JILLIAN MICHAELS (Shred/Ripped and all the rest) Part 3: Bringing our A-game [cheesy smile]

[threestepsforward]

Here is a new thread for Jillian Michael devotees!

Whatever JM DVD you are doing, come and check in here...
Any Insanity and Turbofire lurkers, come and join too!

Hello to all from the old thread and big welcome to anyone new, come and join us

Shred L2 day 3 done. I definitely prefer it to L1. Second lot of chair squat/V raise a killer though!

Did L3 Ripped today. Ow.... Will feel it tomorrow I think. So much thigh and booty work mine ache already!

L4 Ripped today with 2kg. Very half-hearted scissor kicks - my excuse is that it shakes the whole house and would wake up the neighbours...

Am aiming to do L4 for the rest of the week, as I think that it makes improve more than if I dart about from DVD to DVD...

I'm back from a long weekend in Budapest. I was also a bit under the weather immendiately beforehand (fighting off a virus and not quite succeeding) so I have not done much exercise at all by my standards. The last JM was last Tuesday! I wasn't well Wednesday/Thursday, but rallied and managed to go out running in Budapest Friday and Saturday and do a couple of short sessions in the hotel gym with free weights. I also did a lot of walking! Was utterly wiped out yesterday after getting home in the middle of the night the day before so no time or inclination to exercise, but I am back to normal today. I am working from home and itching to do some JM, but we have a decorator here all day doing the kitchen and it overlooks the only two room I can exercise in. I don't mind DH/DD watching me, but I am not sure I can inflict it on him! I will try a slightly longer run (still working back up from my calf strain) and see if I can fit in a JM or Insanity session after work tomorrow if the decorator has left.

Day 2 of Ripped L3 and now I really really ache.... I find it easier than L2 CV wise but it's really punishing on the bottom... And I hate jumping squats.... Got AF today so did phone it in and do low impact version of those...but still felt like an excellent work out.
Welcome back not yummy... Sounds like a fun weekend. I have meetings at either end of tomorrow and the piano tuner in the middle so may struggle myself to fit it in...

Have any of you managed to teach yourself to do a proper press-up? I try my hardest, but only go half-way down at best.

Venetia, yes, I've taught myself but at the moment can only do one full set in shred Level 1. Someone else on here recommended using the stairs to gradually decrease the angle to the ground. I initially did the easy version thinking that would enable me to do a proper one but that didn't get me anywhere. I found that I had to keep on trying to do a proper pushup, going half-way, like you, to start with and collapse into the easy version when I couldn't do any more. I can now touch my nose on the ground and get up again, yay!

Happy, Ripped Level 3 is indeed hard on the lower half. I hate those duck walks.

I haven't been on for ages as I have had a chest infection followed by sinusitis. I've lost loads of strength and fitness but I'm starting to work back through shred now. Having the day off today as I have a tennis lesson (not sure if that really counts as a proper workout [puts fingers in ears, la la la]).

You can do it Venetia! I think it may have been me with the stair recommend - start quite high and work down, lowering the angle of your body. This should always be in full press-up position, rather than on knees. And I think the idea of trying it in full press-up position in Shred is good. I can do loads more than I used to be able to. Every couple of months I do a 'press-upathon' to see how many i can do non-stop. Last time it was 50! (That involves a couple of short pauses, but nothing over 5/10 secs)

Managed my 5 mile run yesterday, with no calf pain - hurray! Will be doing something short and nasty tonight. Perhaps l3 or 4 Ripped, or 6W6P.

Thanks Nolda and notyummy; will give the stairs thing a go and report back
Glad to hear you're fighting fit again, notyummy.
Day 4 of L4Ripped today, and looking forward to final day tomorrow. Can't decide what to do next, in my new regime of doing each level for one week; what's everyone else doing?

Also, has anyone got Jillian's Body Revolution DVD system? Was thinking of trying it, but its fairly spenny...

I am impressed by proper push-ups. I can only do very weak ones, but I do about 30 every day (this week), like 10 here and 10 there and am getting better. I watch tv on Sundays and thought I can do 10 at each advertisement breaks. (there are a lot of adverts in Downton and Strike Back)

Still getting up at 6 every week-day to Jillian. Sadly this means no BFBM or 6W6P, as they are just too long during the week. Stopped losing weight, but to my own defence I can do all the jumping lunges in Ripped L3. (Not the plank thrusts though.)

Venetia I think gypsyfloss has the Body Revolution dvd-set.

I will spend a weekend in London soon, and do not fancy taking a portable dvd-player. Is there any way of downloading Ripped or BFBM or 6W6P on an Android phone?

Did L4 ripped last night. Not too bad apart from the second cardio section- scissor jumps and Burpees. Gets me every time!

Just a tabata session in the cross trainer tonight. Really pushed for time. Should have longer tomorrow. Will either run or do double session.

ok have been a bit slack of late.... only getting up at 6am twice to do L2 shread.... must improve - and after reading posts I WILL improve - you shame me into it - we all have busy lives and kids and things and I CAN Do this.... I feel so much better after doing this for a few weeks I would be foolish to stop now.....(I will remind myself of this at 6:30am tomorrow when I am a heap in the corner, sweating and gibbering) thank you ladies

Did you do it cat girl?
ripped level 3 again for me this morning wheni get back off the school run...I like it in a masochistic kind of way....will have done it four times this week so creeping up to my ideal of five times a week!
Off this weekend up north to see in laws so no chance to work out again until Monday...
Have a good weekend all

Just done day 4 of Shred L2. Managing about twice a week atm but I am also running 3x week and am busy with lots of other stuff.

Go on catgirl!

I must admit I forgot to set my alarm, so did not get up in time despite being awake. However metro was out, so had to walk an hour to work. It was great in glorious sunshine

Hello, can I join you all pls? I've been lurking for a while but have got to commit to this properly! I'm sick of feeling blobby and want to be strong yet sylph-like.

So, after failed attempts to shred conistently and getting stuck doing level 1, I've just done level 2 for the first time EVER. Plank-jacks, oh my god. Anyway, onwards and upwards, it gets easier, right?

Levels 1 and 2 of Ripped today. First time I have done a back to back shred or ripped for a few weeks because I have either been slightly under the weather and not up to it - or doing Insanity and hence working hard already! Was fairly hard. Those crow press-ups and the infamous plank jacks/mountain climbers combo in L2 are not fun. I find the cardio in L1 really easy but didn't want to add weights in anything other than the punches because I knoew I had a whole another level to come....

Weather forecast looks good tomorrow, so out for a run in an effort to slowly build up the calf now it appears to be ok. Either 5 or 7 miles. Will do NMTZ with DH on Sunday.

Been slacking lately, had four or five days off. I went to the gym for the first time in weeks and did 75 mins cardio, and I've just done ripped L2. I hate the first cardio circuit - I've yet to do the second lot of mountain climbers without switching to the modifier. At this rate I'll never get to level 3!

welcome muriella! Stick with it and I promise it will get better. It is amazing how quickly the body can change and adapt.

I have just finished my third week of insanity. I'm not gonna lie, it's tough. There have been days I didn't want to do it but forced myself. The first two weeks I dreaded thinking about each work out but finally I am starting to enjoy it....one week before they crank it up a notch and take it to the next level!
notyummy have you made it to the second month yet?
Anyway I was looking on you tube to find the insanity ad to show someone who was asking about it and found that someone has put the full workouts on there! Not good for me but good for any of you who want to give it a whirl but don't want to commit to giving the £££ out to get it.
Whoever was asking about Body Revolution...I have done it and it is one of my favs. I really enjoyed doing it and the people in it make it fun too. I wouldn't spend the money though unless you are committed to getting the most out of it though

muriella L2 of the Shred has never got easier for me

On L3 of Ripped. Yesterday after weeks of procrastination I finally did a weigh-in. I felt I was stagnating, but I actually lost more weight. I have now officially lots more than 2 stones this year. I should have known, because all I did last week was to try to buy new smaller winter clothes.

Ooh my thighs!! Haven't done double ripped for ages and am paying. Did 5 mile run yesterday and struggled through NMTZ this morning-my thighs were KILLING me for the first circuit but gradually warned up. Another planned tomorrow and possibly the start of month 2 of Insanity in Tuesday. *CHST- I have finished month one but them had a break due to cold/virus symptoms so really didn't feel up to giddy heights of Insanity. Was never doing it to the programme as wanted to fit in 1/2 runs a week and one strength session (NMTZ) so only ever 3/4 Insanity sessions a week. Scared of month two!

happypiglet - YES I DID!! it's the thing of committing it to type that I will get up and exercise that makes me do it - I can fib to myself but can't to a bunch of virtual strangers! Ain't it strange?! Also did L2 again today while DH and DS2 were out and DS1 was in the bath - rather than sit and eat I exercised! So my aim for this week is 5 times, still don't manage L2 without some 5 second stops (on the second round of things) so that is my aim - no stopping then I can move to L3..... does that sound OK?? happy exercising

Morning all

L2 Killer today - had forgotten how horrid it is, esp one-legged burpees and statues of Liberty...

My left side is curiously much weaker than my right side on the surrenders - anyone else? Just wondering is this is a right-handed / left-handed thing, or whether I am just lop-sided...

Just finished day 7 of L2 ripped. I think I'll do it again on tuesday and wednesday, then start on level three on friday. Had a look at it today and think it's going to hurt somehow!

catgirl I also find it hard to lie to virtual strangers, if I say on here I'm going to do something I have to do it.

Venetia I'm right handed and my right side is definitely stronger than my left. My right thigh is about an inch bigger than the left as well

I didn't quite manage to start again on Monday last week as said I would seems I have no problems lying to strangers but I did start level 2 again on thursday so on day 4 today as DS2 was up at 5 on Sunday and I was way too tired to deal with jillian and her smug face

There should be no reason not to shred every day this week so I will be back on the wagon.