Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Jillian Michael 30 Day Shred: A review

I was excited to try the 30 Day Shred, as many people I know say they are getting a good workout from it. I will say that I enjoyed Michaels's workout, though I don't agree with everything on the video.
I did level 3, which I don't recommend on the first try with this video, unless you happen to be a fitness professional. Here is what I like: It is a continuous transition from one activity to another, which for most of the workout, keeps the heartrate up and continues to challenge different body parts. She does challenge the abs and back quite a bit in just the cardio and strength section, which begs to ask: why have the minute of abs every few minutes? She stops and has the client lay down for abs...to that affect, she does this RIGHT AFTER major cardio work???? Any exercise teacher that passed the first day knows you do not have a student lie down at the highest point of cardiovascular work. It's like she elevates the heart rate to a peak, and that is when she has the client lie down. This is strange, awkward, and questionable. Why not do abs from a standing or from plank, as she tends to like? We could hit more parts with that ab minute without stopping the heart full force and going to a supine position. Of course, the mommy diastasis issue is never brought up, so the mommies trying this workout will be vastly devastated as their bellies grow rather than decline. And another issue: how long are we elevating the heart rate? Is it worthy of weight loss efforts? And another issue: Are we causing danger by dropping the heart rate immediately?
I love plyometrics, so I am excited that there is some plyo in this workout. This is the way to raise the heartrate quickly and really challenge the muscles in a way that nothing else can. However, I would not recommend her rock star jumps. She encourages landing softly, but this jump forces a hard landing. And she does a lot of them. One or two, and it's kinda fun. A lot, and you might have a blown knee or ankle in a minute.
I am no Jillian Michaels, and I am not on TV, but I wonder if results would be even more stellar if she followed regular guidelines of ACE or her certification brand. I wonder how her own review of her workout was, and how much time she took to review this.

2 comments:

LT said...

Any recommendation what those of us with diastasis should try instead? I've had 3 children in 2 pregnancies, I'm down to a 1-2, but still have quite a tummy over my jeans (and the jeans are not causing the tummy). My twins are almost 2 years and the only thing I can find is a woman talking about my abs being like floors of an elevator. I just want to know machines to use at the gym or DVD's to buy that will do the same thing with simple explanations instead of "think of your abs like ______".

Unknown said...

I would try Diastasis Rehab, of course. www.diastasisrehab.com . I would also try standing cardio kickboxing for a stronger core; just avoid the twisting movements.