Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred

I had never purchased a Jillian Michaels DVD before b/c of the hit or miss reviews. So when I heard raves about this one, I decided to give it a shot and I am so glad I did. This is an absolute butt-kicker workout. I am an intermediate/advanced exerciser (I work out 5-6 days a week) so I figured I could see what Level 1 was all about and move onto Level 2 right away. Listen to me folks--these workouts are HARD. Level 2 was VERY difficult--a good difficult though, very challenging. When Jillian tells you to start at level 1, listen to her she knows what she's doing. I've been at this for about 5 days, and I already feel a difference in my body.
Jillian is tough--absolutely NO rest in this workout (not even for a sip of water) but that's what makes it go by so quickly, and it makes your body change, according to Jillian. You're done before you know it--but by the end you've gotten a kick butt workout and feel like you've really done something. She bases her workout on the 3-2-1 method: 3 mins strength, 2 mins cardio, 1 min abs. Her strength circuits remind me of Jari Love--compound exercises that work the upper and lower body simultaneously. The cardio is good as well: a lot of jumping, so watch those knees (she has a modifier for beginner and lower impact) And the abs is straight up ab work--a variety of crunches and twists on the floor.
This is a great workout and I find Jillian to be tough but she's pretty likeable. Be warned though: she's no-nonsense. I think it's funny when during the stretch she admits she's not flexible and struggles to reach her legs on the floor. I thought "Ha, Ha, finally something I'm better at than Jillian!" lol
If you really want to get a good workout and to jumpstart your weight loss get this DVD you will not be disappointed. It's great for those who are short on time too and want to try something new; every workout is just under 30 mins!

First off, I would give it 3 ½ stars. I've only done level one but it is a good, very intense work out. I felt great afterwards. Also, I really like the trainer. She motivated me to push my hardest to try and finish each exercise, which sometimes I couldn't do (and I consider myself to be in good shape). My biggest complaint about the DVD is that you are told to start with level 1 and then progress up to level 2, then level 3. But there is only one level 1 workout, one level 2 workout and one level 3 workout. As a result, you are doing the same workout every day until you can move up a level. This can get boring. In addition, you are working the same tired and sore muscles that you worked the day before. My other complaints are a bit petty: the music is terrible and you can't skip through some of the beginning stuff. As stated above, the workouts are great and extremely challenging but I wouldn't use this DVD alone.

**********************************************************
UPDATE:

I would now give this video 5 stars. One of the comments to my review suggested that I don't wait to move up in levels, rather, I could do each level so that I am not doing the same workout again and again. THANK YOU to that person. I am now switching around levels and I love it. Level 2 and 3 are harder but I follow the "easier" version of most of the exercises and make modifications to some of the aerobic exercises that may be too hard (or that I just may not like). This is now my favorite DVD. I love it because it is hard enough to actually replace the gym... and in only 25 min.

Ok, if you're like me (overweight and unmotivated) and watch The Biggest Loser and wish you could be one of the contestants and have Jillian train you then you're in luck! Buy this DVD! I just received the dvd today and did the First Level today. It's been 2 and 1/2 hours since I finished and I'm still shaking and finding it hard to go up and down stairs. I can't even imagine what she puts those poor contestants through..LOL!

I have knee pains and feet pains and usually just walk at 3mph on my treadmill. Well, suffice to say I'm not seeing any weight loss. And let me be honest the real reason I have knee and feet problems is because I weigh too much. So I did the full on jumping jacks..no modified jumping jacks in this workout...Jillian tells you straight, she has 400lb people doing full jumping jacks, you can too! And she was right. I sure as heck can't really do the push ups but I'm sure that I will be able to eventually if I keep doing this dvd everyday for 20 minutes.

And she's right, you can't do a workout for 20 minutes and expect it to be easy...you want easy, don't get this dvd. You want to sweat and really workout get this dvd!

I'm 5'4'' and 168 lbs. I will let you know my progress in my comments as time goes on. Good luck to everyone!

This is a really good workout. It's geared a little more to advanced exercisers, but the choreography is fairly basic and you will definately feel this the next day.
There are three workouts that combine toning and aerobics together which are about a half an hour each. This way, you're burning fat and toning muscles at the same time. It's a little challenging, but fun and effective. The first workout is the easiest of the three and from there it gets more challenging. The most challenging workout is tough like she shows on The Biggest Loser (ie travelling pushups and tough jumps etc). It's a good idea if you're intermediate to begin either at the start or middle and stick to that for a while and then move on. Each workout uses toning, kickboxing and ab work.
I found this really good to do. It's absolutely a good idea to not go too quickly with it and begin at the lower of the three levels even if you do it only a couple of times - you can always advance as soon as you're ready for your next workout. She may not be the best cuer, but she is certainly encouraging and motivating. This is fun and I highly recommend it. I've only done it twice so far since it's so new, but I can still feel my muscles thanking me. This is great.

I love this DVD, I just finished my 20th workout with the DVD, 22 days since I started, skipped two days due to calf tightness issues (discussed below). My endurance and strength have gone way up as a result of this program. And I am down an average of 5 lbs. since I started (currently 185lbs., 6 ft., male).

Jillian's energy is great and the program is challenging and she challenges you to "fight for it" as you are going through the exercises.

It is "20 minutes of intensity" which is true. Before that is a little warm up. And after that is a little stretching. About 27 minutes in all.

The first day I bailed out after five minutes of the 20 minutes of intensity @ Level 1 (the beginning Level); I just didn't have any more in me. But each day I tried to do more and more. And I fought for it. My goal is to be able to do the complete unmodified Level 1 by day 30. I am there except for a few pushups and a few static lunges with bicep curls.

My strategy is to do what I can and if I can't, rest and continue as soon as I can. Maybe 5 seconds later, maybe more. And then get back to it.

Calf issues: My calves got very tight as a result of doing this program. Level 1 consists of two 30 second sets of jumping jacks (during the warm up), then three more 30 second sets of jumping jacks, plus three 30 second sets of imaginary jump roping, plus three sets of running in place butt kicks. That is five and a half minutes of pounding on the calves, which is okay if your calves don't tighten up too much. But mine did. I feared pulling a muscle they got so tight, so I took two days off. I did some research and found out how to give myself a calf massage and also worked on stretching my calves. That did the trick and the tightness is pretty much gone and certainly not an issue any more. Another idea about the calf issue is that without enough water in the body this is more likely to happen.

Recommendations for when you get it:

1. If you are someone who needs to know how much work is ahead of them when you are doing this program, count the number of repetitions for the exercises that you will have to do to match what the models are doing and you will be able to mentally prepare yourself for what is ahead of you if that is an issue. Since I like to know how close I am to being done with a tough exercise, this helps me a lot.

2. Start this program and stay with it. If you seem like if you keep doing something you will injure yourself on a particular day, don't do it. You want to maximize what you accomplish and risking injuring yourself won't help. But keep coming back and do what you can do every day. And set goals for accomplishing more.

3. I sometimes chug a swallow from a water bottle in between some of the sets, but very quickly so as not to lose any of the repetitions. This may be a security blanket for me until I am completely on top of it. She allows no breaks.

Issues with the DVD/Production:

1. There is continual music with a beat but the beat doesn't seem to match the beat of the exercises. Which means that if you are to stay at the same pace as the models you have to pay attention to them visually and cannot rely on just hearing the beat of the music to get the pace.

2. When you put the DVD in, it takes at least a couple of minutes before it allows you to start your exercise. "Disc operation not allowed" is the message I get when I try to get to the menu to start. I don't want to kill two minutes.

This is a fabulous program to increase physical and mental toughness and I rate the benefit at 5 stars for sure. I would pay $100 for this if that was the cheapest I could get it, because it is easily that valuable to me. But still, there is room for improvement.

Fight for it!

I have recently decided that home workouts are the only way I am going to ensure I get a workout in every day, with a toddler and a full time job. Thus, I did a lot of research on good DVDs and some essential "props" and over the past few months have purchased about 12 DVDs from TaeBo to PIlates to the Biggest Loser series, and then I saw this new one from Jillian, and it surpassed everything else I own by far. I have been working out pretty regularly for over 10 years, I've done triathlon's and everything from spinning to running to kickboxing, so I figured I could start at Level 3. After 3 minutes I went down to Level 2, and then another five minutes to Level 1!!! I have been doing Level 1 for a week and think I will be able to progress a level each week, but it is truly a challenging and rewarding workout, and I highly recommend it for people who enjoy maximum results in minimal time (and don't mind sweating and feel like they might have a heart attack!)

I cannot say enough to recommend this video. Really. It is the most effective, most challenging, and yet completely motivating workout I have ever done. (And I've done a few.) It is completely brilliant- a 20 minutes workout that actually kicks your butt; the length of the workout really makes you feel like you have got to push yourself and get through it, because you tell yourself, who can't do 20 minutes? Psychologically, it really makes you want to finish, and finish strong.

And it pays dividends. If you're anything like me, I couldn't even do the video for 2 days after the first time I did it because I was just too sore. But in the best way, that I-really-got-a-serious-workout kind of way. Very satisfying. In under 30 minutes!

I love Jillian on The Biggest Loser, and she has the very same no-nonsense approach on the video that she uses on the ranch, and I think it really does push you. She tells it like it is- "If you are looking for a modification on jumping jacks... look elsewhere. I'm not going to give that to you, I have 400 pound people doing them on the ranch, and I know you can do this," "I'm not gonna let you cheat. I know this is hard work. If we are promising you big things, we have to deliver." And she's right. If we're really trying to get a workout in 23 minutes or whatever it is, she's really got to make it hard to get results. But it works, and it's worth it.

I have read several of the other reviews on here, and I would like to respond to some of the negative points that people have brought up:

-The intro to the video cannot be fast forwarded, so you actually have 2 or 3 minutes of Jillian talking at the beginning of the DVD that adds time to your workout without adding any action. OK, it is a bit annoying. But USE THIS TIME WISELY, by running in place or any other light cardio activity to extend the warm-up time. The video only gives a minute or two for your warm up, and trust me, you will need a little more than that to prepare your muscles for what's coming.

-The workout is too challenging/not challenging enough... That's crazy. It is what you make of it. If you think it's too hard, modify - I didn't use weights the first few times I did it, because you don't want to shock your body by doing too much too soon. Give yourself time to get used to the motions and the workout before you add weights if you are a beginner. If you think it's not hard enough or you are not getting enough burn in the strength training segments, you need to add more weight, or, considering this is just a 20 minute workout, alternate days doing this DVD as good cardio and doing a more in-depth 30 minute strength training segment the next day. There is no reason this DVD cannot be a staple in your routine, no matter your fitness level. It is an undeniably effective 20 minute workout. Make it work for you.

-It's too high-impact. OK, there is a lot of jumping. That's because jumping is wildly effective at burning calories. Again, 20 minute workout, it has to be as challenging as possible. You could cheat, and take it a little easier on your knees, but you will be sacrificing intensity. If you KNOW you have bad knees or arthritis and you still want a great workout, buy a mini trampoline for the jumping segments. You won't be able to fully extend your legs to the side in the jumping jack sections, but you will still be able to jump and reduce a lot of the impact. My arthritic mother, who I bought a copy of this DVD for, did that and it worked perfectly for her.

-Not enough warm-up/cool-down. Come on, people. Did you really think that you can get a warm up, decent workout, and cool-down in 20 minutes flat? Let's manage our expectations a little bit. It is 20 minutes. You will need to add a couple of minutes to the warm up, I addressed that earlier, just begin your warm up during the intro part of the DVD that you can't fast-forward through. The cool down/stretching segment is also not long enough to really stretch everything you just hammered during the video. Turn the DVD off, and do some additional stretches for another 5 or 10 minutes. Even if you add to the warm up and the cool down, you're at about 35 minutes for a great, complete, body-rocking workout. That is not unreasonable, especially considering most people would spend almost that much time in the car driving to and from the gym. (Where you would have to work out much longer than 20 minutes to get the kind of full-body workout that Jillian delivers here.)

The bottom line: It costs less than half of a monthly gym membership at even the most affordable gym, you can completely modify it to work for you, it is 20 minutes long and you do it in the comfort of your own home so you really have no excuses not to get it done, and it delivers like Domino's. You will see and feel a difference faster than you thought possible, and the soreness in your muscles will let you know real quick that you are doing something effective.

Jillian knows what she is doing, and she will get you results. It is well worth the price and it absolutely makes the most out of every single second you spend doing it. What more could you ask for?!

I must give credit where credit is due and Jillian Michaels deserves a lot of credit when it comes to this video! I am a 32 year old mother of two, a full time student and I work part time. I grew up playing soccer and doing ballet. I was always very athletic and kept myself in shape. After 2 c-sections with my kids, my abdomen looks kinda funky and my motivation has been ZERO. One month ago I weighed the most I have in my entire life - VERY depressing. I began doing the 30 day shred and let me tell you, I have lost 12 lbs. in the last month and have gone down 2 sizes in clothes! But the best part about it is that I feel healthier, I have more energy and I am happier. I have tried a gazillion DVD's (like everyone else) and this workout really does what it is supposed to do - work you out! It is definitely a total body routine and not for those who are looking for an easy way to working out and weight loss (and we all know there is no easy way, so you might as well buy this DVD). It is really a good investment and worth every second of burn(a 12 dollar investment, can't get better than that).

I joined a local gym where we are in a Military Style Boot Camp for 5 months. I've been there for 4 weeks and haven't see much difference in either my weight or strength. I decided to dial it up some and purchased Jillian's 30 Day Shred DVD and let me just say, this will get your heart rate going! In just 20 minutes, I was sweating more than in the boot camp class which is saying a lot since the trainers are official Military Service men, they have no mercy. Jillian could teach these trainers a thing or two, that's for sure!! I love/hate this DVD. I love it because I know I'm going to see results FAST but I hate it because it's sooooo hard, even level one is a killer especially for the ones just starting out in the fitness world.
I plan on sticking with this and doing it everyday just to see if I can shed 20 pounds in 30 days like the cover says. My eating is based on the boot camp recommendations which is a lot like Bill Philips Body For Life. Low carbs, low fat & high protein meals.
Overall, I would give this DVD 10 stars if possible. I feel like it will be more beneficial to me than the boot camp which is costing me $350.00 per month for 5 months!
Get this DVD and don't just stare at it for a week like I did. Put it in the player and watch it though one time then attempt to do level 1. If you can't finish it or have to take breaks, that's fine but push yourself to your max. Jillian says not to "phone it in" on these workouts and she's right. You have to want to change your body in order to get through the entire 20 minutes. It becomes a mental game after a while into these workouts. But, it's really rewarding to finish it and know that each time I will be getting stronger and stronger.
Good Luck to those on the same path to wellness as I am on. It's a road less traveled in this diet crazy world but so much quicker and healthier than the alternatives out there.
Thanks Jillian for the killer workouts. I'm off to purchase your book now to get your advice about the nutrition part. I'm sure it's full of ideas that will help me even more to reach my 40 pound weight loss goal!

First, a little about me... I am 31 years old, no kids, 197 pounds, 5'4" and for the past 5 months I probably exercise, on average, about twice a week. I just got done doing my first workout from this DVD on Level 1.

Bad news first: Like another reviewer mentioned, I don't like the fact that you can't skip to the workout menu and bypass the minute-or-so talk from Jillian. Today is a Saturday and I have the time, but during the week I can see this getting annoying. The music should just be considered background noise and the beat can be used to keep time, but if you are really big into music, you should get a different DVD. I don't mind the music because I am too busy focusing on proper form. I really only care about music if I am dancing and there isn't any dancing going on here.

Now, the good news: the workout in level 1 is just challenging enough to make me that I feel I have something to work towards, but not so difficult that I can't imagine ever finishing. I made it through everything except for some push-ups and the "bicycle" ab routine. Jillian talks a lot during the workout to tell you exactly how you should do the exercise which is good for me. I like to be reminded how to keep proper form so I get the most out of what I do. You can turn the sound off if you want too and just use visual cues. I noticed that if you want to know when an exercise will be over, you can tell by when Jillian gets back into position after her walk over to the other cast members to point out how you should do stuff. I have read some other reviews where people said she is bad at cues, but I didn't have a problem at all. I didn't really pay attention to what she was saying all the time because I had the volume low, but everytime I did hear her say something, it was very encouraging and right on time. She really knows when people will start fading and she adds a nice boost. I don't see what people are talking about when they complain about the cardio. It's not bad at all and if you feel tired - then slow down! The moves are not so complicated that you can't modify them. I can totally see myself doing this workout over and over and I can't wait to move up different levels. This workout doesn't have a lot of frills, just straight up interval training. I love the fact that you don't need a lot of contraptions to make this work. All you need is dumbells and when you are on a tight budget like I am, this is perfect. This DVD costs $13 and I can totally see it paying for itself 10 times over. I am only on level 1 which I would imagine I will be at for at least 3 weeks before it is perfected and I will feel comfortable moving to the next level. If that is right, I will get at least 9 weeks of challenging workouts - not bad for $13!! There is really no excuse for not getting off the couch and doing this. I don't really have a "designated" workout area either - just my living room - and the moves in this DVD don't have you all over the place so I don't have to move all my furniture for 25 minutes of workout time.

So, to sum things up, this is a straight forward and effective workout that won't break the bank, rearrange your furniture or have you begging for mercy!