FitFusion Review: Jillian Michaels Killer Body ~ 3 Thirty Minute Workouts

FitFusion is an online streaming workout site that has SO MANY fab workout options from instructors we know & love. FitFusion gives you JNL Fusion, Jillian Michaels, Mike Donavanik, Jennifer Galardi, Ilyse Baker, Andrea Orbeck, Zuska Light, Viveca Jensen, and SO MANY more! They offer strength workouts, cardio, cycling, ballet, yoga, pilates, dance and MORE! Seriously this is variety wider than my own DVD collection- which you know is vast.  You can even stream Jillian Michaels NEW Tone & Shred Workout Series- stay tuned for detailed reviews of FitFusion workouts on the blog.

FitFusion: Killer Body
Jillian Michalels

There are three 30+ min routines in this series. Jillian leads these workouts with 2 backgrounders, one showing modification options, in a studio. You will need dumbbells and an optional mat. Each routine contains a warm up & cool down. You will perform 4 circuits done 2X each with one min of cardio between circuits.

Lower Body: (36 min) This routine also includes lots of great upper body exercises combined with the compound lower body work.  Exercises include 3 way lunges with bi curls & front raise, deadlift & push-outs, floor touch jacks & star jumps, one leg squat & hop, long jump zig-zag combo, static chair hold, sumo plyo scissors, curtsy to diagonal lunge & military press, lunge drops with static overhead hold, rockstar jumps down to plank donkey kicks, tripod glute raises, superman, static warrior shifts, plyo sprinter, toe squats dropping low, deadlifts, and plyo lunge -plyo squats.

Upper Body: (34 min) Exercises include walk out pushups, single leg elevator pushups, rocking cobra, static lunge & single arm row, criss cross jacks, wide rows & upper back fly, renegade row & pushup, bridge hold with: pec flys, tri drops, bench press, and lat pullovers; hinged row variations, overhead tri press, single arm burpees, pike pushups, bi side lunge & dumbbell serve, static lunge & overhead tri drops, squat with curls & lat extension, soccer kicks with arm circles. There is a bit of light lower body in this.

Core: (32 min) Exercises include windmill, balance leg raise & elbow crunch, oblique sumo dumbbell drop, plank & tuck jumps, lunge knee pulls, sit up roll backs to jump ups, boat to X extension, boat bicycle, side plank weighted thread the needle with hip drops, diagonal hi knee run, run in planks, plank to dolphin, sit up & rotate to plank knee pulls, 3 way burpees, L hold to crab shifts, V leg crunch, and weighted plyo sledgehammer.

I rate these high intermediate to advanced routines but the modifier is great - making this set great for most all exercisers. These are your classic Jillian circuits, that I love. You accomplish a lot with little wasted time and Jillian offers her normal great cuing and tough love motivation. Straight forward choreo and drill style make these favorites of mine. You could use the lower body routine as total body if you used heavier weights. Jillian and crew use lower poundage, but I found I could go heavier to them - moderate poundage worked for me. I received this workout to review.

For More Information, Visit: 

Read all of my FitFusion Reviews here

FitFusion on Instagram

FitFusion on Twitter

FitFusion on Facebook

FitFusion on the web

I received samples of these products to review. I was in no other way compensated for my honest reviews. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Please see my disclosures page for details. Do not copy, in whole, or in part any portion of any postings on my blog. Do not repost my content on any other site without my explicit consent. All of my postings belong solely to lindsey8.blogspot.com.

FitFusion: Jillian Michaels Tone & Shred Workout Series Review

FitFusion is an online streaming workout site that has SO MANY fab workout options from instructors we know & love. FitFusion gives you JNL Fusion, Jillian Michaels, Mike Donavanik, Jennifer Galardi, Ilyse Baker, Andrea Orbeck, Zuska Light, Viveca Jensen, and SO MANY more! They offer strength workouts, cardio, cycling, ballet, yoga, pilates, dance and MORE! Seriously this is variety wider than my own DVD collection- which you know is vast. 

FitFusion: Tone & Shred Karena, Katrina, & Jillian

There are 3 workouts in the Tone & Shred series. Each instructor leads one workout. The ladies work out in a white studio with fun workout outfits. You will need light weights and an optional mat for these routines. Modifications up and down are offered for many exercises.

Tone & Shred Bikini Booty: Katrina leads this 24 min LB routine using light dumbbells. After a warm up, exercises include lunge & butt kick, skater, side to side curtsy lunge, goblet squat pulses, surrenders with a lean back heel taps, donkey kicks to stand & knee raise, plyo lunge & squats, reverse plank and leg raise, prone flutter kicks, balance runner, tripod booty squeeze, butt kicks to plyo donkey, toe bridges, balance 1 leg squat series and a cool down & stretch.

Tone & Shred Abs: Jillian leads this 24 min core cardio routine using light weights. After a warm up, exercises include lunge & dumbbell pass, sumo stance oblique work, weighted high knee run, halo & squat, side lunge chop & knee pull, supine wiper drops, side lying long lever oblique crunches, side plank hip drop, burpee or ninja jumps, down to up dog, sit up to plank knee pull, plyo gorilla wolks, supine leg scissors, supine leg climb and a stretch.

Tone & Shred Total Body: Karena leads this 24 min body weight & light dumbbell strength & cardio routine. Each 5 exercise (4 toning & 1 cardio) circuit is repeated 2 times. After a warm up, exercises include plank shoulder & toe taps, plank shifts with a knee pull, superman dumbbell pass, crab to L sit, crab kicks, burpee up to row, plank to side plank knee pull, long jump down to burpee pushups, twisting Mt. climbers, boat to conoe, 3 way pendulum lunges with bi curls & overhead press, windmill to KB swing,good morning with overhead press & press-out, warrior 2 - 3 with bi -tri, roll back to standing star jump, and a stretch.

These routines range from high intermediate to advanced. The Tone & Shred series is available exclusively on FitFusion! These are the circuit routines that we know & love from Jillian, you do 3 circuits of exercises and perform each circuit 2 times. Katrina & Karena offer very different personalities than Jillian, very giggly, bubbly, and light hearted. Each exercise is quick so you wont get bored. Lots of variety, I received this workout to review.

For More Information, Visit: 

Read all of my FitFusion Reviews here

FitFusion on Instagram

FitFusion on Twitter

FitFusion on Facebook

FitFusion on the web

I received samples of these products to review. I was in no other way compensated for my honest reviews. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Please see my disclosures page for details. Do not copy, in whole, or in part any portion of any postings on my blog. Do not repost my content on any other site without my explicit consent. All of my postings belong solely to lindsey8.blogspot.com.

REVIEW: Jillian Michaels Body Revolution Phase 3 Workouts

Jillian Michaels Body Revolution PHASE 3 Workouts: High-energy circuits to tone muscles and shred off the fat. This set contains the best-of-the-best exercises to attack trouble zones. Two front of the body focused workouts, two back of the body, and an intense cardio workout all at a high intermediate to advanced level to get you in the best shape possible. Workouts 9 & 10 will take you through weeks 9 & 10 and workouts 11 & 12 will finish off your rotation with a bang.

Jillian Michaels Body Revolution Phase 3

Jillian Michaels, 2012

Jillian works out in a gym set with a group of toned background exercisers. Each dvd is in one folder as pictured above. You will need dumbbells and tubing for some of the exercises. Each workout is done circuit style, with each exercise being performed for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then repeating the circuits, and mixing in a few straight cardio exercises. Each workout contains a built in warmup and cooldown. The warmups & workouts being more intense than the previous phases.

Workout 9 Front Body: (33 min) Exercises include push-up jacks, plank flys, unweighted toe plies, low jacks, down dog to cobra divers, lo to hi plank press ups, down dog to plank knee pulls, crouching burpee hop ups, side thrust burpees, unweighted chair hold, single leg squat to walk out one legged plank, boat to hollow man, band reverse crunch, plank hop ins, curtsy and lat raise, weighted crab drops, side plank rotations, and roll back up to squat hold.

Workout 10 Back Body: (34 min) Exercises include reverse plank leg raises, weighted plyo lunges, weighted dip & hitch kick, runners lunge knee pulls, curtsy & cable chest pull, lunge & chop, weighted squat hold, kettlebell swing & hop up & back, tree squat & bi curl, jump squat & upright rows, superman & upper back fly, weighted rock stars, 1/2 moon hold, static lunge & row, and weighted skater windmills.

Workout 11 Front Body: (36 min) Exercises include unweighted low squat to chair, scorpion push-ups, jump lunges & shoulder press, weighted burpees, down dog diver to chataranga, duck walk, plank kickbacks, crab kicks, cable push-ups, chataranga hold, standing Mt. climbers, dragon stance & lat raise, push-ups w/ hand hopping, Russian twist, knee twist plank, and long jump - hop back.

Workout 12 Back Body: (37 min) Exercises include rib cage pullover & single leg bridge, renegade rows, V sit to X hold, kneel to stand, tuck jumps, crab style bridge push-ups, plank & up back fly, hollow-man & cable pec fly, upper body cable hold dip & glute raise, bi hold & plyo jacks, speed bag & soccer kicks, single leg weighted squat hops, bi curls, crab toe touches, and bi hold & lateral knee hops. 

Cardio 3: (33 min) Exercises are performed for 20 seconds each & done 3X total. They include rockstar jumps, jumping lunges, plank moguls, squat jacks, hi knees drop to push-ups, standing mt. climbers, tuck jumps, runners lunge knee pulls, crab kicks, plank hop ins, down dog hop ins, long jump up & hop back, side thrust burpees, plank punches, and windmills.

I found the workouts to be high intermediates but I did use heavier weights than Jillian. I was able to use heavier weights in the entire set that Jillian shows, making the workouts more challenging.  Some exercises are advanced and she doesnt waste any time but as a whole my ranking is high intermediates.  Jillian doesnt offer as many modifications in this phase. The strength workouts will def get your heartrate up more than the other phasss. These are athletic style workouts and Jillian adds more multi-muscle exercises and includes balance work to the exercises. I received these dvds to review. 

For More Information:

Visit the Gaiam website

Like Gaiam on Facebook

Follow Gaiam  on Twitter

Subscribe to the Gaiam YouTube channel

I received samples of these products to review. I was in no other way compensated for my honest reviews. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Please see my disclosures page for details. Do not copy, in whole, or in part any portion of any postings on my blog. Do not repost my content on any other site without my explicit consent. All of my postings belong solely to lindsey8.blogspot.com.

Jillian Michaels Body Revolution Phase 2 Review

Jillian Michaels Body Revolution PHASE 2: Greater resistance, dynamic movements, and more challenging exercises. You will continue to shed fat and shred your entire body.Two front of the body focused workouts, two back of the body, and a cardio workout all at a solid to high intermediate level to get you ready for phase 3. Workouts 5 and 6 will get you through weeks 5 & 6 and workouts 7 & 8 are for the following two weeks. Read below for detailed reviews of the entire Phase 2 set.

Jillian Michaels Body Revolution Phase 2

Jillian Michaels, 2012

Jillian works out in a gym set with a group of toned background exercisers. Each dvd is in one folder as pictured above. You will dumbbells and tubing for some of the exercises. Each workout is in Jillians famous circuit format with each exercise being performed for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then repeating the circuits. Each workout contains a built in warm-up and cool-down. 

Workout 5 Front Body: (37 min) Exercises include a yoga warm-up, push-up to side plank, crescent hold & trip press, jumping squats, dumbbell cross chop, plie hold & military press, scissor abs, hi knees, crescent hold & cale chest press, 1 leg tri dips, crescent hold & punch, lying tri press, 1 leg squat & shoulder work, and speed rope. 

Workout 6 Back Body: (33 min) Exercises include wide row, cross lunge & bi curl, plank rows, weighted supermans, rockstar jumps, balance stick row, reverse plank, band curls, skater knee grabs, 1 leg squat & dumbbell pull, lunge & chop, scissor jacks, reverse crunches, supine lat pull over & sit ups, kettlebell swing, and up & back moguls.

Workout 7 Front Body: (36 min) Exercises include push-ups, side knee pull, walking planks, elevator planks, jack knife, plank hop ins, down dog push-ups, cable kickbacks, W press & quad extension, cable squat & shoulder hold, cable french press, 1 leg push-ups, boat hold, star jumps, chest press & leg drops, side plank hi drops, double under jump rope and pec fly leg drop.

Workout 8 Back Body:  (34min) Exercises include static squat & row, bridge & overhead pull-down, cable upright row, dead-lift & hammer curls, butt kick & bi curls, lunge dip combo with reverse bi curls, weighted jump rope, crescent pose & rear delt fly, balance stick hold, rock star jumps, static good mornings, side to cross over lunge, tubing bike, and suicide line touches. 

Cardio 2: (32 min) Exercises include jump rope, butt kicks, hi knees, side knee pulls, jacks, fast feet, skaters, mogul twists, plie hops, criss cross jacks, upper cuts, circle run, hooks, and burpees.

These are solid intermediate workouts, that you can easily amp up a bit by using heavier poundage than Jillian does . Workouts 5, 6 and cardio are less intense than 7 & 8 . Jillian wastes little time and gets right to work. Jillian offers modifications up & down for some exercises.  Workouts 5-8  include some cardio intervals to keep the heart rate up. These are athletic style workouts that easy to follow. I received these dvds to review. 

For More Information:

Visit the Gaiam website

Like Gaiam on Facebook

Follow Gaiam  on Twitter

Subscribe to the Gaiam YouTube channel

I received samples of these products to review. I was in no other way compensated for my honest reviews. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Please see my disclosures page for details. Do not copy, in whole, or in part any portion of any postings on my blog. Do not repost my content on any other site without my explicit consent. All of my postings belong solely to lindsey8.blogspot.com.

REVIEW: Jillian Michaels Body Revolution Phase 1 Workouts

Jillian Michaels Body Revolution PHASE 1 Workouts: Low-impact, results-focused moves to build core strength, stability, and endurance. Puts you on the fast track to weight loss with a metabolic makeover. Two front of the body focused workouts, two back of the body, and a lower impact cardio workout all at lower intermediate level to get you started. You will work on workouts 1 & 2 for the first two weeks of the program and then move into workouts 3 & 4 for the next 2 weeks, mixing in the cardio workout as you go. See below for detailed reviews of all the Phase 1 workouts.

Jillian Michaels Body Revolution Phase 1

Jillian Michaels, 2012

Jillian works out in a gym set with a group of toned background exercisers. Each dvd is in one folder as pictured above. You will need dumbbells and tubing for some of the exercises. Each workout is in Jillians favored circuit format with each exercise being performed for about 1 minute and then repeating the circuits. Each workout contains a built in warmup and cooldown. 

Workout 1 Front Body: (32 min) Exercises include unweighted squats, knee pushups, plank, pec fly, circle run, unweighted plies, standing abductions, speed bag, tri kickbacks, chair squats & front raise, overhead tri press, warrior hold, marching, standing quad extensions, bicycle, lat raise, and side step squats.

Workout 2 Back Body: (36 min) Exercises include bird dog, single leg bridge, superman, side knee pulls, static lunge & torso twist, rows, bicep drags, lo impact ham curls, dead & curl, donkey kicks, crunches, cable row, good mornings, weighted step knee up, hammer curl, and semi-squat & upper cut.

Workout 3 Front Body: (36 min) Exercises include pushups, unweighted dips, walk out planks, jump rope, down dog ankle grabs, plie & French press, camel toe touches, squat & military press, plank to crescent, tri dips, side crunches, plie hops, tree & side raise, elevator planks, V knee pulls, and moguls. 

Workout 4 Back Body: unweighted lunges, static squat & row, single leg deadlift & row, skaters, side lunge & bi curl, high & wide row, weighted knee hops, moguls, side lunge & bi curl, weighted surrenders, plank leg lifts, lying weighted side leg raises, hollow man, fast feet, upper back cable pulls, good mornings, penguin heel taps, and punch combos. 

Cardio 1: (26 min) Exercises include marching, jogging, fast feet, punches, scissors, speed bag, soccer drill & arm circles, and suicides. 

These are low intermediate workouts, 1 & 2 being less intense than the 3 & 4 . Jillian wastes little time and gets right to work. You can easily modify these up or down by adding weights or using no weights. Jillian offers modifications up & down for some exercises. The strength workouts also include some cardio exercises to keep the heart rate up. These are athletic style workouts that easy to follow. I received these dvds to review. 

For More Information:

Visit the Gaiam website

Like Gaiam on Facebook

Follow Gaiam  on Twitter

Subscribe to the Gaiam YouTube channel

I received samples of these products to review. I was in no other way compensated for my honest reviews. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Please see my disclosures page for details. Do not copy, in whole, or in part any portion of any postings on my blog. Do not repost my content on any other site without my explicit consent. All of my postings belong solely to lindsey8.blogspot.com.

Rave & Review: Jillian Michaels Body Revolution

Keep reading to get the low down on this FAB set from Gaiam and Jillian Michaels: Body Revolution!! Stay tuned for details reviews of each workout on my blog. Check them out by clicking on the "Jillian Michaels Body Revolution" tab on my blog header. 

Jillian Michaels Body Revolution a 90-day extreme weight loss system that will burn calories and build lean muscle mass. The system is designed in 3 phases, each phase more challenging than the last. Phase 1 starts out as low intermediate workouts and builds you up to Phase 2, solid to high intermediates and by the time you hit phase 3, you are ready for the advanced workouts. This is the perfect program for someone newer to exercise to get you progressing right into an advanced level. The set truly offers something for everyone.

Jillian utilizes her Metabolic Training methods to burn more fat than cardio or weight training alone. The set features her famous circuit training method and each dvd contains some cardio exercises to ensure maximum calorie burn.Each phase contains four strength focused workouts (2 front of the body & 2 back of the body) and one cardio workout. 

Each workout is about 30 minutes (ranging from 32-37 each) and the set comes with detailed literature that provides workout rotations, meal plans, recipe guides, shopping lists, online VIP membership, motivational tools and more. You will only need dumbbells and an optional resistance band for these workouts. Each phase comes conveniently packed in its own cardboard notebook.

Get ready to sweat off those pounds, build lean body mass, and surprise yourself at just how far you can come in only 90 days. Jillian is her normal motivating, straight forward self but comes out of her shell a bit and has a good time with the toned background exercisers. 

PHASE 1: Low-impact, results-focused moves to build core strength, stability, and endurance. Puts you on the fast track to weight loss with a metabolic makeover. Two front of the body focused workouts, two back of the body, and a lower impact cardio workout all at lower intermediate level to get you started.

PHASE 2: Greater resistance, dynamic movements, and more challenging exercises. You will continue to shed fat and shred your entire body.Two front of the body focused workouts, two back of the body, and a cardio workout all at a solid intermediate level to get you ready for phase 3.

PHASE 3: High-energy circuits to tone muscles and shed any remaining fat. Consists of the best-of-the-best exercises to attack trouble zones. Two front of the body focused workouts, two back of the body, and an intense cardio workout all at a high intermediate to advanced level to get you in the best shape possible.

What you will get:  90-DAY JOURNAL& BOOKMARK, 30-DAY ONLINE CLUB MEMBERSHIP, Exclusive VIP Membership to Jillian’s online club where you’ll benefit from motivation, coaching, and support from Jillian herself, 7-DAY KICKSTART DIET, FAT-BURNING MEAL PLAN, FITNESS GUIDE, and 15 dvds.

For More Information:

Visit the Gaiam website

Like Gaiam on Facebook

Follow Gaiam  on Twitter

Subscribe to the Gaiam YouTube channel

I received samples of these products to review. I was in no other way compensated for my honest reviews. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Please see my disclosures page for details. Do not copy, in whole, or in part any portion of any postings on my blog. Do not repost my content on any other site without my explicit consent. All of my postings belong solely to lindsey8.blogspot.com.

Jillian Michaels Killer Buns & Thighs

Killer Buns & Thighs
Jillian Michaels, 2011

This dvd has three 40ish minute workouts on it, levels one, two & three. All include standing & floor lower body work and cardio intervals. You will need dumbbells for all three workouts and a chair or step bench for level 3. There is a beginner & advanced modifier in each workout.

Typical Jillian style, each workout consists of rounds of 4-5 exercises performed twice. Exercises include: crab kikcs, pike to crab, Mt climbers, tuck jumps, lots of unweighted squat & lunge combos, plyo lunges, donkey kick variations, lying leg raise variations, kicks, deadlifts, runners lunge to warrior 3, front curties, pliet hops, bridge variations, kneeling pop-ups, standing leg extensions, moguls, & crab toe touches.

I rate all of these intermediate to high intermediate workouts that are easy to amp up or down by using weights or not. Jillian is pretty goofy in this one and comments quite a bit how she is irritated by the comments she gets about her workouts being too easy lol. They use pretty light dumbbells or none at all so to amp it up add heavy weights. Good w/o’s but not as challenging as I expected. I DID NOT receive this dvd to review. 

Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 DVD Review

Review: Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30
Jillian Michaels, 2011 ***** (5 of 5 stars)

This dvd offers four 31-35 min workouts on one dvd. The workouts are formatted to be used for 30 days- each week utilizing a different workout. Jillian leads in a cute brick "gym" with 2 backgrounders who show beginner & advanced modifications- Jillian performs intermediate and walks around providing form tips & motivation. You will need dumbbells for these workouts.

The workouts are all formatted circuit style and each circuit includes: 3 min strength, 2 min cardio, and 1 min cardio. The 3-2-1 format gives you everything (core, cardio, & strength) in 30ish minutes. Jillian doesnt repeat any exercises from week to week- so you really wont get bored & you'll continue to confuse your muscles & challenge your heart. Love that the cardio also often works the lower body and the strength work hits the core! Each section contains a w/u & a c/d. And she goes at a good pace to use poundage heavier than they use in the w/o.

Week One: (35 min) Exercises include pushups, squat w/ OH press, static lunge & tricep kickback, fast feet, skater, hi plank, cross country, deadlift & upright row, side lunge w/ a front raise, butt kicks, reverse crunch, KB swing, etc.

Week Two: (35 min) Exercises include pendulum lunges & serving biceps, static lunge & UR row, chest press & single leg bridge, Mt climbers, plank jacks, skipping rope, plank bunny hops, V extensions, pliet & French press, balance stick & row, plank rows, punches, hi knee runs, etc.

Week Three: (31 min)Exercises include bear crawl, duck walk, hopping twists, plank pike hops, balance stick & back fly, roll back -squat- hop up, plyo squat to floor touch & hop up, static fast run (UB moving), weighted toe taps, balancing tri extensions, pike pushups, plyo lunges, etc.

Week Four: (33 min) Exercises include plank to crescent pose, static squat & OH press, static squat & row, pliet hops, jack kicks, plank walks, around the world lunges/curtsies & bi curls, burpees, pliet hop heel click or cross, double jump rope, chatarunga pushups, roll up to double crunch, etc.

I am a fan of Jillian's work- so its no surprise that I loved this workout! Really a ton of workout minutes (134 minutes to be exact) for a GREAT price (only $9.99 at Collage Video). I love that any exerciser can pick up this dvd and a set of dumbbells and be set for months worth of workouts! Im certain if you did these workouts in conjunction with the meal plan provided on the dvd- you would have fantastic results!  Easy to combine workouts- just skip one w/u & 1 c/d for 60 minute sweat fest! I received this dvd to review.

Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown Review

Yoga Meltdown
Jillian Michaels, 2009

Jillian works out in her newest set -dark wood w/ light blue accents (very nice) with 2 backgrounders. One shows beginner mods & one shows more advanced modifications. The dvd has a level one workout (35 min) and more advanced level two workout (30 min), you can select which w/o you want from the chapter menu- no play all. You wont need any equipment for this workout. I would consider these yoga toning workouts.

This is a very active toning style yoga dvd. The workouts are set up circuit style (like all her newer stuff). Jillian emphasizes that she includes enough movement to get your heartrate up and burn calories and enough strength work to really tone your muscles. I agree on both accounts. She adds pulses/ reps to each yoga pose so you can really feel it in your muscles- then to really burn it out she has you hold the pose for 15 seconds

Level One: Moves include: mountain, chair w/ extension, chataranga, cobra, down dog w/ leg extensions & knee pulls, pulsing crescent pose (basically static lunges), moving warrior variations, plank to side plank, dolphin, lower back work, and concludes with a cooldown. Intermediate.

Level Two: Moves include: pulsing trainangle, revolving triangle, 1/2 moon w/ balance challenge, chair, leg extension toe lock, deep cresent pose w/ a twist, goddess, crow, boat w/ leg extensions, double leg drop, reverse pushups, and finished with a cooldown. Higher Intermediate.

I ABSOLUTELY loved this workout! It is by far my favorite yoga dvd to date! I love that I really felt the work, enjoyed the flow & the moves, and the time went by super fast. Very unique & challenging. I would rate this a solid to high intermediate but absolutely suitable for  all fitness levels. I cant say enough positive things about this workout- If you are Jillian fan- you'll love it. You will see the classic Jillian "tough guy" persona here (of course!). The w/o's are perfect as standalone w/o's, combined for a 65 minute blast, or to add on to your other strength workouts. I received this dvd from Exercise TV to review.

Jillian Michaels Shred It with Weights Review

Shred It with Weights
Jillian Michaels, 2009

This dvd has two 30 minute kettlebell workouts. Jillian works out w/ 2 b/g exercisers, one shows more advanced mod's & one shows beginner mods. I really like the dark wood w/ blue glass panes in the background. You will need a kettlebell or a dumbbell for this workout. The dvd is not programmable. The w/o's are structured in intervals, so she does a round of exercises and then repeats it.

Level 1: After a quick warmup you move right into the body of the workout. There are tons of nice combo moves that really get your heart pumping w/out impact. Moves include: kettlebell swing, bridge & 1 legged bridge w/ chest press, dead lift- row, squat -tapping KB to ground, squat w/ swing & pass from hand to hand, squat- rack & press, lat rows in static lunge, windmill, turning plyo squats holding KB, Turkish getups, snatches and concludes w/ a quick stretch.

Level 2: You start w/ a quick warmup and then move right into the work that includes: from a lying position you stand up while holding your weight, split jerks (tiny plyo lunges w/ overhead press), halo w/ balance knee, star jumps, squats w/ flying jacks, plank rows w/ a twist, swing throughs, plyo swings, deep squats w/ an OH press, rotating heros, pushups on the bell, punch swings, and Russian swings.

I rate level one high intermediate and level two advanced. I really enjoyed both workouts and found them both challenging & fun. Others have commented on her form but I didnt notice anything wrong with it & her cuing is good. The w/o was unique and tough & I really enjoyed trying something new. I will definitely be getting a ton of use out of this. It really got my heartrate up w/out doing any straight cardio. This dvd is very versatile- you can use heavy weights & get in your strength & cardio work or use moderate weight & use it as a cardio w/o. I received this dvd from Exercise TV for review.

Jillian Michaels: The Biggest Winner- Cardio Kickboxing Review

The Biggest Winner- Cardio Kickboxing
Jillian Michaels, 2005

This is a 20+ minute cardio kickboxing workout led by Jillian w/ 6 background exercisers (3 male, 3 female) in a nice gym looking room. The set looks very similar to George Foremans set in his walking w/o's. You wont need any props for this workout.

After a nice active warmup you move into a basic kickboxing workout-nothing fancy, pretty straightforward and athletic but not boring or too repetitive IMO. She does most moves in sets of 10, then moves onto the next move. You will see speedbag, shuffle, side kicks, roundhouse, front & back kicks, jabs, upper cuts, cross, jumping jacks, fast feet, and other "athletic" kick/boxing type cardio moves.

Jillian is a bit giggly in this one, like shes trying to tone down her "tough guy" persona-but it doesnt really work on her. Its not that bad, but it just isnt "her" IMO. She does still try to act tough w/ the background exercisers on occasion.

I bought this dvd after having done her newer workouts (30 DS, BFBM, NMTZ) and was a bit disappointed-while its a good workout-the intensity was nowhere near the same as her newer workouts. Having said that-its a good little basic kickboxing workout. I would rate this workout a lower intermediate workout. Its perfect to tack onto a tough cardio workout or to use on a light day. I wore weighted gloves and still wasnt real challenged by it.

Jillian Michales No More Trouble Zones Review

No More Trouble Zones

Jillian Michaels, 2008

This is a 50 minute strength circuit workout led by Jillian w/ 2 background exercisers. No one really shows any modifications but on occasion someone will show a modification example. You will only need dumbbells for this workout. Jillian uses 3#ers but seriously folks, this isnt Squeeze-I think most non-beginners can easily pull off heavier weights. There are plenty of reps but its not what I would consider a hi rep low weight w/o. No I am not using my heaviest poundage for the whole workout but Im not using 3's either.

Jillian goes through 6 or 7 circuits depending on how you look at it (warmup, stretch, and one kindof partial circuit at the end). The warmup is nice-mostly cardio (jogging, jump rope) and some dynamic stretching. Each circuit has a few moves and then you repeat the circuit. Jillian does a good job of hitting all the muscles in this one! I really feel that everything was thoroughly worked after doing this.

Most of the circuits are done standing but the last 2.5 are done on the floor and include: plank twists, plank taps, push ups, effective lying ab work variations, donkey kicks, lying inner and outer thigh raises, bridge, supermans, plank rows, and side planks. I love (to hate) all this plank work-you can really feel it working your entire core, chest, shoulders, tri's, and more!

The standing work includes moves like: lunge w/ a bicp curl, squat with an overhead press, static sqat w/ a concentrated bicep curl, pliet w/ an overhead tricep extension, static squat w/ tricep kickback, deadlift w/ hammercurl, surrenders while holding your dumbbells over your head (yikes), sidelunge w/ a hammer curl, etc. I liked all the variety and she does lots of multimuscle moves that got my heart rate up decently.

I would rate this a solid intermediate workout, if you use heavier weights you can easily get a more challenging workout, I did! Jillians got her typical "tough guy" attitude in this, but shes not over the top. If you are not a fan of hers, you probably wont enjoy the workout. But she is fine w/ me, the workout is solid and unique. I like it better than 30 Day Shred, but not as much as BFBM.

Jillian Michaels Banish Fat Boost Metabolism Review

Banish Fat Boost Metabolism
Jillian Michaels, 2008

This is a 55 min cardio circuit workout led by Jillian with two background exercisers. No-one reawlly shows beginner or any modifications but Jillian mentions things for some moves that you can do to take it down a notch. You wont need any props for this workout and it does include some core work.

She does everything in 'circuit' style-there are 7 circuits she does each circuit twice. The 5 min warmup includes a bit of cardio and some nice dynamic stretching that I enjoyed. I found this w/o a lot less challenging (still tough though) than I had the other times Ive done it-not sure what to make of that. But progress is good!

There are 3 circuits that are pretty easy-but easy to modify up if you choose to. For the kickboxing circuits you can easily add lower body movements to the punches, and punches to the kicking moves. The rest of the circuits are tough! She has some 180 jumps, squat thrusts, scissor jumps, plyo lunges, moguls, and other tough plyometric type moves that will seriously get you sweating!

There is one core circuit (on the floor) which I also really liked. She does some walking planks, plank twists, supermans, mountian climbers, and pikes.

All in all I really enjoy this w/o-Jillian is Jillian and if you dont like her personality you probably wont enjoy this w/o. She is fine w/ me, her "tough guy" attitude doesnt really bother me. She produces some good w/o's and thats good enough for me in her case. I would rate this a high intermediate overall. Like I said there are some pretty low key circuits, but there are also a lot of advanced moves in it as well.