Margaret Richard - Likes/Dislikes?
 

I've been on these forums for years and have been hearing about Margaret Richard. I have lots and lots of options - both DVDs and on YouTube. A new program is the last thing that I probably need. I haven't tried any of her workouts yet. Am I missing something? Is she that good? Sorry to sound snarky. That's not my intention at all. I'm curious.

I had all of the Joyce Vedral books and DVDs for a while, but then I got turned off by the poor production quality and dated look overall. I don't want this to be another "mistake" like that.

Workout Instructors/Programs that I love:
Classical Stretch/Essentrics
Jessica Smith - and so much more on YouTube.

If I do choose to try her, streaming is not my cup of tea, unless if there's a really good deal. I prefer DVDs.

I have enjoyed MR's workouts for years. They are dated though if that bothers you. Her streaming is also very expensive and glitchy and it's all her old shows so you'd have to be a true aficionado to do her streaming. I use her dvds when I do her workout but I'm not even sure if they're available on her site anymore.

All that being said she's good solid low weight high rep weight training. No compound moves, not metabolic, just straight weight training. She's very meticulous about form.

If I wanted to try her out I guess I would look for her Series 1900 from her old Body Electric tv show or her All My Best dvds which are a sampling from many other dvds.

Just bear in mind they are dated and all older workouts. I still love them though.

If you look at her streaming site, it says "these classic routines are still relevant today".

I like Margaret and at one time had her "Unplugged" series. For whatever reason, I have never clicked with her workouts. The older workouts are too dated for my taste, and I didn't like the randomness (seemed haphazard) and chatter of the "Unplugged" series. The only workout I've liked and kept is "Getting Better" as I have struggled with foot and knee injuries.

As with everything, we all have instructors we gravitate towards. There are so many great instructors and an abundance of content out there. We're fortunate to have so many good choices!

I like Margaret Richard's workouts. I do not like her warmups or cooldowns though. Sculpture is the only one where she does a fair job with the warmup/cooldown, IMHO. They are dated but that does not bother me if the workout is good. I also like and use a lot, Getting Better and Beauty to the Bone.

I only have two Unplugged seasons. I like them, but I usually skip the cool down and stretch & do my own. They are effective short workouts.

I posted about her Unplugged series here:

http://www.videofitness.com/~vfwnk/f...ed#post2198710

Pros: short, easy to follow (except the warmup), lovely background, variety, clear/precise instruction. Throughout the series she shows multiple exercises to work those muscles.

Cons: no music (if that matters to you), doesn't cover the whole body in one workout, kind of corny (but I even like that), may be hard to find.

I have a few of her workouts, but the Unplugged workouts are the ones I've done multiple times. I'm in a place where I can't get motivated to start any long workouts.

These clips may give you a feel for her style: https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...hard+unplugged

I have or have had just about all of her workouts. I tried and traded these away:

• A dance workout - name escapes me. Too slow, goofy, and no/too late cueing.
• Unplugged 2000 series. I love the 1900 series but 2000 has too many weird exercises that didn't feel right for me.
• My Body of Work and My Body of Work Unplugged. These are clips from various DVDs, one per body part, cobbled together. Just didn't need it and she selected some of the weird exercises I don't like.
• The Spark - just didn't appeal.

The Maggie DVD looked so dreadful in the clips I never bought it. The two workouts are Body Shaping (1980s called and said this is too goofy even for us) and Knockout, a boxing? workout that looks pretty bizarre.

Other than that I like them all. My particular favorites are:

• Sculpture
• Perfect 10
• The Classics
• Getting Better
• Good 'N Strong
• Raising the Bar
• Give me Strength

If you don't like dated, you won't like Margaret. Do yourself a favor and skip.

I like the datedness :). I like Margaret's classiness, her attention to detail for form, even the music she chooses (though some describe it as elevator music). I like floor work and the high rep, low weights.

Cons for me is that she doesn't have enough of warm ups or stretches at the end I can get by the doing my own stretches but her warm ups don't really get me warm. I need more movement.

I love the Margaret Richard workouts that I have on DVDs. Admittedly, I don't have them all and have also avoided the Maggie DVD.

There's absolutely no dread factor to do her workouts, since they're so mellow. I can do them even if I feel physically wiped out.

I like Margaret's style. It's completely different from Joyce Vedral's. However, I've only done one Joyce workout. Once was enough. I didn't click at all with Joyce.

I prefer Margaret's full workouts over the parts but enjoy them all. Good 'N Strong, Good for You & Triple Threat aren't too dated looking. They're done outdoors. Lastly, I prefer the way Margaret dresses over many other instructors.

Thank you all so much for your helpful replies. :sun:

One more question/thought that just occurred to me, and that I hope any of you can please answer:

As I get older (I'm 54), I've become more and more conscious of doing my utmost to do workouts that are least likely to cause injuries. I would like, as much as is possible, to avoid needing hip/knee/whatever surgeries later on down the road. I'm not in a financial place, nor do I live in a location, where surgery can come easily. Workouts that understand older bodies really appeal to me.

This is what appeals to me. I love having no compound moves.

This. I just want a good and effective workout.

Thank you for all the links. I like her so far! I don't mind no music, and I don't mind corny either.

I don't mind the warm-ups and cool downs being ineffective or weird. I'm not crazy about too much floor work, but I will do it if the workout is good. You mentioned her classiness. I really like that. I noticed it in the clips that BamyaTanya linked.

I agree about the way she dresses. I also love workouts that don't have a dread factor.