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

Ooh I love kick boxing . Will no doubt give it a go, thanks

yy to bfbm...always had good weeks in terms of weightloss when I did that one...sometimes Id just pick 4 or 5 circuits instead of doing it all...usually miss the warm up too as previously said the first circuit is a good warm up. 2 and 5 ? are the bitch circuits I think

had all in my head to do a double today...did ripped level 4 and forgot how awful a) the second cardio bit is...hate hate hate scissor hops. and how tough the chaturanga push ups are...to be fair I used to do those on my knees so I have progressed. Decided to stop there. No more doubles/killing myself before christmas!

On the upside did yoga meltdown level 2 yesterday and FINALLY did crow pose! Yay! I could really feel my core working to hold me up so am really proud of myself!

Have a lovely day all

Aspiemum2 I am so glad you like the kickboxing, too. I love BFBM. The worst circuits for me are 2, 3 (plyometrics she calls them, urghhhhh [disgusted]), and 6.

My abs were very upset at repeating 6W6P today, they must have thought it was a one-off. I found myself doing the crow pushups . Not very well, admittedly, but still. If I do not feels sick after the plank moguls in L2 when I get there, I am officially hard core. Very unlikely though.

Off to Argos.co.uk...

CHST Ripped L4 is evil methinks.

ginger well done on the crow push ups, it feels wierd that one. Plus I have a clicky pelvis...(thank you sons) which makes it extra wierd.
How are you getting on with 6w6p? I like level 1 but for the life of me cannot get to grips with level 2...I just don't feel it. 3 times i have tried it..once did it all the way through and felt like I was going to injure myself with my weight and the other two times gave up and did something else..maybe that should be my new years resolution..to master 6w6p

CHST When I last did L2 of 6W6P in the summertime, it was hard-going, but for the 18th time it was ok. I probably did not do double-time the way they do though. By my own very low standards I was superb at it. Hope to be better this time.

@nosey, the workouts are on YouTube, so you can run them off your computer if that helps!

Tried something I haven't done in AGES today! I did a ministry of sound workout. Now I have quite a lot of these and both the clubland workouts. They are longer...an hour BUT you can choose segments like you can with some of Jillians. I like it as it has a mix of dance, boxing, toning eg lunges, crunches, plank work and push ups. Deanne Berry leads quite a few of these and she is really nice to follow. You can get them off amazon/hmv so if anyone wants to try something different. the clubland ones have really fantastic kickbox/boxing sessions. I'd say anything with kickboxing in is my favourite type of workout as I find it a fantastic stress buster plus fun at the same time.

hellooooooooo where is everyone?!
level 3 killer buns and thighs for me yesterday. Always struggle with the jumping lunges, can never do a full set grrrrrrrrr. Other than that love it. I think what I like about killer is that it is a lot more relaxed and less shouty than the other dvds and funny banter

Today I did Bob Harper Ultimate cardio body for the first time. VERY lunge and squat heavy. However was a good work out. What I like about Bob's workouts is that you feel worked out all over. This was a cardio workout but there was still strength involved, still push ups and raises etc.

I would really, really reccomend Bob's workouts for those wishing to take things up a notch from Jillian. You can get them on amazon pretty much the same price as Jillians if not a bit cheaper. They say region 1 but they are really region zero so will play on region 2 players.
I have four of his dvds and they are all really good workouts. In order of difficulty of the ones I have I'd say:

Total Body Transformation....very hard. Focuses a lot more on upper body strength, quite a lot of push ups, and variations.

Pure Burn Super strength...again hard but not as hard as the above...again, very upper body oriented.

Ultimate cardio body extreme...not as hard as the above two in terms of strength but gets your heart up good in places. Some plyo additions to squats

Totally ripped core....very tough on the core but one of the "easier" of his workouts and 45 mins instead of the hour other ones.

I also have his yoga for the warrior which I really enjoyed.

Anyway on a side note...argos are now selling insanity and p90x among others.....really toying with starting p90x in the new year but will need to get pull up bars and heavier weights too...

I will be working out tomorrow, christmas day and boxing day as boxing day will be going to the in laws and will not really have a chance to work out for almost a week..eeek!!!!!!!

Hello CHST. I'm listening. Thanks for the review of the Bob Harper DVDs, might try one at some point, though Jillian is my favourite DVD trainer by a mile. Like you I love Killer B&T... Jillian is at her most likeable there. p90x is a great workout but very time expensive. Insanity is good too but has things I hate about it- long stretching segments DURING the workout, which pisses me off. ANd endless water breaks. I'd rather get on with it!

Just did Ripped in 30 Level 2, quite a good workout, but hate how these workouts are noticeably longer than the Shred ones for the same amount of actual exercise time. I wanted to do BFBM but the toddler woke up, so will run around in the park with her instead.

Hope you're all keeping up your fitness despite its being the season for doing sod all.

CHST I enjoyed your Bob Harper reviews as well. Hope I will get there one day. Totally Ripped Core is for me.

I do L1 6W6P every day. Always thought it was easier, but lately I "pushed the up button". It is lovely to have abs.

themaltesecat Running around with a toddler is the toughest workout of them all.

themaltese have you done p90x? I'd love to know what you thought of it if you have.
I actually like the stretch after the warm up and the rests...I needed them. I think that is the whole idea though that you work out at maximum capacity and then get the break to bring your heart rate down. Is not good to have your heart rate up at a 9 or 10 the whole time.
I might do ripped in 30 level 2 over the next days....I prefer having three strength moves to two in shred though

ginger yay for abs!!! I like having them too, especially after having kids. I know not everyone likes them on a girl but I'll take abs over back fat and a spare tyre any day! I really want to get to like 6w6p..level 1 is ok, just 2 I don't like. How did you push the up button for it? Heavier weights or double time?

Happy Christmas everyone!
Got my BR workout 7 and 8 in today..the odd number workouts work the front of the body and the even numbers the back so an hour of full body today. I will do my workout tomorrow before we fly out to dh's family. I will not be back till new year and will not be able to exercise hence cramming a lot in before I go.
Enjoy the food and booze all!

Merry Christmas!

CHST I try to do the exercises harder, faster and with more weights.

Safe journey CHST

Yup, bon voyage, CHST.

"I prefer having three strength moves to two in shred though"

Yeah, tend to agree... on Shred 2, my arms just give out halfway through the last strength move, so it's probably better to change it more often. I love the format of NMTZ for that reason, though sadly it sometimes just means switching legs and continuing the same arm torture.

About p90x...

I downloaded a couple of the Tony Horton workouts and just couldn't get into them. Mind you, I have no way of doing pull-ups in my flat (not that I could anyway! )... but it was more his demeanor. I think I respond better to women- that Insanity bloke Shaun T also irritates me, and he is really very inoffensive- doesn't make all the naff jokes that Tony Horton does. I think with Insanity what puts me off is the "Argh argh we are all sweating and collapsing this is so hard argh argh we are warriors" bollocks- very masculine and macho and unnecessary. Especially when the exercise in question is relatively undemanding (mountains climbers are bad, but they're not THAT bad!).

Jillian is comparatively professional and calm, and even when she's being obnoxious (as in Ripped in 30- doing Level 2 at the moment and she is seriously testing my love for her) she is making me sweat so much I seriously don't care. I have just got Body Revolution and am really stoked... had previously just had the cardio workouts from it (which are fabulous) and am looking forward to doing the full programme, though probably not in a straight 90 days... would miss BFBM, NMTZ, KB&T, Shred, 6wk6pk et al too much.

gingercat12
Wow, that is fantastic, doing 6wk6pk every day! I think you've just inspired me to emulate you... usually only remember to do it once a fortnight, but will begin a solid week of it tonight. Envy you your abs! I have fleeting dents at the top and sides of where my abs should be, but a bit too much podge to see them properly. If I could just rein in my eating...

I should clarify that I have all of Insanity and think I have done all the workouts at various times - not according to the schedule, and not managing to do all the pushups and things- and think that they are amazing, amazing workouts. Hats off to anyone who does the programme! But I don't like the format or the trainer as much so don't come back to it (though do "Max Cardio Conditioning" quite often, really like that one).

I just respond really well to Jillian, for some reason.

themaltesecat Thanks for your opinion about all these workouts. I am always so interested. Another big Jillian fan here! So grateful to her as my body responds so well to her exercises, and I havr no excuse not to have 30 mins each day. Her dvds are great value for money for me. I am afraid I have not got Basheera's abs (never will).

Both my parents and my in-laws asked the same question " When can you stop exercising?" They were astonished by my amswer - never... Did you get similar questions?

gingercat12, me too! Like the other lady upthread, I love reading reviews of Jillian DVDs. It's quite inspiring how many people began with the Shred and are now doing triathlons and whatnot! I am not there yet, but I can't believe how much my fitness has improved with Jillian- being able to do a push-up now is the least of it.

Basheera's abs are truly a thing of beauty. Who's your favourite background lady? I like Anita from Shred etc., though I'd quite like to look like scary over-bright Kristen from NMTZ and BFBM. Wish I'd begun Jillianing before having a baby by c-section... might have managed it!

And YES to having been asked that question! It does make me laugh. Having striven this hard to combat the sagginess of my arse, there's no way I'm undoing all that good work (barring war, injury, pregnancy, of course).

It never seems to occur that we might actually ENJOY it, too. In fairness, I think my family remember the long list of sick notes I used to forge to get out of PE at highschool,, and me coming joint-last in the cross-country by two hours (yes, my friend and I walked the course, stopping for chips in a cafe ).

Were you always into fitness, or did you only come to it in adulthood as I did?

Did RI30 Level 2 this morning, and now the baby is asleep unexpectedly mid-afternoon, with the husband here to watch her. Luxury! Debating whether to do Six Week Six Pack or go for a run/walk/whatever... better make up my mind before she wakes up, argh!

themaltesecat I always hated PE with a passion. I would have definitely stopped at the chippy with you . I completely credit Jillian and you ladies with the change. Our PE teacher in primary school was an alcoholic and our class had to run pub to pub in our village. Those innocent 1980s!
I quite like Shell (?) as well from Ripped. Anita is my compatriot, so I always think there is hope for me. I want to be Basheera or Natalie from the Shred though. They all have amazing dancers' bodies.

BTW Ripped L2 is so hard!

Morning gingercat12 I've just started Jillianing again after a long study break and you've reminded me just how much I love 6w6p so I'm going to skip my plans to work my way throught the shred and go straight to 6w6p instead. I know it works , I just need to get on and do it :)

Well after doing both levels of 6w6p yesterday I realised why I stopped doing it, I hate it! Its the only one I cant seem to get into.
Lucky for me extreme shed and shred arrived yesterday and I had a watch through it and will give it a go this morning when I can move my arse of the sofa!

Morning everyone, I really want to do the shred DVD but for some reason I can't get motivated

I did it around a year ago for only 10 days and noticed a massive difference then have up!

I have a bad back and I think it makes it worse so that with me just generally being lazy puts me off. Any tips to get me motivated?

Also when do you all shred? Morning or evening? And if morning do you eat before?