2013 NEW YEAR JILLIAN MICHAELS FANS!

[threestepsforward]

New thread for the Julian Monkeys!!

Here's to a new year Shedded and Shredded, Ripped, with Killer Buns and Thighs, a 6 Pack, a Revolutionised Body and No More Trouble Zones

Any practitioners of Insanity, Turbofire and all other such insane DVDs come and join us too if you like

[Guitargirl]

So, day 2 of S+S and I can't move.

Maybe I won't be progressing from the baked bean tins after all!

[Ponks]

I spent a good couple of weeks with baked bean tins before moving on to proper weights. All of 1kg. I'm now trying to use 1.5kg most of the time (my arms give up in the V sits) and contemplating 2kg. So it will happen! just give it time!

[notyummy]

Ponks- jumping lunges are My Nemesis.

[Ponks]

notyummy - makes me feel a bit better if even you find them tough!

[threestepsforward]

For the first time ever today, I did jumping lunges (Killer) without one hand on the chest the TV sits on!!

I haven't dared try them with weights yet but I may give it a go tomorrow now my arms are free...

They are hard, as are the V-raises!

Guitargirl if you're feeling the effects of the beans (not in a windy way!) then it's all good and you'll still be reaping the benefits, hope you can move now

3 more days of L2 then up to L3, woo hoo!!

[PeggyO]

L1 KB&T and L1 S&S done this morning! I really liked KB&T - it feels very no-nonsense, classic Jillian. The chair pose on 1 leg was a bit of a killer, and I really liked the sumo squats with calf raises / jumps combo.

S&S was fun too, although lots of the moves were more complex and as I am so uncoordinated (like your DH I suspect, Ponks!) I spent a lot of time trying to work out what to do and so don't feel like I worked as hard as I could have!

Tomorrow I think I will add more / heavier weights to both Guitargirl, is it wrong that I am kind of hoping I will get that unable-to-move feeling tomorrow too?!

Jumping lunges are one of my worst moves too - absolute torture.

threesteps, you are on fire! What are you planning after you've finished L3?

notyummy, that Bob Harper DVD is now sitting in my Amazon basket. I am a little afraid to click the button and buy it...

Hope everyone has had a good day!

[Ponks]

Another Shred L3 under the belt today, though my energy petered out at the end leading to some rather feeble rock star jumps.

I do like the way that Jillian seems to know exactly when you are about to flag and says something motivating - there's a "don't give up now" in one of the circuits that comes at just the right time.

DH is about to do some Shredding on his own - he may be catching the bug! PeggyO you won't be as uncoordinated as him - he struggles with a side step.

threesteps - jumping lunges With Weights? It'll be a while before I get to Killer L2!

[PeggyO]

Ponks, that makes me feel a little better! Well done on converting your DH - mine was muttering about Jillianing with me a few months back, but it hasn't happened yet!

I did L2 S&S this morning, followed by L1 KB&T. Phew, I certainly feel like I got a good workout! I LOVE L2 of S&S. Much easier to follow than L1 but a tougher workout too (one-legged mountain climbers?!) Some Insanity-style moves in there too, I thought - plank jack push-ups (love these!) and high knees into up-downs.

threesteps, you inspired me to use weights in the jumping lunges! I added weights to more of the moves today, so am hoping to feel it in my arms tomorrow.

[PeggyO]

Oh, I just remembered - having said L2 S&S was easier to follow, there was one move I just couldn't get my head around! It's the one where you start in plank, twist your body over leading with your knee so you're in a kind of reverse table, then twise back over again and into a push up I think I'll need to work on that as my homework over the weekend...

[threestepsforward]

Morning all!

Ponks you're doing brilliantly, and the end of Shred is in sight!! Do you have something in mind for afterwards? She's mean to put the rock stars right at the end of circuit 3 when you're getting knackered!

PeggyO hopefully I'll go back to S&S after Killer as it was really enjoying it! Glad to hear you're enjoying it and Killer too :)

Those weird things at the end of L2 are a variation of her hip heists.

She does them in L3 Killer without the push up part so you could have a look there and see what they're like in their basic form. I agree they're tricky to work out at first...

The other move I don't seem to like is the plank where you step 3 paces each direction - I just don't feel anything when I do them so think I'm doing something wrong!

I won't be exercising today sadly as I can feel back grumbles so will be resting it. Still get a speedy dog walk though which is something :)

Will check in tomorrow, hopefully, if we haven't been hit by an olympic swimming pool-sized asteroid (it's passing closer than the moon apparently - that is seriously bloody close!!!)

[Jacksterbear]

Ponks and PeggyO woohoo nice work! 3steps enjoy yr rest day and hope the back is ok. Just done BFBM and quite enjoyed it (cardio is where I can really see the improvement from when U first started Jillianing nearly 2yrs ago; I find it harder to see the improvement strength-wise). Not a brilliant week for exercise (a tough week for various school-related reasons) but NMTZ and BFBM plus some exercise bike riding is not too bad!

[Jacksterbear]

That should have said DC-related reasons - random autocorrect!

[Ponks]

Stepped down to Shred L2 today as a) have a few hip flexor twinges after L3, making me think my form may not be quite right in some of the moves, and b) felt my usual grotty Friday tiredness (what happened to hurray its Friday get out and enjoy yourself? - that disappeared years ago).
Wow I'm so glad I did - feel great afterwards and certainly feel stronger after doing L3 for a few days.

So what to do next after Shred .. well I have bought Ripped and Killer Buns (and Trouble Zones is on order) ... I think Killer may be the one as my thighs are definitely the part to work on.

threesteps do you do some stretching on your non-Jillian days? Might help (my DH has had a number of back problems and is so much worse if he doesn't stretch every day)

[Jacksterbear]

ponks, after nearly 2 yrs of Jillian and multiple DVDs, L2 shred is still one of the hardest IMO (much harder than L3), so respect to you for referring to it as a step down! re what next, ripped if you want something with a similar set-up to shred: killer to mix it up a little!

[Alligatorpie]

Jack - that is encouraging. I am hating L 2 of shred, i want to lay on the floor and wimper when its over :) i am feeling panicked about doing L3, so happy to hear L2 is worse.

[PeggyO]

Yep, I agree, I found L2 of Shred the hardest too. I think it's because there's such a big jump up between L1 and 2. You will be absolutely fine Alligator, you are doing so well already and every day you get through L2 you are getting stronger, fitter, and more prepared for L3!

Well done for fitting in exercise during a tricky week Jackster. Hope next week is easier for you. BFBM is always great for getting the endorphins flowing, and it must be brilliant to see your progress.

Ponks, my hip flexors are prone to twinging too, and I find the first stretch here (the open lizard) helps a lot.

Glad you recognised the hip heists from my rubbish description, threesteps! Thank you for the tip - I might check them out on KB&T and practice over the weekend. My biggest problem with the side-stepping plank was that when I started in the middle of my mat I ended up colliding with the sofa. I clearly need a giant, spacious fitness studio a la Julian!

[notyummy]

DH and I have just done 65 minutes of Bob. Oof!!

MRI results back- large disc bulge at bottom of spine that is compressing nerve opening and hence pain/pins and needles/numbness. Have been referred to consultant. No advice on dos and fonts though, so am just ploughing in exercising and if it hurts I stop.

[PeggyO]

Youch, notyummy, no wonder you are having so much pain. Do they have any idea how soon you'll be able to see a consultant? Massive respect to you for Bobbing with a bulging disc, that's hardcore!

[threestepsforward]

Afternoon all on this beautiful day :)

Wow notyummy, that sounds awful, and seriously painful :( Hope the consultant can help you, and that you don't have to wait too long...

Ponks that's a really good idea. I used to do a Pilates 10 min stretch after every session but got a bit lazy about it and stopped doing it. I should do it again, plus stretching on non-exercise days like you said.

I've not done anything since Thursday and feel okay today but I'm going to see how I feel later. If I don't think it's a good idea I'll do some stretching (wonders why I didn't think of this, doh!)

Have a great day everyone...

[PeggyO]

Julian monkeys, I need your help! I have done something to my mid back (shamefully, not even while exercising - I was doing the hoovering ) It doesn't feel very painful, just sort of nigglingly sore and not quite right. What can I do to make it better?! I really don't want to have to skip my workout tomorrow...

threesteps, hope you got on okay with your exercise / stretching!

[threestepsforward]

Oh no Peggy, what is it with us all and our backs at the mo??

If you're not planning to work out today, could you stretch for 20 mins or so today? Then see how you feel tomorrow?

If it still niggles tomorrow I'm not really sure. They do seem to say stay active, but not sure if they had Jillian in mind when dispensing the advice

Hopefully it was just a tweak and you'll feel fine tomorrow, will keep my fingers crossed for you!

Thought I'd be okay today but after spending an hour in the garden I was really uncomfortable, had to keep standing up and sort of bending backwards to relieve the discomfort :( So no JMing for me sadly. Will do 1/2 hour stretching instead.

At least I have walked the dog, done some gardening and spent 3 hours(!) cleaning the windows this weekend so I've not been a total sloth! (or is it sloath?)

[PeggyO]

Thank you threesteps! Sorry to hear that your back is still troubling you - we are a right bunch at the moment, aren't we! Sounds like you have had a very active weekend. I have been doing a whole load of cleaning too, I think it's because spring is in the air.

I think my back might be feeling a little better already (funnily enough that could be as I have just been up and about - now that I am sitting again it is twinging more! Seems to back up the 'staying active' theory...) I will do plenty of stretching tonight and see how I go in the morning. I was planning KB&T L1 followed by ES&S L1, and I think KB&T is probably fairly back-friendly, so I will see how I go and not bother with S&S if it feels sore.

[threestepsforward]

Hope the back feels better today Peggy :)

Not sure about mine to be honest. Have written out some back stretching exercises and if I'm still not happy to exercise later I'll do them instead, plus other general stretches.

It's very annoying but perhaps if I go more carefully I might actually manage to sort the problem out, please yes!!

Have a good day everyone

[Ponks]

Rest day for me today. Planning to start on Killer buns this week - did my first L1 this weekend & found it pretty tough - but looking forward to getting to grips with it. I could feel my muscles the next day so it will be good to be doing something that works me differently. Though still planning to Shred in between as have to conquer L3!

[PeggyO]

My back felt much better yesterday. I did lots of stretching on Sunday night and slept with a hot water bottle which seemed to help a lot. Hope the stretching improves yours too, threesteps!

Yesterday I did L1 KB&T followed by L1 ES&S. Ponks, it was the third time I have done L1 KB&T and I feel like I am really starting to get to grips with it and 'have fun with it' as Jillian would say! I added weights any time Jillian gave them to Natalie / Basheera and it made both workouts much tougher which I liked.

Does anyone else feel really out of sorts on the days that they can't exercise? I had an unexpectedly late night so DH persuaded me that getting up early to Julian on very little sleep wasn't a good idea, especially as I have a super-busy day today... But now I just feel sort of flat and frustrated that I won't have any time to fit a workout in later. Sometimes I wonder what on earth has happened to me - I used to hear people say they were addicted to working out and not really believe it was possibl!