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.

BR phase 1 workout 2 done. I enjoyed that. imogen I think there are bits of Ripped that made me feel very inadequate. It really puts
you through your paces. And i found that it was often on day 6/7 that i really got particular moves let alone nailed them. I had to keep telling myself that even half arsed was better than than no arse IYSWIM. Hang in there.

ddas I ditched most of the plank moves and subbed them for other exercises from a different level. Mine is because of back issues though. I decided that it was better to do a slightly different exercise well than a) do a move badly and b) risk putting my back out. I figured that as long as I'm still working and finding it tough, it must be doing good.

I am just back from my 1.5mile brisk walking round trip to school so shredding is pencilled in for this afternoon.

Thanks for the link yadah, it looks good. I will have to see if I can do it from the laptop as I don't fancy forking out the £70 for the DVDs. I think we can get internet through our play station, so might see if that works as it would be easier.

So, is the idea that you do workouts 1and 2 plus cardio x2 for weeks 1and2 (so six workouts) and then 3 and 4 plus cardio for weeks 3 and 4, then move to phase 2?

So do you mean you are doing one extra cardio per week? No rest day, or doubling up on one day?

Because of my work schedule, I can only do 5 days a week, so will have to double up.

Imogen, RI30 makes you feel hopeless at first, but then you feel even better when you get it. The trick with the side lunges with leg raise at first is to really really lean on your hands and then kind of jerk your leg up. As you do it next time, you lean a bit less and can raise the leg a bit more slowly.

By the way, I wore a bikini every day on holiday despite not having a flat stomach and didn't give a stuff.

Ddas I think if you keep checking the separation you will be able to tell very quickly if it starts making things worse and will be able to stop. I also think as you LO is around 18mo (is that right?) your muscles are probably a wee bit stronger than someone with say a 6mo so that transverse belt muscle is probably holding everything together a bit better. Like I said before, keep doing that zip exercise. That is the tupler technique which is a diastasis healing set of exercises designed by Julie Tupler. It costs a fair bit to buy her books and DVDs but the basic idea is strengthening the transverse muscle to hold everything in place while you strengthen the other muscles to heal the separation.

So do that zip exercise as much as you can. There's also a good one where she tells you to imagine your tummy is a lift, with the bottom floor right down by your pelvis and the 6th floor just above your belly button. You have to take people up to each floor. So first go up to first floor, pause and then back down. Next the second, pause and back down. Just like pelvic floor exercises you can do the zip and lift ones anywhere, any time and they DO work. Google Tupler Technique and you'll see loads of info. I think if you do those exercises alongside the shred with the modified moves and check the separation regularly you will be ok. I suggested the scarf tying around middle with the plank type exercises in mind but like Owl said, just sub in different moves instead of the planks if you're worried. And obv stop the second you think it's making things worse.

Hello lambzig I am kind of fluffing the suggested sixth workout thus far. I only do 5 days and as a result have decided to favour cardio over metabolic. So I just alternate them starting with the cardio on a Monday. Officially this is my second week but I did sort of begin it on the back of the week I finished Ripped and I think it is a very effective workout even in the early stages. It simply doesn't make you feel like barfing up a lung. Which after Ripped constitutes a holiday, right?

Yes, but unfortunately, I had an actual holiday so am expecting pain whatever I do.

Work tomorrow, but it am going to make a start on this on Thursday.

Hi everyone. I did 8 days of Level 1 and moved to Level 2 yesterday. I had watched it through the night before but still found it hard to get used to the new exercises so I don't think I really did the 'full' workout iyswim as a lot of time was spent checking Anita to make sure I was doing it right!

I found it much more high impact than level 1, more bouncing! I was dripping in sweat by the end of it. Still, I found the time flies by just like Level 1 so just as I thought I was going to pass out/vomit it was over

I am still however totally confused about the double jump rope manoeuvre. I have watched it over and over and I just can't see what she's doing different other than her wrists seem to be moving at lightning speed? So I just did a normal jump rope but tried to get as high as I could and circle my arms as much as I could. Can anyone explain to me what the hell we're supposed to be doing??

I've not weighed myself because I don't have access to scales, but my clothes are definitely fitting better. I can now fit into all my 'holiday' clothes but the bikini is still scaring me a little. Would love to tone up my belly and bum more, I have 18 days to go so will stick with it.

macnab well done you. Level 2 of Shred is definitely the big one in the program and it took me about three days to feel that I was doing it all to the best of my ability. Stick with it you get to level 3 after this and you practically bounce through it no problem.

thanks yadahyadah any chance you can explain the double jump rope thingy?!

Thanks private and imogen !

private I hope you're right, my bingo wings are ridiculous but for some reason they've never really bothered me! But I really want to tone my legs, I haven't worn a dress without leggings/tights in literally 7-8 years :( that's my number one aim, to have nice legs!

Going to do L1D5 this evening, DP has started it with me so once DS is asleep, we will do that. Nothing but rock and roll in the Northman household

I am still however totally confused about the double jump rope manoeuvre

I think you need to imagine you are trying to jump and get the rope under your feet twice before landing on the floor. So yes, jump higher and move your arms faster!

Yes definitely, you are meant to stay in the air long enough for you to turn the rope twice, eg do two rope swinging motions with your hands for each jump. As owl says imagine the rope going under your feet twice (and yes I know that would be practically impossible.

Not sure that description helps.

L1D6 done.

Did 1 week dieting+walking, 1 week healthy eating+shred+some walking and am weighing/measuring fortnightly. Cheating a bit because was pre-menstrual and just back from hols when I did my "before" weights and measures but am down 6lbs and 2 belly-inches already!

30DS L1D10 now complete. Next step - level 2 (but not tomorrow as I have a full day at work, and then I'm giving a tutorial in the evening).

Thanks for the encouragement, yadah and Lambzig. Onwards and upwards - I'll try again tomorrow. My poor knees aren't liking this level, though: they were fine all through the Shred and L1 of RI30, but they're telling me today that middle-aged joints aren't meant to do this kind of stuff! And Lambzig, also well done on bikini. I won't get that far but am aiming for not too self-hating when wearing clothes.

Well done, Tango, that's awesome! Both impressed and envious.

macnab, I didn't really manage the double jump ropes at any stage - at best it was one-and-a-half jump ropes (I may have moaned just a bit on earlier threads about my total inability to do them). If there'd been a real skipping rope there would have been a lot of comedy moments!

Everyone is doing so well! I'm about to do L1D5.

Really can't be bothered but it's only 30 minutes and if I don't do it, I'll feel all crap and guilty in half hours time.

Wish me luck!!

Did day 2 of level 2 this evening. Amazingly found it manageable or at least a bit more manageable than yesterday. Thanks for the description of the double jump rope. Still cant really manage it! Just did normal ones but was bouncing quite high (for me, weak pelvic floor etc!!)

I feel great that I'm sticking with it, almost strangely addicted to it. But I've let my diet slip the past few days, need to reign that back in I just cant seem to stop myself sometimes! This evening when I got in from work I was starving so I ate a (huge) banana and put a bit of peanut butter and a bit of nutella on each bite It was yum but not exactly good was it!

Done it! Felt ok and it flew by!

I'm the same macnab it's the only thing I've stuck with and can actually see myself doing to the end. Although I've got 25 days to go so we'll see. The banana sounds yummy, I'm going off to bed before my feet take me into the kitchen to find munchies!

Night all

Double jump ropes always make me feel like a TRex trying to clap - while jumping in the air, as they probably did in real life and all.

Another one here struggling with the double-jump-rope, always have. Just can't do the arms, feel exactly like Yadah said above!

Anyhow, 30DSL2D10 done earlier this evening, which is 10 days over all, 5 @ level 1 and 5 (so far) @ level 2.

Going to see if my DS's will let me get away with doing it before sorting their breakfast out tomorrow morning and without them watching and interacting - wish me luck!

Night all.

RI30 L2D3 done. All sorts of bits of me hurt that didn't hurt with any of the previous workouts! I can't work out if I'm doing the exercises so badly that I'm hurting my joints or whether they're working little muscles that I don't normally use.

I also cheated: I swapped an extra set of plank jacks for one of the sets of squat thrusts. I really can't do squat thrusts. I'm also still getting nowhere with the crow push-ups: doing them on my knees doesn't actually seem to make them any easier, so I figure I might as well stick with failing to do the advanced version. It feels less feeble than failing to do the beginners' version.

Clapping T Rex! Yes!! I just go for a higher jump or I just stick with singles, depending how knackered I am. It's already easier than when I first did L2 though so I am confident it is at least doing something.

BR phase 1 wk2 cardio. Done

30DSL1D7 done. Feeling like I might be up for L2 in 3 days (not before!!) still find circuit 1 v v hard.

I had all-bran and banana for breakfast. Wish I'd had Nutella instead of what basically amounts to cardboard!