Is Margaret enough for strength training?

[Sara1000]

I have a sore knee so I'm not doing any cardio right now - I have two recent Margaret Richard sets I've barely done as I got sidetracked with FIRM Express and 10 Pound Slimdown soon after I received the MR.

I'm dying to do the new Cathe workouts but it seems anything with squats or lunges aggravates my knee.

I'm thinking I can do Margaret's lower body floor work without weights, so might as well do her upper body also since upper and lower are mixed on the MR DVDs I have.

I have been doing Cathe upper body work but I'm ready for a change.

[melzie]

Margaret is great for strength training. She is very particular about reminding you to keep proper form too, so you could even go heavier after you know the video if you wanted to. Keep in mind she does do lots of reps though, so leave heavier off until you can tell how much you need.

Floor work you could eventually add a thigh weight like she uses, she really stresses to never put weights on your ankles, put them above the knee, or hold a dumbell on your thigh. You could also slip the end of a light barbell, or a body bar if anyone still has those, under your foot for lifting.

[lfcjasp]

Love, love, LOVE Margaret and she is good for strength...at least for me

[videofit]

Margaret's workouts are as tough as you make them. I've been doing her stuff pretty much exclusively for the past couple of years and have never been stronger nor looked better (when I can control my eating).

[lfcjasp]

Just finished Margaret's Good 'n' Strong an hour or so ago; what I like about Margaret is she's so low key that she can make me glad I started a workout when I didn't want to in the first place. She hooks me and reels me in and before I know it I'm really working hard and then I'm done Makes it easier to keep on exercising and not let me pass on it!

Videofit is right...you can make them as hard as you like. Without killing or punishing yourself

[2ndgen]

I think definitely. I tend not to use DVDs for strength training, I just lift and get it done, but find I reach a lot for MR when I want something on DVD. She is deceptive, peaceful, not in the first bloom of youth by any means, but the strength training is real. I do use ankle weights on floor work (never heard her say anything about not using them, although that wouldn't deter me lol), plus thigh weights from different era, and I hold a weight on the thigh as well.

I like everything she does.

[Sara1000]

Yes - I did a segment of Good 'n' Strong after starting this thread and I SO enjoyed it! Since doing it my knee is actually better, but the only lower body work in the part I did was calf work.

[melzie]

Happy to hear you liked MR! I love doing workouts with her. As everyone said it is a bit decieving until you feel the action.

As far as her talking about not putting ankle weights on to put them above the knee, that was in The Body Electric PBS shows. Wish those still came on here. They were only half hour shows, but it was a nice way to start the day with a mini workout.

[Jane P.]

On her old PBS show, Margaret used to say that she didn't do any other workouts. She had incredible muscle tone, but she may be genetically blessed. She studied ballet from early childhood so that may be a factor as well.

Depending on the results you want, Margaret may or may not be enough for you. We all react to different exercise styles differently. However, something is always better than nothing and if Margaret is what you enjoy do Margaret.

[FitBoop]

Yes, I think Margaret Richard is great for strength. Her older workouts tended to be high reps with low weights, but the more recent ones have heavier dumbbells. Having taken a live class with Margaret, I can say that she is strong and has amazing muscle definition from doing her workouts.