Jillian Michaels Hard Body

HARD body
I got this video today and couldn't wait to try it out! Workout 1 is 45 min, Workout 2 is 50 min (including warm-up and cool down). Unlike her previous workouts, there is a single, long circuit repeated twice. The moves are basically the same as her previous dvds, but with some moves combined. There are all new people (no Natalie. boo!). And there is a DJ-- not sure why. Overall, I really like these workouts. I've been waiting for her to come out with another dvd in which the workouts are more that 40 min. I'd say workouts 1 and 2 are similar in intensity, but workout 2 has more complicated moves. Here are the moves included in each workout:

Workout 1:
Warm-up
Speed squats
Push-ups
Jump rope
Superman/sit-up
Lunge-bicep curl with a row
Suicide runs
Scissor crunches
Press/fly/banger in bridge
Calf raise with shoulder press
Leg raise in downward dog
Weighted burpees
Lunge/curl into Warrior 3 with tri kick...

Hmmm....
First, I love Jillian's workouts. I have all of them and was so excited to see this one coming out. But I never would have thought in a million years I'd give a Jillian workout a 3 star rating. But I am. I only worked through workout 1 so far, but...something's just weird about this one. As a workout, it's good. But the production quality is distracting. I don't want to see constant quick shots of the DJ, especially while in the midst of doing reps of something - I need to see the girls that are working out - the DJ doesn't have weights nor is he displaying the form you're to be using. Can't see the modification options or if you're keeping up with the girls or check your form if you're looking at a DJ who's trying to act like he's in a club somewhere. I also don't like the moving camera that looks like it's just held on someone's shoulder and constantly moving. It's like she was shooting a music video instead of a workout video. It's very distracting and hard to focus on...

My Favorite of Them All!
So, I have a vast collection of Jillian Michael's DVD's. About two months ago, I decided to really get serious and do one of her 45 minutes or hour workouts five days a week. I started off with No More Trouble Zones. I liked it but it felt like I got more of a burn when I mixed it up with two 30 Day Shred workouts back to back. I needed more cardio. So, to make a long story short, I ended up buying Extreme Shred and Shed. The first week on that baby was pure torture. I could only get through workout 1 and three circuits of workout 2 for three days. Then I decided to push myself through the entire two works by giving it everything that I had. "Dear Jillian" No one is ever saying that "it's just not hard enough." :-) Anyway. I liked this work out a lot. I felt that it was extremely effective. But you see, I'm burning the last of the last inches of fat off my body. I'm trying to go from a swimsuit body to a bikini body. Jillian calls what I'm trying to lose "vanity pounds" and I guess...

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