The July 2014 Shred Thread - Go on, you know you want to

[yadahyadah]

Okay, it's not just 30 Day Shred anymore but if you would like to log your daily JM fix and get some tips and tricks from fellow Shredders, step this way.

30DSL1D8...with 1.5kg weights, I know that's not heavy, but I'm pretty chuffed with it (even the anterior raises btw) when I first started I was using 500g weights, until my dog ate them, so moving off 1kg seems like good progress :)

well done tabulah, those anterior raises suck - what were the 500g weights made of? I pictured two legs of lamb or something

Hi all. Had a rest day yesterday as wasn't feeling great after 3 hours sleep due to teething toddler. Today I've booked a holiday with a friend and her sister and my DC. It's for early August and although we aren't abroad so won't be boiling we do plan on swimming etc so that is now my target date to get as toned and lean as possible. I'm about half way through the 30 days of shred so I should finish right before we are due to go. I'm planning on trying to up from 5 days a week to 6 and will keep adding in a few additional JM workouts on top of that. I'm thinking those 6 min ones might be good for targeting particular bits.

No more inches lost but shaving my legs today I found this lump in my calf and was convinced it was a tumour until it dawned on me that it was a huge fuck off muscle! So then I flexed my biceps and they are bloody huge as well. And there's a line appeared on my arm where your shoulder muscle is iyswim. So that's v v exciting.

Right, am off to do today's Shred. Have fallen out with my mother so have lots of anger to channel into exercise today! Oh and the other half of my weights order arrived today, for some reason it was sent in two parcels and instead of using common sense and putting the matching pairs together they split them up. So for a week I'd been using one 1kg weight and one 2kg weight. I had to keep swapping them over cos I was worried I'd get lopsided

Congratulations on your 'tumour' muscles, Shadows ! Sounds like you're getting some great definition. Good work!

30DSL2D12 (day 7 of L2) done...in a scorchingly hot front room, on a sticky humid evening in NE London, with no ventilation. That's GOT to have burnt done extra calories!

Thanks! Just done 30DSL2D5. Knackered now, heat definitely makes it harder!

Snap shadows day 5 of level 2 done this evening.

I am chuffed that I'm sticking at it and able to do the exercises (albeit following Anita - wtf is that Natalie made of?! She's like a machine!)

Anyway the fact I did it is totally overshadowed by the astonishing amount of crap I've consumed today. I didnt just tumble of the wagon I flung myself headfirst into a heap of chocolate and bread! Am premenstrual but really thats a poor excuse. Hope I havent undone weeks of good work :-(

I think I'm somewhere between Natalie and Anita. Closer to Anita, granted, but I do find her versions too easy sometimes we will ignore the fact that I can not manage the amended plank jacks at all.

I had a day off yesterday as I had to mow my not inconsiderable lawn and it was hard work! I'm still impressed that it's not as difficult as it was last year.

I think I need to clear out my garage and find some heavier weights. I'm using 1.5kg and, for some of the moves, they are too light. For others, like that squatting v lift thing, they are too heavy though :o

I may have to switch to couch-to-5K on holiday as I can't pack any weights. I might be able to rig some up using waterbottles and sand though.

Sounds like you're doing really well, Shadows :)

Had yesterday off too, and don't feel too bad macnab, I managed to talk myself into burger, chips, ice cream and wine as I somehow managed to think that having a day off shredding meant also taking a day off dieting and cramming all the uneaten calories of the week into one day!

Punished myself this morning by shredding with slight wine-head at 7am. I deserved it. Felt v weak and sweaty afterwards. That's day 10 of L1 done. Level 2 tomorrow, time to move on!

I have 1kg weights for most of the "compound" moves but use 2kg for the dumbbell row, chest flies and bicep curls. Will switch to 1kg for L2 whilst I learn moves and then switch up where I can.

I'm decorating today instead of shredding...I do realise I could do both, but, I did that yesterday and ended the day collapsed on the floor, lol.

No I wasn't using legs of lamb as weights, just weights, he's just a menace. I mean ok he didn't actually eat the 500g weights, he just chewed them so they were unusable.

It's the exercise equivalent of "My dog ate my homework"

Don't feel bad about scoffing macnab I found myself sat in the dark at midnight last night eating half a large trifle. I've been off puddings for a few months now and stupidly bought one for Sunday dinner pudding, obv the temptation was too much! Lesson learned, only buy things in small sizes so there is no ability to scoff when the sugar cravings hit!

30DS L2 D7 completed this morning. Had quite a full on day yesterday and as a result found today quite hard. But did it! Looking forward to moving into level 3 in the hope there might be a bit less planking....

30DSL2D6 done. I did the unmodified cardio today and used 1kg weights rather than 2kg for the last strength circuit, figured it'd be better to be able to actually do the moves rather than spend the whole time desperately trying to do more than 3 moves and not being able to handle the weight. Used 2kg for the other strength circuits though.

Oh and had additional resistance while doing ab moves in the form of my 16mo DS who ran at me and sat on me whenever I was in plank or on back doing abs.

Impressive :)

I did L2 today. The only plank move I do is the modified squat thrust one but I can feel that becoming easier on my wrists.

I'm wondering whether to move to L3 now or in a few days ...

I've just finished 30DS L2D3. I'm doing the first set of each circuit with Nat and the second set with Anita. Strangely I think the plank jacks are easier than the modified version. Off to a friends house to watch the World Cup final sit in the kitchen and drink wine now, which will no doubt undo some of my good work.

6w6pL1 done. Actually managed to do a super hard move today where you have to lift yourself sideways with all your weight on one hand below your shoulder and one leg fully extended iyswim? You have to hold that and then twist and lift the other leg. I usually can't actually lift my body weight in that arm so have no hope but today I did it!! And the diagonal get ups it can now get both shoulder blades off the floor.

I like 6w6p alongside the shred because it's all abs and so even if legs and arms ache from the shred it doesn't matter as you aren't really using them. There's a few plank moves in there but the majority is abs. It's 3 weeks exactly til holiday so I'm going to really push myself. I refuse to come back from another holiday feeling really low because I didn't have the confidence to wear the shorts and bikini I packed, I figure even if I don't have supermodel body, if I know I've worked as hard as I can to get as in shape as I can then it won't matter what I look like, it's the confidence I will feel from knowing how much stronger and fitter I am than when I started. At least that's the plan

Owl, I'm waiting to move to level 3, I still don't feel I'm on top of some of the moves in the sense that I still trip over my feet doing those backwards and forwards lunge thingies in circuit two. I plan on doing the full ten days on this level and then move up to level 3. If you move before me come and tell us how bad it is, I found the jump to level 2 hard and I'm dreading this one!

I'm not sure if I'm ready for L3 or not but I have a deadline - swimwear on 27th July!!

It may be a moot point today as my back feels really stiff this morning.

I can manage the "pendulum lunges" but I cant do the planking. I wonder if there are planks in L3?

30DS, L2, Day 8 just done! I'm half looking forward/half dreading the move to level 3, so long as I don't miss out any days I should be there on Thursday.

Body Revolution phase 1 week 3 cardio done. Phew. I am starting to worry about the difficulty of the next phases.

RI30 L2D6 done. I'm not liking it any better, I must say - a lot of the moves are still really evil. On the other hand I'm finally beginning to notice a change in my blancmange-y midriff.

Owl, there are lots of planks in level 3, I'm afraid - mountain climbers and plank raises, just from memory, and I'm sure there were others. I found it very hard on my shoulders.

Oh goodness. Just done 30DSL2 for the first time.

What am I thinking? Right now I want to take my 2 extra stones and accept them, I think I like my wobbles more than I like Jillian right now!

That was HARD and I stopped a few times. Going to go and look at my "pre-DS" clothes to motivate me to get back to it tomorrow! I'm still in awe of everyone who has already got through this, let alone moved on to harder things!

30DSL2D7 first time this level has felt ok. I haven't needed a sit down afterwards.
Tango it is really tough isn't it? The first few times I did level 2 it felt even harder because I was trying to figure out the moves as well as keep up. It's only today that I've not tripped over doing the forwards backwards lunge things. I really struggle to coordinate that move.

YY to looking at pre DC clothes, YY to keeping goal in mind.

I must confess to viewing these workouts a bit like labour. It hurts, you have to just focus on breathing through it, but each circuit ends, you know it doesn't last long and there's an end goal.

She is mean though isn't she "I want you to feel like you're going to die"
.

In 6w6p she says
"You can always work harder, you can always go further, you've always got more to give. All you need to do is believe in your ability to achieve" which I really like. It's my current mantra.

I knew there'd be planking in L3. I just can't do it. The strain on my wrists is too much and I'm not sure that's going to get any better! I think my back would eventually become strong enough to do them but not my wrists.