Customer Reviews

Strong Knees

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Strong Knees turned out to be more of an informational video than an exercise video. Yes, it contained strengthening and stretching exercises, but much of the video was instructional. Apparently it is part of Gaiam's Body Insight series.

Each muscular group that supports the knees was described, and how weakness in those areas could cause different types of knee pain. Then, for each group, one beginner and one advanced exercise were performed. There were not enough repetitions for true strength-training and stronger people may need to add weights. However, I believe the purpose of the video was to learn the exercises and then put them into your own exercise routine, not to use this video as an exercise program. I did learn a lot, however, even as an experienced exerciser and dancer. I did not know that the calves, hip adductors and gluteus muscles could impact the knees, always focusing in the past on quads and hamstrings. I also learned about alignment during exercises that really made them far more effective.

Some of the exercises were new to me. Others were familiar from my previous experience with boxing training and from dancing (particularly ballet). So, I will be adding these exercises to my daily practice, either as part of dance practice, or in front of the TV as many of them are compatible with sitting in front of the TV (and don't we all do that sometimes?)

Next, the stretching routine stretched each one of the muscles and explained how tightness in those muscles could also lead to knee pain. This section felt great. I was happy that many of the stretches that are part of my current yoga practice are good for my knees. There is no need to do this special stretch series for me.

The instructor was very intelligent, well-spoken and made sure to cue proper alignment at all times.

The DVD also contains a 7 minute abbreviated workout and a section on IT band massage.

My major problem with the video was the two minutes of required commercials. I will not do this video again - when I have time to work out, I do not want to spend 2 minutes waiting through commercials. I don't mind commercials on a DVD but if I do it multiple times, I want to be able to skip them. Unfortunately, this "feature" has become all too common on mass-market fitness DVDs. Can you imagine if you wanted to do the quick 7 minute workout on this DVD and had to sit through that many commercials? That is the reason I am degrading the star rating on this product and I hope that Gaiam will sit up and take notice that consumers do not appreciate the commercials. After all, we just spent 20$ on a DVD, why should we have to watch commercials? Advertisement for other DVDs should be an optional experience, or one that is included in the paper insert for the product.

I'm very excited about this dvd... I have been having "crunchy" knees for a while now and I have been ignoring it. I was told that I have very tight IT bands (Iliotibial bands) and that's what's causing the pain and the cracking.

I didn't really do much about my knees until, after working out, I heard a really loud pop coming from my knee cap that hurt A LOT... OUCH! The pain was pretty bad and I couldn't lock my knee or walk right... I was afraid I tear a ligament or had something serious. The doctor said that I have an imbalance in my leg muscles and very tight IT bands and that all I needed was physical therapy (2-3 times a week for 6 weeks).

I was glad it wasn't a more serious condition but at the same time I wasn't thrilled about the co-pays for every physical therapy session ($25). I went to PT a few times when I realized I couldn't really spend $450 worth of co-pays. That's when I started searching for cheaper options and found this GREAT and amazing dvd!!!!

To my surprise this dvd had ALL exercises I did in my physical therapy sessions and MORE!!!!!! I WAS SOOOOO THRILLED about finding this DVD. I quit going to PT and did this dvd exclusively almost every day in the comfort of my own home!!! After 3 weeks I can say that my knees are basically back to normal!!!!! This DVD definitely saved my knees!!!!

Chantal explanations of the knee anatomy is very important to understand why we need to do the exercises. No doctor or therapist explained to me why the exercises were important for my recovery; therefore, I never believed that the exercises would actually cure my knee problems. Now I do believe that these exercises are the way to go, thanks to Chantal!!! She is very knowledable and down to earth. I love doing this DVD with her every day!!!

I usually do the 30 minute routine... if I have more time, I do some of the exersices twice. And if I'm pressed with time, I just do the 7 Minute Save your Knees workout! This option is great!

She also explains how to do IT band massages using a tennis ball... I like this method but I also enjoy doing the massages using a foam roller.

I recommend this DVD 100% if you have pain in your knees. This DVD has helped me tremendously... and the best part, it cost me less than 1 session of physical therapy!!!!

Thanks Chantal for producing such a great DVD!!!!

I purchased this video because I was experiencing knee pain when I walked. After watching the introduction, I realized why my knees were bothering me (tight calf muscles.) I noticed that my knees felt better after doing the exercises the very first time. After doing the exercises for 3 days, my knees are almost completely pain free.

The only issue that I have with this video is that the explanatory and the exercise sections are combined. If you don't want to listen to the explanations each time you do the exercises, you need to have your remote handy to fast forward through the talking.

It's also irritating that Gaiam will not allow you to go to the DVD menu immediately and requires that you fast forward through the advertising at the beginning of the DVD.

Overall, the minor irritations are overcome by a very effective set of exercises that really work.

This DVD is very thorough and well produced. It covers both weakness and tightness of Quad muscles, Hip flexors, Inner Thigh muscles (adductors), Ham String muscles, Calf Muscles (upper calf and Achilles Tendon), Gluteus Maximus muscles, Gluteus Medius muscles, and the IT (Illiotibia) Band. Doing the main program, you will quickly discover which muscles are tight and/or weak! You will need a mat, bath towel, stretching band or long belt, sturdy chair, and a wall (for the wall slides). The advertising at the beginning of the DVD is a little annoying, but can be skipped very easily using the "skip" or "next" button on your DVD remote (you will need to push this button a total of three times in order to skip all three ads). The "7 Minutes to Save Your Knees" exercise routine found in the Bonus Section is excellent if you don't have time to do the full program on any given day. It includes the modified leg raise for the quads, an inner thigh stretch, hamstring stretch, a combined exercise for the gluteus medius and maximus (leg lifts and circles), a standing quad stretch, upper calf stretch, and IT band stretch.
I was surprised at all the reviewers complaining that there is no option to do the main exercise routine without all of the explanations and diagrams! Apparently, these reviewers never checked out the "Design Your Own Program" in the bonus section. All 10 exercises (including the stretching segment) are listed in here and you can select any that you want in any order (including repeats) up to 10 exercises. If you just want to play the main exercise program without all the info, just select each exercise in order using your "select" button and "down arrow" button on your DVD remote. After you select the 10th exercise, the program will begin to play with just the exercises. It only takes 20 seconds to do this and it is a lot easier than constantly fast forwarding past parts that you don't want to see. If you're rushed for time or you just want to focus on a few trouble spots, you can select only those exercises that you want to do and push "done" to start your program. You can even repeat an exercise within your custom program by selecting that exercise twice. If you just want to do the stretch program, just select "stretch" and "done" and it starts to play. LOVE THIS FEATURE! Here is a breakdown of the exercises in the main program:
Modified Leg Raise (3min31sec, beginner level exercise works quads, hip flexors, & inner thigh)
Wall Slides (3:02, advanced level exercise works quads, hip flexors, & inner thigh)
Bridge (2:45, Beg. hamstrings)
Bridge on Chair (2:37, Advanced hamstrings)
Double Heel Raises (1:26, Beg. Calf))
Single Heel Raises (2:06, Advanced Calf raises, a little tough on the ankles!)
Clams/ Side Leg Lifts/Side Leg Circles (4:58, Beg-Advanced routine for Gluteus Medius)
Standing Hip Extension (2:12, Beg. gluteus maximus)
Prone Hip Extension (2:40, Advanced gluteus maximus)
Stretching (14:08, covers all of the previously worked muscles plus IT band and Achilles Tendon)
To do the entire program without the extra diagrams and talking takes just under 32 minutes. The Stretching segment includes:
Hamstring stretch
Inner thigh stretch
Gluteus maximus and minimus stretch (one stretch for both groups of muscles)
Quad stretch
Hip flexor stretch
Upper calf stretch
Lower calf stretch (Achilles tendon)
IT (illiotibial) stretch
There is also a massage for the IT band that you can access from the "Bonus Features" menu. Don't forget to check out the very short segment under the bonus features menu explaining what "Proprioception" is and why it's important to knee strength. It includes 2 exercises to test and strengthen your proprioception. I thought my proprioception was great because I used to be a gymnast. Boy was I humbled to find out that my proprioception was no longer as good as it used to be. Before I bought this DVD, I was already aware that I had tight hamstrings and calf muscles. I was very surprised to find out (after doing the DVD) that I also had weak quad & calf muscles as well as tight hip flexors. All in all, an exceptional video for your knees. I learned a lot and enjoyed the exercises and stretching! Best of all, my knees no longer hurt going up stairs or squatting to pick up things from the floor.

Buy this DVD for anybody you know who has knee pain or wants to avoid knee pain in the future. The exercises are great and easy to follow. Chantal is a Physical Therapist and wonderful instructor and the routines are well rounded to improve all areas supporting the knees. The DVD looks like a million bucks and is very informative so you can be proud to give this DVD as a gift. And don't worry, this DVD is for any fitness level so if you are a in top shape or you are 65 year old grand-dad, it's for you!

Last year, I was diagnosed with tendonitis and patellofemoral tracking syndrome in my right knee. My orthopedist referred me to a physical therapist, who had me start on a regimen of both stretching and strengthening exercises. When I first had these problems, my knee pain was so terrible that I couldn't even walk without feeling excruciating pain.

What I have noticed is that when I do the exercises that my PT gave me, my knee pain recedes and both of my knees feel good. What I have also discovered, however, is that I get lazy about doing the exercises on my own. Finding this DVD was a treasure since it contains all of the exercises that my PT gave to me, and contains a thorough explanation of why these stretches and strengthening exercises are important.

Chantal Donnelly makes this program fun to do; she has a pleasant voice and personality, and makes it enjoyable and bearable to do the exercises. She recommends doing the exercises every other day.

The filming of this video is also quite lovely. It's set in this beautiful house, with dark wood floors and beautiful brick walls. While that may not seem important to some, I think it's nice to have a pleasant backdrop since it makes me more likely to do the workout.

While the main workout clocks in at about 35 minutes, you also have the option of customizing the workout so that you can mix and match those segments that interest you. There are also several nice bonus features: a seven-minute stretch that I plan on using after my cardio workouts, an IT band stretching segment, and a balance section.

After using this video just one time, I, like other reviewers, can already tell a difference. My knee pain has been flaring up the last couple of days, but doing this video just one time has made the pain go away.

I also want to address the commercials that one reviewer commented on. Yes, there are a few at the start of the DVD, but you can use your skip-ahead arrows on your DVD player to jump right past them. There is one short one that you can't skip, but it's maybe 15 seconds long. All in all, it's not even a slight nuisance for me.

If you have any kind of knee pain, give this video a try! It really helps!

I do kung fu approximately 2 hours/day three times per week, including past running, and been in a car accident that injured my left knee, all contributing to chronic knee pain. Therefore, I bought this DVD when I was at the Barnes and Noble under the "Gaiam" yoga section. Literally after one day, my knee pain improved considerably and after doing the DVD every day religiously for 2 weeks, I have none to minimal knee pain.

A caveat. My friend was suffering from severe knee pain and so I sent her the DVD immediately. She found no relief as she had NO knee cartilage. Therefore, even steroid injections, pain killers were not effective. Unfortunately surgery appears to be the last resort. However, if you DO have some knee cartilage, take chondroiton sulfate (cosamin DS is the doctor recommended brand) and do the DVD, you will have instant pain relief.

As for the criticisms of it being too much information, too many commercials, and threatening men's masculinity and not increasing muscle bulk visibly, here are some counterpoints.

The information I feel is absolutely vital. Without it, you will become dependent forever on other physical therapists/treatments. Knowledge is power, and Ms. Donnelly wants you to become independent, the hallmark of hte best teachers. After watching the entire DVD, I knew IMMEDIATELY what I needed to focus on: strength in the hip/glute areas and flexibility everywhere (this is because I do weight lifting for the quads, hamstrings and calves at the gym). Since you know what causes knee pain, and if you know your weaknesses, you can do ONLY the exercises targeting the weaknesses. Even if you do NOT know what your problem areas are after watching the informational portions, once you do ALL the exercises, if you note any one that is causing any difficulty (and others that are really easy), write down the hard exercises, and concentrate on them, ignore the really easy ones.

Furthermore, there is a menu option that you can pick and chose the exercise, press enter, and Ms. Donnelly will go through only those that you chose, so that you can skip the instructional parts. After awhile, I knew by heart the exercises I needed to do (I wrote them down as well for reference), so I can bypass the DVD completely, and just do them from memory. However, I like to do the DVD sometimes as I find the humor refreshing and healing and it's like taking a class that I paid a lot of money for.

There ARE too many annoying commercials, so why not turn on the DVD, do errands, and once the commercials are over, then do your exercises? When I first started out, first thing in the morning, I turn on the DVD/TV, do my back exercises (the Y's Way to a Healthy Back by Melleby is the only book that helped with back pain for me), and then go through the menu to start the knee exercises. Again, after 2 weeks or so, I can do this through rote memory, without reliance on the DVD. I also wrote down all the exercises for reference, and then finally did only the ones that are giving me trouble.

Again, you can save time, by writing down what the exercises you need to do, and refer to that, and never needing the DVD again, becoming truly independent.

As for the criticism that most men will not do this video as it will threaten their masculinity, I feel that all men are NOT that fragile and pathetic, that men are actually sane, and will do the exercises as it will relieve complete pain. The other complaint of the same reviewer, is that does not build muscles visibly. However,the goal is to eradicate knee pain, not to be a body builder. As long as you have adequate strength and flexibility in all areas that are specific to the knee, you will NOT feel pain whatsoever (again, as long as you have some cartilage).

If you want to build muscles, I strongly advise Schwarzenegger's classic bible, "Modern Encyclopedia of Body Building". I revised it (as it was WAY TOO INTENSE FOR ME) to being 15, 12, 10, 8, 6 reps of 2 to 3 sets of each muscle group to failure (any short cuts do NOT work for me) twice a week. If you follow his book, you cannot fail to gain muscle mass. I don't even follow him religiously, as it is way too much, but even so, that is the only way I was able to get stronger. However, for knee pain relief, the DVD works.

The reasons why the DVD is so helpful:

1. Easy to follow with clear verbal and visual instructions
2. Ms. Donnelly is very encouraging and positive
3. Mentioning proper form throughout the movements
4. Very gentle exercises.
5. I enjoy the humor (humor has been scientifically documented to reduce pain)
6. It is meditative
7. Doesn't take much time at all, but reaping huge benefits.
8. It is very safe.

I hope that Ms. Donnelly will work on DVDs like this for neck, shoulder, and back pain--I have written to her pleading that she covers these topics in future DVDs, so I'm crossing my fingers. I will definitely buy all three in a heartbeat!!

I very much dislike all the adverts in the beginning of the video. I feel when you pay for a DVD program, you should not be subjected to advertising.

The first part of the program discusses the knees, how they're built and how they work, what can go wrong and how you can deal with pain and even avoid or prevent it.

It's good to watch this section at least one time before you begin working on your knees.

But then it goes right into the 30-minute exercise program without giving you the option to break up your exercises into the 7 minute sections. She does say that you have that option but I didn't see it.

There are exercises for beginners, intermediates and advanced exercises. Even though the program is produced by Gaiam, it is not what I'd call yoga but rather stretching, strengthening exercises. A few of the exercises, however, are yoga poses.

Chantal Donnelly, the instructor, first describes the exercises and the modifications. You'll hear soft, pleasant music that won't overpower. The room where they're exercising is a clean, minimalist room and the colors good and comforting.

She tells you that you can design your own exercise program based on your needs and the time available.

You'll want a soft or semi-firm (not firm) pillow, towel or bolster and a sturdy straight-backed chair and, of course, a mat. You'll also want a dyna band or a strap. A band would probably be best.

Chantal gives good instructions and directions. She has a pleasant personality and a nice, pleasing voice. I was impressed with what she brings to the video and the exercises.

The exercises are frequently interrupted with instructions and information. This could, after a while, become annoying. In the first view, it's a good thing. As one reviewer says, have your remote handy.

The main program lasts over 35 minutes, rather than the thirty.

You have to click on the Bonus Features to get to the 7 minute and Design Your Own Program areas.

All of these exercises will indeed strengthen your knees and help you eliminate pain. I know because I've done them and I suffer from very bad knees. So they've proven themselves to me time and again. The key is to do them! And keep doing them.

Highly recommended.

- Susanna K. Hutcheson

I chose this DVD because it was developed and led by a physical therapist. I knew I needed physical therapy and had even done some in the past - but I needed a guide and this was perfect. As I continue these exercises my knee is getting stronger and stronger and the pain is diminishing. A few of the reviewers were confused about using the DVD and put off by commercials etc. Just skip past the commercials and after watching the 1st long explanations of things, you can go straight to the specific exercises and click on the ones you want. Also there is a short set of exercises for when a person has less time. Very helpful. SAVED ME LOTS OF MONEY because I didn't have to go to a doctor AGAIN to write a prescription AGAIN for physical therapy which costs me plenty even though I have insurance. This in home exercise DVD has been perfect for me.

This workout dvd provides a wealth of information about common causes of knee pain and how to relieve or prevent knee pain. It is also beautifully produced and effective.

I agree with other posters in that there are too many commercials for other dvds at the start of the program. I found this easy to deal with as I just pushed the next "chapter button" until the menu appeared (I think I have to press the button 3 or 4 times). Some mentioned the dvd is very wordy and it can be a little tedious to listen to the information every time one works out. I didn't find this to be the case as I only listened to the entire dvd the first time I followed it. Otherwise I go to the Bonus section and choose the "Create your own workout" option. This allows you to do the exercises and stretches with less discussion. I found the exercises to be well cued and well demonstrated. I found in my case, my knees immediately feel better while doing the stretching program so I am planning to incorporate those stretches into my regular routine.

I did find the overall workout a little easy for me. It is a great workout for beginners and I believe it may be accessible for those who need a gentle workout due to injuries. Given the intention of this workout, I think it is paced appropriately. Since my knee issues are minor and seem to be caused by tightness (hence why the stretching helps), I decided to try some of the exercises with adjustable ankle weights. This seemed to be a good strengthening level for me. I found some exercises very challenging such as those that target the abductors and glut. medius. So I plan to continue this workout for a while to see if it helps develop more even strength in all the muscles that support the knees.

Overall, this is a well-done and informative dvd program.