Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Workout Dvd

[Kris 78]

Let me tell you about the video that is helping me have an awesome pulse rate (51 -- woot?!). My girl Jillian Michaels of Biggest Loser fame has a bunch of fitness workout DVDs out, but this is the first one of hers I've ever purchased or used (note: the title of the DVD is actually Ripped in 30, not 30 Day Shred). I picked it up at costco in early January for the low low price of $7.99 or something like that. I have definitely gotten my money's worth from the video, as I've used it at least 15 times the past couple of months. So, now that I've gotten through all the workouts, I thought I would tell you about it.

The DVD contains a 4-week workout program with a different 30 minute workout each week. Each workout starts with a warmup, ends with a cool-down/stretch, and has 20 minutes or so of full body workout, with a "3/2/1" system -- 3 minutes of strength training, 2 minutes of cardio, and 1 minute of abs -- there are 3 circuits of the 3/2/1 system. Each week gets progressively harder, and of course, each week there is a different colored ensemble for Jillian and her crew (which, maybe it is a girl thing, but this really matters to me. I like workout fashion, apparently!). You can advance at your own pace, so if you are really fit you will probably not spend that much time on the Week 1 workout and might skip to weeks 2, 3, or 4. I consider myself to be moderately fit and I stayed with the Week 1 workout for over a month because I found it quite challenging. I've done the Week 2 workout several times, absolutely hated the Week 3 workout, and just got through the 4th week workout last week, which makes me still cringe a little when I think about, because it was so hard. I mean really, really hard. The kind of hard that, when you are trying to do the last set of abs, you are making noises you didn't think your body was capable of making. Moan-groans. Like oooghhhdrshhgoooocslllldsss. Like that.

To do any of the 4 workouts you will need a couple of sets of hand weights (probably a 3 lb. set and a 5 lb. set), and a yoga mat, and a bit of floor space to do the exercises.

Jillian has two cast members with her; one does the modified version of the exercises and one does the "badass" version of the exercises. I tried to do the "badass" version as much as possible but there were some moves that honestly I just couldn't do the full badass version on. Mostly the pushups, which I find to be very hard (even though the strength training with the weights was the easiest part of the workouts to me ... go figure). Both of Jillian's crew are women with amazing hard bodies. They definitely help motivate you to stick with the program in the faint hope of getting a body like theirs (of course, in reality, I am sure these women spend at least a couple of hours each day in the gym, and probably eat one of those insanely Spartan low-Protein bodybuilder diets -- I am sure that Oreos and potato chips never pass their lips).

Speaking of bodies -- you know, I never really thought much about Jillian's sexual orientation until I saw this video. One of the cast members, Shelly, has a really perfectly sculpted body, and big boobs too (meow! Yes, I am being catty! It's pure jealousy, I assure you -- I am not ashamed to admit it). Anyway, I think Jillian really had the hots for Shelly, and a couple of points in the Week 2 workout I was a bit creeped out by the attention she was giving Shelly -- slapping her butt and making little comments like "Ooh, I want to bite it!" (Shelly's butt, that is). It was kind of icky. I am very much live & let live as far as relationships goes, but if I am watching a workout video I don't like to see the trainer hitting on the crew. Maybe it's me, but I got the vibe that Shelly was a bit icked out, too. It was only in the Week 2 workout, though. She also seemed to like the other gal in the week 2 workout (Natalie, I think), who also had this amazing hard body and was also attractive. But weeks 1, 3, and 4 were fine -- I didn't have an ick factor in those workouts. If you've used this video please share your comments and correct me if you think I am off-base about this. Maybe I am more of a prude than I thought I was!

So, to summarize, if you want a tough full body workout in only 30 minutes, this is a great DVD. I usually do the workouts 2 or 3 times a week and do other videos or my own routines the other days. I have definitely noticed progress in my strength and endurance since starting to use this video and will keep using it for another month or two at least. Until the next Jillian killer DVD comes out, probably!

[JackieOMonroe 123]

I tried that DVD long before I had surgery and it really hurt my knees. I never made it past level 1. I still have it and I was thinking about trying it again, now that I weigh so much less.

[Kris 78]

I should have said that this is definitely not a DVD for beginners (unless you really want to torture yourself). She says throughout that she has 300 or 400 lb. people on The Biggest Loser doing the exercises, but I just can't imagine I'd be able to do even the Week 1 workout w/o already having been moderately fit. For beginners I really like the Leslie Sansone or Shapely Girl workout DVDs, which are low impact and not as stressful on the body.