Workingout With Jillian

These days you can't go into the fitness section of a store without seeing the epic trainer, Jillian Michaels staring back at you. Jillian is so big from being a staring trainer on the Biggest Loser that she has her own brand of diet pills, a treadmill designed with her training in it and of course her killer training DVD's. Jillian's three most popular workouts are 30 Day Shred (DVD), Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism, and my favorite No More Trouble Zones.

Jillian's workouts are no pushover by any means. Most of her workouts are comprised of circuits, this way she can torture train you to get more of a workout without resting. In the 30 Day Shred Jillian has 3 different 20 minute training sessions. Each training session is to be done in sequence as you grow stronger and progress. The circuits are made up of cardio, strength and core workouts. My only problem with this DVD was that I like to workout for 40 minutes, so I put workout 1 and 2 together to make a 40 minute routine. Workout 3 is best to either put with workout 1 or just by it's self because of its intensity. They are great for someone who is only starting out at 20 minutes a day, although doing the same workout for a week at a time as Jillian suggests can get quite boring and your muscles will eventually get use to the workout.

Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism is a pure cardio workout. It's a full 40 minute video made up of seven six minute circuits. Jullian works you through kick boxing, calisthenics, core and other intense aerobics. She jumps from one exercise to the other with very little play room for you to catch your breath, which is a good thing. Jillian also uses lots of jumping in this workout to jack you heart rate up. and burn that fat.

My favorite workout is No More Trouble Zones simply because I love getting more bang for my buck and this DVD definitely does that! Again Jillian uses her famous circuits to create a 40 minute session. This time though instead of just cardio she pulls out the weights too. So instead of just doing squats your doing squats while doing shoulder presses or doing lounges with arm raises. As she states in the workout, "just working your arm burns no calories or fat," so by adding some cardio to it your doing twice the work. I love this workout the best because it works your entire body from your arms, abs, butt down to your legs. You will definitely be sweating after this workout!

As a trainer in whole I was hesitant to try her workouts. I was worried that she was just so big and everyone was boasting about her because she's on the Biggest Loser not because of her training skills. But that isn't the case she's so popular because she's a great trainer. I love it when I get pushed and challenged in a workout, to know I earned that sweat dripping off my body and that feeling of being exhausted when done. Jillian goes in depth to describe the moves you should do and explains how they benefit your body, so your learning while she's kicking your butt! The one thing I don't like about the videos is Jillian doesn't do the whole thing with you. Now this could be because she needs to talk through the whole workout or it's just easier for her to teach demonstrating on one of her workoutees, but I still would have liked her to do the whole thing with me instead of saying how hard her workouts are and not having the wanting to do them herself with you. None the less this is no reason if your up for the challenge to try Jillian Michaels!

My favourite Kickboxing workout!

I've done quite a few kickboxing workouts by far and my favorite is 10 Minute Solution: Kickbox Bootcamp. Taught by Keli Roberts, a renown Aussie trainer. This workout is broken up into 5 10 minute segments that can be done as single workouts, mixed and matched or put together for a killer workout 50 minute workout. The first segment introduces you to the punches and kicks you will be using through out Keli's training, the second is focused on working your legs and butt. Third works your arms as well as back forth is a killer all round cardio boot camp workout and last works your core.

In Basic Training Keli is fabulous at how she instructs and explains each movement that you will be using. Jabs, cross punches, front back and side kicks warm you up for the tougher segments if you so chose to proceed. This is perfect for beginners to learn the moves of kickboxing. Ultimate Buns and Thighs is where you'll definitely use those legs to kick and lounge through some calories. Keli incorporates weights to add some challenge and to take it up a notch. She also gives you some more advanced options if you chose to take them like adding a hop in between some kicks. In Arm and Shoulder Sculptor Keli trains you with some weighted reps and lounges to get more bang for your buck. She then uses the weights to train with the punches you learned earlier in the video. Once done slow with the weights she pushes you to really throw those punches without them at a high speed. Fat-Burning Blast is a cardio circuit training which includes jumps, planks, plank jacks, push ups and a fast paced agility portion which will have you sweating. Last is Washboard Abs where Keli uses side planks, regular planks and different verities of crunches to work your core and really appreciating that stretch at the end.

I always do all the whole dvd to give me my daily workout. Keli's cute personality and her teaching style makes me come back to this video again and again. This dvd is offered to my as a Netflix live stream and is permanently stuck in my queue. While waiting for each segment to start up I will jog in place or jump rope to keep my heart rate up. I would at least do two segments so you get 20 minutes in, ten isn't enough to burn any calories. If you are new to kickboxing and want to try it out Kel is a great choice.

As you may know Erin has an arm disability, but let me tell you this does not stop this girl from getting her workouts done!  In fact, she wanted to share with you how she alters her kickboxing workout in order to fit her needs, much like I have do with pushups and weights due to my wrist injury from when i put my arm thru a window pane.  So you know what Erin did for all of you!?!  She video taped her workout just so you can see that just if you have a physical set back doesn't mean you can't manage to find a way to follow along!  

 ~Erin "Fitness Mama"