the positioning--you'll be on the floor for chest work, using a chair for tricpes dips, and standing for the shoulder series--as well as her weights (she uses dumbbells ranging from 4-8 lbs., but she encourages you to go heavier if needed). The upper body segment is about 12 minutes long.
Following the upper body work, Margaret heads back down to the floor for 3 minutes of abs work in the form of crunches. Next comes a 10-minute floorwork series to work the inner/outer thighs; Margaret uses leg weights around her thighs here. Continuing with the floor work (and use of the leg weights) for another 10-minute segment, Margaret works the quads/hamstrings, doing all of one leg before moving on to the other. Finally, she works the glutes with about 3 minutes of pelvic tilts, and she concludes the workout with a quick 3-minute stretch, mostly for the lower body.
Overall, there was nothing particularly new or different about the exercises offered here; it was just a solid, full-body strength workout in only 45 minutes. This would be a great routine for someone wanting to work the lower body with little or no weights, as you will really feel the exercises even without the leg weights that Margaret uses.
Instructor Comments:
Margaret was very likeable and pleasant; she spoke with a slight Southern accent and seemed like a more smilely version of Karen Voight to me. She works out alone in a white studio with a large art print in the background. The music varies in styles and tempo, and I found it slightly distracting at times.
Beth C (aka toaster)
06/10/2008
Workout Type: Muscle Toning
Workout Length: warm up - 3 min.+ Upper Body 12min.+ Abs - 3min. + lower body - 24.30 + cooldown and stretch 2.30 min. = Total 45min.
Fitness Level: Beginners, Intermediate, or Advanced (but more geared for the later two)
Equipment: Dumbells or upper body weights, leg weights (if desired) step to lay on. (if desired)
Set: Material draped in background, one multi-colored abstract painting in the middle.
Attire: She is wearing a black top and black pants.
Effectiveness: I used my 15, 12 and 7 lb. Dbs. and 5 lb. ankle weights and it gave me a thorough workout.
Presentation: If you like weight work, it will keep you working hard. Not boring at all! IMO.
Warm up and Stretches: 3min.
Upper Body weightwork:
Pec flies - laying on step, 8 full then 8 pulses
Triceps - still in laying down position, raise weights up and above head. 20 2-count
Biceps - 10x then 8 with pulse at top
Pushups on bench or floor 16x very slow
Triceps dips off box 16x then stretch muscles.
Biceps - 20x
Deltoids - Lift arms straight to side 6 full, then 12 without lowering. then bend arms into right angle, upper arm parallel to floor in front, raise and lower hands, 8 full , 8 pulses, 8 full, 8 pulses.
then arms straight out to sides again - 5 full , 5 pulses.
at 15min. Abwork - 3min.
Lower Body:
Outer Thigh - weight above knee laying on one side.- 18x bent leg up and down. then
extend and retract 14x then full leg up and down 10 x
inner thigh lifts 20 full then 20 pulses.
2x - bent leg up and down
4x - extend and retract
Quads- lay on back, lift and raise leg up and down 6x then 16 pulses, then 5 extend and retract,
then lift and raise leg up and down 8x then 16 pulses, then 5 extend and retract
Hamstrings - On fours, Lift straight leg up and down 12x then 6 pulses, then extend and retract 8x
then Lift straight leg up and down 8x then 4 pulses, then extend and retract 8x
then Bridgework for glutes
at 42.30 Cooldown and Stretches
End - 45 min.
Total Rating: As a weight tape it is excellent, you do all muscle groups almost... I have to give it a 9 out of 10 because it advertises total body but omits delt flies or lat rows or rear delt lifts.. If you add these on your own you have a truly thorough workout like I did.
Instructor Comments:
Instruction: She teaches One on One..... and as usual her personality takes you through and motivates you.
Sunshine
07/05/2003
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Post by Karla on Sept 23, 2023 20:04:48 GMT
Home Improvement
Margaret Richard
Year Released: 1988
Workout Type: Lower Body floorwork + Biceps and Triceps
Workout Length: Warm up - 5 min. Lower Body work - 36min. (including Abwork) Triceps and Biceps - 9min. Cooldown and Stretches - 4min. Total time - 54min.
Fitness Level: Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced... Her moves are slow enough to allow Beginners to keep up, Intermediate and Advanced can add weights to add intensity.
Equipment: ankle weights for legwork if desired. Dumbells for upper body. mat
Set: 2 large pillars, blank pinkish wall, and large Body Electric sign.
Attire: Lime shirt, and lycra outfit, everyone in lycra.
Cast: Margaret and 4 students. (3 female and 1 male)
Effectiveness: Excellent lower body work, left me sore!
Music: Jazzy with a beat.
Presentation: This workout flows, she doesn't rush you from one move to the next but it progresses well.
She also adds quick stretches here and there after the different muscle groups.
Warm up: 5 min. her signature flowing movements that combine small dance movements.
The Workout: She doesn't use any ankle weights for all legwork. I used 5 lbs and it clobbered me!
Begins with Abwork which includes the bycicle move.
Hamstrings and Glutes:
She gets on all fours and extends one leg back
Extends and straighten leg 24x
then lifts lege up and down in bent position - 16x
then pulses at top 16x
Extends and straighten leg 12x
then lifts lege up and down in bent position - 12x
then pulses at top 20x
Lay on back - Bridgework
other leg
at 26min - Outer Thighs
Lift and lower 26x
pulses 26x
lift and lower 10x
extend straight leg lifts 12x
pulses 24x
small circles 12x
circles opposite direction 12x
pulse kicks 40x
lift and lower 8x
pulse kicks 40x
on elbow in and extend 10x
at 37min. Inner Thigh
The position- Lay on back legs straight up.
open legs to side and close
then 4-count in open position
then pulse outs.. repeat all.
Upper Body: Begin with Biceps. She uses 3 lbs ... I did first set with 12 and then had to go down to 7lbs. (tough!)
both arms - 12x 2-count
alternate arms 20x per arm.
double arm 12x 3-count at top
open arms to sides 12x
Triceps:
French Presses 6x both arms
alternate arms 3x
kickbacks 12x 2-count pulse in back.
alternate kickbacks with 2-count pulse in back
kickback with a twist 8x
arms behind you bring them up the back and then to kickback position.
alternating.
2 arm French Presses
Kickback with 2-count
alternate kickbacks
arms behind you bring them up the back and then to kickback position.
then alternate
then French Presses
then alternate French Presses.
at 50 min. Cooldown and Stretches
at 54 min. END
Total Rating: Those who want thorough Lower Body work, without lunges or squats will love this workout.
It is not an upper body workout and doesn't say it is. For what it is, it achieves its' purpose.
I rate it 9 1/2 of 10 , only because the outfits are dated. But I highly recommend it for those who like floorwork.
Instructor Comments:
Instruction: Margaret wears her hair shoulder length and curly in this one. She is smiling and you can see she is enjoying herself. There are pop-up windows here and there that give instruction without slowing down the
workout
Sunshine
07/05/2003
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Post by Karla on Oct 6, 2023 19:51:50 GMT
Body Express Series
Tony Little
Year Released: 2003
These workouts are all available singly, but I am reviewing them as a set because they are all extremely similar in format and general issues. Each is set as what Tony calls a circuit, but is really more a timed interval: you do as many reps as you can for the allotted time. The workout is set up with a graph at the bottom of the screen that marks progress for each exercise. Beginners are instructed to stop at 30 or 60 seconds, intermediates at 60 or 90 seconds, and advanced exercisers at 120 seconds. I found this bar very motivating and endeavored to complete all the exercises at the advanced level.
In all the workouts, Tony works out by himself, but has a female background exerciser periodically appear in an inset to show modifications. Tony is very motivating and energetic, and I like the fact that he focuses the motivation on how great you will feel, and the sense of accomplishment of a workout etc. rather than on just appearances. He also talks a lot about believing in yourself etc. which might annoy some people. In one of the tapes, he makes a vaguely religious reference to âthe person upstairsâ being right there with you, for example. This did not bother me, but I mention it in te interests of full disclosure.
Some comments on the specific workouts:
BODY SCULPTING-- I had a few issues, as I often do in these sorts of workouts, with the distribution of the work here. Abs get three exercises, which is great. Most other body parts get two. But chest only gets one, and biceps AND triceps must share one exercise, and itâs not even such a great one. It involves a biceps curl morphing into a back triceps extension. However, in order to make the triceps extension work, youâre taking your biceps out of the working zone. I would rather he allocated one of the three back exercises to this section and given biceps and triceps their own exercises.
WEIGHT LOSS-- This workout felt easier than the body sculpting one. It had lower body, back, push-up, abs and lower back. I do not remember biceps and triceps being worked. Each body part got 1-2 exercises. Upper back gets rows on alternating arms, and I had already worked that earlier so I did biceps curls while he did side 1 and triceps press while he did side 2. Seeing how the worked panned out re. the work, I will probably keep this modification in future attempts.
AB REDUCTION-- Same format as the others, but abs only. The exercises are crunch, oblique crunch, reverse crunch, dual ab and leg crunch, scissors, back extension and stretch. Nothing remarkable or unexpected here.
BUTT & THIGH REDUCTION-- Same format as the others, but all lower body. Exercises are modified squats, wide-stance squats, lunges, calves (done for one minute for everyone with no graph), lateral leg raise on the floor, butt squeeze. The pace is a little faster in this workout than some of the others.
Overall: I really liked Tony and found him to be a nice change of pace from my usual fare. I can see why he would be such a motivating instructor for a new exerciser. I am not sure this is the most suitable set for beginners though. Tony makes considerable efforts for them with the inset girl, and with a section on the dvd for form pointers. But his form on a few exercises is quite terrible. And I wonder what he expects the beginner to do while the intermediate and advanced people are finishing their set. Perhaps he could have put inset girl to use here showing stretches or something? He offers no instruction and I am just picturing all these beginners out there trying to follow along and just sitting there waiting.
It also annoyed me a little that some of the exercises repeated. Two of the tapes had back rows, three had crunches and oblique crunches, two had reverse crunches, modified squats, wide-stance squats and lunges. With only four tapes, it might have been nice of Tony to find us some different exercises. I do like the time graph though, and the technique of having a different length of it for each fitness level. But there should have been some way for you to set up the dvd to skip ahead when your level is done, or some sort of alternate activity for you to do while you are waiting.
My overall verdict? I am happy. I like high-rep routines, and I like the format with the bar graph thing. Beachbody workouts, which I also enjoy, use this technique too. There were a few exercises where I was not able to do the advanced set e.g. push-ups, and this system provides such a handy benchmark to track gains. If one was feeling cardio-inclined, one could easily modify this and do only yhe beginner portion of the strength and then hop on the rebounder or bike or do plyo or jogging for the rest of each set. These workouts give such versatility for someone like me who is comfortable with modifying. I had a few quibbles, yes. Some of the exercise choices were a bit unbalanced and/or repetitious, and Tony is sometimes a little too chatty. But I know I can use these routines and will enjoy having them, overall.
Instructor Comments:
Joanna
01/04/2005
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Post by Karla on Oct 6, 2023 19:52:37 GMT
Body Express: Butt and Thigh Reduction
Tony Little
Year Released: 2003
Type: Strength
Length: about 15 minutes plus warmup and cooldown
Set: Small Studio
Background exercisers: none
Clothes: Black t shirt and shorts
Music: unremarkable
This is a very straightforward, short lower body strengthening workout. You do 30 seconds if beginner, 60 for intermediate an 90 for advanced. There are squats, stationary lunges, plie squats, lying side leg lifts, and butt lifts (I may have missed an exercise but you get the idea) This is a good workout for a day when you don't have much time. Tony does the exercises holding light dumbbells. I was not sore the next day like I am with Standing Legs. :^o Its an ok workout. I give it a B.
Instructor Comments:
I had one of his earlier workouts and couldn't stand his hollering coaching style. In this one he is entirely tolerable and a bit goofy.
Peggy T
07/17/2005
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Post by Karla on Oct 6, 2023 19:53:25 GMT
All Out Strength
Donna Read
Year Released: 2002
I am a very advanced exerciser. I like workouts that kick my butt and this one just didn't. Granted, she did A LOT of interesting and different things -she challenged balance throughout the workout and it was "interesting", but I barely broke a sweat. Perhpas next time I'll know to go heavier and that may help. She did have an awesome abs section and she claimed that she 'loved to do abs', so that was nice. I recommend this video if you're an "advanced beginner" or a strong intermediate, but if you're super advanced, and want your butt kicked, this isn't the video for you.
Instructor Comments:
If she said "beautiful" one more time, I was going to hurl! No - really - she seemed nice and friendly and comfortable. No complaints. She just kept saying "beautiful". Sometimes she would even say it to the beat of the music. It was ANNOYING! Also (and I realize this is completely shallow and ridiculous) but she didn't look fit (my goodness - i hope she doesn't read this), but she was wearing this baggy black set and she just looked pail and sort of frumpy. I didn't feel like I had any confidence in her because she didn't look fit at all. Then she had a girl behind her that weighed about 250 pounds.
Denise
10/18/2006
Someone recommended this workout to me when I commented how much I love Mindy Mylreaâs Pump Party. On doing it, I could see why. Donna does a mix of exercises which are similar and stresses the same kind of compound exercises, some of which stress balance. Itâs a strength workout for which I use lighter weights than the standard Firm workouts, so I agree it ends up seeming like a low-weight, high-rep workout. For Firm workouts, I usually use 10-17.5 pound weights. For this workout, I used 8-12 pounds (as well as tubing, which is optional).
Donna is backed up by two exercisers on one of the standard CIA sets. The background exercisers show various modifications throughout the workout, including doing harder or easier modifications to the moves Donna does and use dumbbells when Donna uses tubing. They all interact quite a bit throughout the workout. I could not begin to tell you anything about the music. I donât remember anything about it. Obviously, it wasnât memorable.
The workout starts with a warm up which is fun for awhile, but then becomes overly long. At the six or seven-minute mark, I would skip to the start of the workout. Donna then leads a series of moves, many of which include both upper and lower-body components. The first time I did it, the workout took awhile because I would listen to what we would be doing, then choose my weights, and back up to restart that section. The next time, it went much quicker because I was familiar with what she was going to do. She does cue the move as she starts it and I wished for more advance cueing or set up to the moves. The moves she has you do seemed effective. I felt them and she generally explained the purpose of the various exercises. She does not explain how to do the moves, but does give form pointers throughout the workout.
This workout is not a âparty in a boxâ workout for me (like Pump Party), but it is a good solid workout and I kept being surprised by how much time had gone by. It flowed really well for me, especially after the first time when I knew what was coming.
A generous VFer loaned this workout to me and it is now on my wish list. It is one I want to have available to me long term.
Instructor Comments:
I really like how Donna leads workouts. She comes across as capable and likeable and she keeps me engaged.
Laura S.
03/17/2006
I liked this workout the 1st time I did it, but liked it much better the 2nd time, because I knew what to expect (and which weights to use). Donna uses a body bar, tubing, dumbbells, a step, and a mat. I used a light barbell instead of the body bar, and it worked fine. Also, the tubing is optional (she uses it, but her 2 background exercisers use dumbbells instead).
Warm-up: 12 minutes (Really gets your HR up)
Step extensions, knee lift repeaters, squat walks, step hamstrings, and stretching
Total Body Conditioning: 50 minutes
The first part of the workout is mostly for the lower body, but she does throw a few upper body moves in between to give your legs a well-deserved rest.
With the body bar (or barbell):
squat / lunge combo., one-legged squats (a lot of balance moves in this workout), overhead presses while standing on one leg, dead lifts (with variations like all the way down, half way up, down, all the way up), bent over rows with narrow then wide arms, squat / calf raise combo., front rows, bicep curls, side lunges with abductors, abductors while standing on one leg, tricep extensions.
With the dumbbells and optional tubing:
Lunges with leg extensions, bend forward and do scapular retractions, bicep curls, plie squats (with variations like all the way down, half way up, down, all the way up), put your feet 6 inches apart and do front raise / half-squat combo., side raises.
With your mat (or just on the floor):
Planks on your elbows and toes, bring your knees to the floor and do hamstring curls in the plank position, back extensions, pushups with hands facing each other, narrow pushup / wide pushup combination: start with a narrow pushup, then, without moving your body, move your right hand out and do a wide pushup, move your right hand back and do another narrow pushup, then move just your left hand out and do another wide pushup (this is a combo.that actually makes pushups enjoyable)
With your step:
Chest presses, chest flyes, tricep extentions, dips off of the step, sit on your step and lean forward for posterior shoulder work.
Back to the mat or floor:
V-sits (hold the position, then do some taps on the floor with clapping in between), while in the V-sit position, rotate side to side to work your obliques, tap the floor on each side and clap in between (this was pretty fun also, I actually caught myself smiling as my abs began to burn), feet on the floor and roll your body up and down, more V-sits, curls with your knees raised, reverse curls, crunches, lay back raise knees and then rotate them side to side to work obliques, crunches while extending arms and legs, bicycles
Cool-down and stretch: 3 minutes
Very relaxing stretches (and music)
Overall, I think this is a great inter./advanced total body workout with a lot of different but effective moves. It had a good balance of lower and upper body work. Most of it seemed more like a low weight / high rep workout, because it moved pretty quickly. You will not be bored with traditional exercises, and the time goes by fast. I like the fact that Donna throws in some upper body moves while you are doing the lower body part of the workout. I also like the fact that she doesnât do a bunch of different exercises on one side and then switch to the other side. She does 1 or 2 lower body moves on one side, throws in an upper body exercise, and then does the 1 or 2 moves on the other side.
Set: I liked the set a lot. It is a gym floor, but the rest of the set looks like a fancy lobby. The wallpaper has a cool red and gold looking pattern and there are windows that seem to let light into the room. There are blue pillars that stand out in front of the red wallpaper. There are some old diner stools in the back with 2 tables that have big pictures sitting on them. It gives you something interesting to look at while you are working out.
Production Quality: Excellent
Music: Also liked this a lot, not too loud, not too quite. The music is motivating, and goes great with the workout (except one time in the warm-up when it started to fade out, but the warm-up was still going on).
Instructor Comments:
Donna Read is motivating and very relaxed in front of the camera. Sometimes she starts doing a move while she is telling you what it is, but you can catch up very easily.
Laura
10/19/2002
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Post by Karla on Oct 6, 2023 19:59:19 GMT
Body Electric Unplugged: Series 2000, Volume 2 Margaret Richard Year Released: 2008 This review is for the second volume of Margaret Richardâs Unplugged 2000 series. There are six workouts on this DVD, each approximately 25 minutes. Half of the episodes are filmed by a brook at Margaretâs home in New York. For the other three episodes, Margaret is âon the roadâ in public parks in Buffalo (2 workouts) and Tallahassee (1 workout). These episodes appear to be filmed at different times of the year. The trees at Margaretâs home still have their green leaves; however, Margaret tells you that the episode in Tallahassee takes place in November, and itâs snowing in Buffalo (although you canât see it because Margaret is in a greenhouse with opaque walls). There is no music in this series (hence the name âUnpluggedâ). The workouts werenât filmed without music, though, and they were shown on PBS with it. I believe the cost of licensing the music was the reason it was removed from the workouts; occasionally you can hear it playing (very) softly in the background, just below the level where you can tell what it is. Iâd rate these workouts as intermediate; those who are truly advanced may find these too easy, but I myself am on the high intermediate / low advanced side and they work great for me. They are endurance workouts, with a primary focus of building muscle endurance rather than increasing muscle strength. Prepare to do a LOT of reps! Each episode targets four or five body parts, and youâll need to either string the episodes together or use them sequentially to get a total body workout. However, FYI, there is no separate chest work in this volume. This is unusual; each of the other volumes has it. Youâll need dumbbells, and (optional) ankle weights. Below is a description of each episode on the Volume 2 DVD. EPISODE 2009 Margaret w/Heidi (25 min) Warmup Triceps - kickback variations, pulses, and reaches/lifts behind the back Inner Thighs - side lunges, some while picking up then putting down weights (one at each ankle) Outer Thighs - lying bent knee lifts, toe/heel touches, and diagonal pulses Quadriceps - kneeling squats Food for Thought Cool Down Margaret uses Heidi to demonstrate proper form in the triceps exercises. This section feels like it goes on forever (but then again, I made the mistake of going heavier with my weights than I should have). Margaret seems like sheâs stopping in a couple of places, but nope! She tells you that she gets sorer sometimes when she does endurance-based exercises with lighter weights than strength-building exercises using heavier ones, and I think her triceps exercises prove her point (but only if you pick challenging weights). I found the side lunges for the inner thighs less effective, but the outer thigh work was a different story. Margaret doesnât wear leg weights, but Heidi does and when Margaret asks Heidi to rate how much sheâs feeling it on a scale of 1 to 10, Heidi says 8 (and Margaret laughs, because she knows itâs true). The kneeling squats require a good bit of strength even though they are unweighted because they go on for quite some time. I wouldnât recommend them to those with knee issues. EPISODE 2010 Margaret alone (25 min) Warmup Deltoids - presses in/out, up/down, and back/forward, most with hands together Biceps - hammer, traditional, and diagonal curls Hamstrings - pulses in/out and pizza press with a diagonal movement down Glutes - squeezes, pulses, and isolation holds with knees moving in and out Food for Thought Cool Down The workout is set in the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. After a stretchy warmup, Margaret does unweighted exercises for the delts. Margaret tells you that sometimes she feels this more without the weights, but you have to do these with correct form; Iâm with her on this. Margaret also tells you to go ânice and heavyâ for the biceps exercises because âthatâs what the biceps like.â Margaret invites you to join her in wearing ankle weights for the rest of the workout for a little extra enjoyment; she does hamstring exercises on the floor, with the work on each side separated by the glute exercises. In the Food for Thought segment, she tells you she was born in 1946 (just like Cher and Susan Sarandon) and so she was over 60 when this series was filmed. She doesnât look it! EPISODE 2011 Margaret alone (24.5 min) Warmup Deltoids - overhead press and lateral raises Calves - raises Quadriceps - lower leg lifts Abs - legs in and out, bicycles, and twists with the elbow to the opposite knee Obliques - reaches, crunches, twists, and shifts, all to the side Food for Thought Cool Down The workout is also set in the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. It is all done from a seated position. Margaret starts with 8 lbs for overhead presses but drops to either 3 or 5 lbs (she doesât say) for the lateral raises. Margaret tells you that few people can benefit from using 2 lb weights, but most can from 3 lbs or above so you should have a variety. Margaret wears ankle weights for the calf and quad exercises, and she places dumbbells just above the knees to âadd a little magicâ while working the calves. I didnât find the calf exercises as difficult as the standard standing version, but the quad exercises were another story. Ditto for the abs exercises â raising and lowering the legs after working the quads was not easy! Even Margaret has to take a break in the middle. EPISODE 2012 Margaret w/Benisa (25 min) Warmup Triceps - overhead press using one hand, then two Biceps - hammer curls with one weight in both hands Quadriceps - wide-legged squats holding one weight combined with front raises / upright rows Outer Thighs - leg lifts and extensions Food for Thought Cool Down The workout is set Tallahasseeâs Maclay Gardens. Margaret is joined by her friend Benisa; Margaret says we may remember her because sheâs a long-time Body Electric friend, but I didnât. However, I looked her up and found that she is in one of the workouts on Margaretâs âMaggieâ DVD. Margaret has Benisa demonstrate good form in the tricep exercises and then she joins her; this gives Benisa extra reps so she switches to two hands for a few reps towards the end of that side. I understood that perfectly â I myself had to drop down in weight, but Margaret kept going. Margaret is the Queen of Endurance, after all. Margaret does compound exercises in quadriceps section, which may be the only compound exercises in the entire series; in fact, in one of the previous episodes, she tells you that she avoids compound exercises because she thinks itâs more effective to focus fully on one body part at a time. Margaret wears ankle weights for the outer thigh exercises, but Benisa does not. These exercises are old standards, but still effective. Margaret again uses Benisa to show form pointers, but not until the second side. This segment seemed a little shorter than usual, so itâs a good one to try using ankle weights in if youâre not used to doing this. EPISODE 2013 w/Heidi (24.5 min) Warmup Deltoids - a reach/pull/squeeze move, internal/external rotations, and scarecrows Back - upright rows, some combined with squeezes, reach/pull/squeezes, and bent over flys Glutes - squeezes/pulses, some with one leg in the air Obliques - side reaches, twists, tilts, and crunches Calves - raises and rocks (on heels then toes) Food for Thought Cool Down Margaret is at her goofy best in this one, joking with Heidi throughout. For example, she tells Heidi to keep her back straight âlike a horse,â but she later she tells Heidi she actually looked like âa little frisky pony.â At one point, she also says not to hold the weights in a âdeath grip, unless youâre outside in a hurricane.â (This sounds goofier when Margaret says it. ). There are elephant jokes and horse jokes, and both Margaret and Heidi have a good time. All of the exercises are done standing except the glute exercises (which are on the floor). Some of the deltoid exercises seem to work the back more than the delts, but this is likely intentional because Margaret tells you that you should feel them there. Margaret holds a weight during the oblique work, which increases the intensity. EPISODE 2014 Margaret w/Heidi (25 min) Warmup Hamstrings - curls, swings and pulses Triceps - pushdowns, kickbacks, pulses, and twists Quadriceps - static lunges and wide squats Biceps - hammer, diagonal, and traditional curls Food for Thought Cool Down Both the hamstrings and the triceps exercises are done on the floor. Margaret does one hamstring, then the triceps, then the other hamstring. She wears leg weights in the hamstring segments, but the triceps exercises are unweighted. The âpushdownsâ are like a pushup, but starting with the forearms on the ground. I think Margaret made this exercise up, and because itâs not an âold standard,â more form pointers would have been nice; I feel them in shoulders, which isnât the target muscle group (and since I have shoulder issues, they also seem a little iffy to me). Margaret holds a weight for the quadricep exercises, and she goes âheavyâ for the biceps (8 lbs). She ends by telling you that she hopes you work out with her every day, a nice way to wrap up the DVD. Instructor Comments: Margaret can be quite silly; sometimes, her jokes are funny and sometimes not. I never know what sheâs going to say, which is part of the fun of working out with her. When Margaret is happy, sheâs in her element and sheâs happy a lot on this DVD. shawnt 03/05/2015 |
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Post by Karla on Oct 6, 2023 20:00:01 GMT
Body Electric Unplugged: Series 2000, Volume 3
Margaret Richard
Year Released: 2008
This review is for the third volume of Margaret Richardâs Unplugged 2000 series. There are six workouts on this DVD, each approximately 25 minutes. As in the other volumes, most of the episodes are filmed by a brook at Margaretâs home in New York. However, Margaret is at the Buffalo and Erie Botanical Gardens for a couple of the workouts, once with her friend Jean and once alone. She is also joined by her long-time workout buddy Heidi for three episodes.
There is no music in this series (hence the name âUnpluggedâ). While I normally like background music while I work out, I donât really miss it here. Perhaps Iâm just used to it in the Unpluggeds. Or maybe itâs that Margaret can be rather silly sometimes, and I focus on what sheâs saying so I have something else to listen to.
Iâd rate these workouts as intermediate, but a beginner could do them with low weights. Those who are truly advanced may find these too easy, but I myself am on the high intermediate / low advanced side and they work great for me. I just lift as heavy as I can, which is hard because Margaret does a LOT of reps sometimes. Even so, these workouts fall into my âno dreadâ category. Whenever I donât want to work out at all, I can usually convince myself to work out with Margaret.
Youâll need dumbbells, ankle weights, and a playground ball. Most episodes require dumbbells, but the other equipment only appears in a few workouts. Below is a description of each episode on the Volume 3 DVD.
EPISODE 2015 Margaret w/Jean (25 min)
Warmup
Deltoids - rear delt rows, upright rows, and scarecrows
Pecs - a cross-body diagonal move with light weights and chest press/pulses
Abs - reverse crunches, rocket shoots, and traditional crunches
Inner Thighs - leg lifts and circles
Food for Thought
Cool Down
The workout is set in a greenhouse in the Buffalo and Erie Botanical Gardens. Margaret says itâs snowing outside, but you canât see it. Inside, the flowers are tropical and lovely. Margaret and Jean make jokes and crack themselves up; they are quite silly! Most of their jokes have a (vegetarian) food theme.
The pec exercise is unusual; Iâve never seen it before and wouldnât be surprised if Margaret made it up. You stand in a split stance and bring a light weight to the opposite pec, then, leading with the elbow, you bring the weight across and to the side of/behind the body. Even knowing that this was supposed to work the pecs, I couldnât really feel it there. Margaret uses one weight when doing reverse crunches; she suggests 5-8 lbs. Because she holds the weight straight overhead, I donât think the resistance increases the difficulty. Margaret doesnât add ankle weights in the inner thigh segment, but she tells you that you can if you like. I did but started to regret it because Margaret does about 2.5 minutes on each side.
EPISODE 2016 Margaret alone (25 min)
Warmup
Triceps - kickbacks, plus pushes in/out and twisting hands, both with the arms behind the back
Back - upper and mid back squeezes, scarecrows, and oblique crunches
Outer Thighs - leg lifts/pulses and circles
Calves - heel raise variations and heel rocks
Food for Thought
Cool Down
This workout is all standing. Margaret does not use weights for any of the exercises, and she promises that youâll still get a good workout without them. She adds a few oblique exercises to the back segment, but this doesnât seem totally out of place. Margaret tells you that you can add ankle weights to work the outer thighs but again says that you may find you donât need them. I added weights and thought this worked well.
EPISODE 2017 Margaret w/Heidi (24.75 min)
Warmup
Hamstrings - static pulsing lunges with your chest on your front quad
Abs - crunch variations, including a few side crunches
Quadriceps - leg lifts
Glutes - pulses and squeezes with various foot positions
Food for Thought
Cool Down
I think the hamstring exercise is unique to Margaret. Because you donât come all the way up for any of the reps, it will really work your endurance. It is particularly challenging if you donât lean into the dumbbell (used in the first set for balance) but instead let your leg muscles do all the work. Ouch! Margaret goes to the floor for the rest of the workout, and she uses a playground ball for support and/or as a positioning aid.
EPISODE 2018 Margaret w/Heidi (24.5 min)
Warmup
Triceps - overhead french press
Biceps - diagonal curls
Hamstrings - deadlifts, first using both legs, then with one leg back and the weight in the front
Inner Thighs - leg lifts
Food for Thought
Cool Down
Margaret combines the tricep and bicep exercises, working one arm at a time. She uses 8 lbs and reminds you of the importance of lifting as heavy as you can; when she asks Heidi if sheâs using weights that are heavy enough, Heidi admits she isnât but then she switches for the second side. The hamstring exercises are âMargaretâs versionâ of a deadlift, holding only one 8 lb weight; this would be more challenging with a heavier weight. Margaret moves to the floor for standard inner thigh exercises; she doesnât use leg weights and she doesnât make Heidi use them either. I did, but I think they would be plenty challenging without them! Margaret tells you that if you get a little shaky, thatâs ok because âshaky is not break-y.â Gotta love Margaret!
EPISODE 2019 Margaret alone (24.75 min)
Warmup
Calves - raise variations and heel/toe rocks
Glutes - squats
Obliques - standing crunches and twists
Back - upright rows, some with squeezes, front rows with hand variations, and flys
Deltoids - lateral raises, diagonal raises, and small-range front raises
Food for Thought
Cool Down
Margaret is at the Buffalo and Erie Botanical Gardens. All of the exercises are done standing. The second exercise is called âQuadriceps Comboâ on the Disc menu but âGlutesâ on the back of the DVD cover. It consists of deep squats/squat pulses; Margaret uses a chair as a positioning aid, telling you to go low enough that youâll almost sit down. Margaret uses one weight for the oblique exercises, and she tells you that these can cause DOMS if youâre doing them correctly. I must not be, because I never get DOMS from Margaretâs oblique work. Sigh Margaret tells you to start with heavier weights for the shoulders, and she switches to lighter ones after the first set of lateral raises. These presented quite the endurance challenge for me, but then again, I have shoulder issues.
EPISODE 2020 Margaret w/Heidi (25 min)
Warmup
Inner Thighs - open and close legs while lying on your back, leg pulses, and leg circles
Outer Thighs - side-lying leg lifts from a 45 degree angle and knees pulled to the chest
Quadriceps - leg circles, lifts, pulses, and twists from a supine position
Abs - crunches, torso circles, and knee/arm extensions (while crunching)
Food for Thought
Cool Down
This workout consists of all floor work. It starts with a series of stretches, which make it feel more like a cool down than a warmup. Margaret uses a playground ball under the lower back during the inner thigh exercises. She throws it out of the way after sheâs done; Heidi throws hers into the creek. Oops! Margaret makes sure that Heidi doesnât forget this mistake, but Heidi is a good sport about it.
Instructor Comments:
Margaret is one of my favorite workout instructors. She's usually happy to be working out, and that makes me happy too.
shawnt
03/24/2015
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If you are weary of some of the new-fangled 'functional' stuff and want some back to basics gym work, this would be a good pic.
) Last is the runners stretch and then into the workout. Here is a breakdown of the exercises (these are just suggested days Joyce mentions on the tape):