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)