[CinnamonGirl]

Hi LWL,

Anyone out there care to give their opinion of Joyce Vedral's DVD's or books? I used to have one of her books years ago and liked it. I'd really like some type of lifting DVD I could do at home with dumbells. Any other programs out there you'd recommend? Not looking to look like a competition weight lifter. Just want to get healthier and I have always liked lifting.

Thanks, Beth
5'10"
235/163/145?

[Mel]

I've looked at her books but never done her programs. If you want opinions on her dvd's you'd be better off posting this in the DVD or exercise forum. I don't think that many of us here use dvd's for lifting.

We are all here to get fitter and look better. Your statement:

Not looking to look like a competition weight lifter

made me laugh. It's NOT easy to look like that. It takes a strict and dedicated lifting program, and months of competition dieting to achieve the muscle hypertrophy and low body fat levels of a competitive (stage ready) bodybuilder. As for powerlifting, that also takes years of steady progression and a very regimented training style. You aren't going to bulk up and get huge even if you lift 4 or 5 times a week unless you are really trying to achieve that, or have abnormal hormones or are on steriods. As another member said "It doesn't happen by accident."

Mel

[CinnamonGirl]

Thanks, Mel, I will ask over there.

I know my statement sounded funny I guess I just don't know the right lingo to say what it is I want. I joined a very highly "testoteroney" gym once because I wanted to learn how to lift correctly and didn't want to be in a gym full of "Barbie" types yaking on cell phones. I wanted a weight lifting gym. I made the mistake of telling the trainer I wanted to be strong and I thought the guy was out to kill me! I mean really he'd push me until I either threw up or was close. Not good! I guess his definition of "strong" and my definition were two totally different things! He wanted me doing these leg presses... well it was waaaaaaaaay above and beyond what I'd ever thought anyone would ask me to do. Let's put it this way, he had me in with all the men who were at least 250# and obviously taking lots of steroids. I so didn't want to be strong like that. I think he saw my height (5'10") and that I was a "big girl" and he thought ooooh muscle material.

Anyway, I guess I don't know how to say it right. I want to be nicely defined, healthy and not weak. I don't want to look ripped like the after pics in the BFL book. That's too much for me and I don't want to devote that much time to looking ripped.

Anyway (again) thanks for the help! Beth

[Airegrrrl]

Beth, I personally would not recommend Vedral. I believe she has a lot of fans, but I think that stems from her engaging personality and her can-do spirit (both of which I admire). I think her form is poor and her instruction leaves much to be desired. There are some great videos out there. In addition to the DVD or Exercise forum here on 3FC, you might wish to visit CollageVideo, where you can watch snippets from various videos and read reviews.

[CinnamonGirl]

Thanks, Robin! I'll check those out. I love how I feel when I lift but being a working artist I've no extra money to hire a trainer or join a gym. I know I want to learn how to lift properly and safely and appreciate you letting me know about her poor form.

Beth

[artmaker]

Beth, when I started, I used Vedral's books, but as I read more I decided she was not the best resource. Her form is really poor in her pictures. If you like videos, I would recommend Cathe Friedrich....she is excellent, and has come out with all levels of resistence training, tho' she focuses on intermediate and advanced. Her form is excellent and her advice is very sound. You can only get her videos from her website. You may want to check out VideoFitness.com....they have reader reviews of the videos, and will then refer you on to Collage videos for clips. Collage also has reviews of the videos if you scroll down under a specific video.

[CinnamonGirl]

Thanks, Susan. I checked out Cathe Friedrich's site and it looks like her Intensity Series: Pyramid Upper Body and Lower Body DVD might be what I'm looking for. I tossed my Vedral book and did BFL lifting yesterday. My problem with that book is that a lot of his stuff is using either barbells or machines which I don't have access to. I tried to adapt most of the moves to dumbells but some I just couldn't figure out how to adapt them without hurting myself. I'd like a book or DVD that is all dumbbells, bands (which I'll gladly buy) and using my own body if possible. I'm going to try to do some research this week to see if I can adapt more of his stuff to just dumbbells.

I like the spark people dot com and stumptuous dot com sites that I learned about here at 3FC. It just feels daunting to have sooooooo much information out there on the web and so little time to research and create a program out of it all that works for me. I know, I know, lazy of me but I would like to just find a book/DVD that tells me what to do so I can do it. I'm a baby, I want the finding to be easy and spend my time on the lifting. LOL Thank you for your feedback and I'll definitely look into the others you suggested too.

Beth