Jillian Michaels Hard Body

This is the perfect next step if you've been a Jillian workout fan for awhile. I have used, loved and rotated a variety of her DVD's for a long time now: 30 Day Shred, Ripped in 30, Yoga Meltdown, Six Week Six Pack, Killer Buns & Thighs and Banish Fat Boost Metabolism. I spent a couple of weeks recently focusing solely on Banish Fat Boost Metabolism. Because that particular workout is more like 45+ mins. compared to the others where it is closer to 30+ mins., it was a stretch for me not only physically, but mentally as well. However, it really improved my endurance so that when I went back to the shorter workouts, I'd finish and jokingly tell Jillian on the screen "Is that all you got?". Ha ha...not that I'd ever say that to her face! ;) So anyway, I was looking for something new to add to the rotation and was super stoked to see this new one in the mix. I love that it's about 45 mins. long. and that it uses weights (unlike Banish Fat Boost Metabolism). It's intense and definitely a physical challenge, but it's just right. There are some moves that I really love and some that are gonna take more practice for me to even like! ;) Jillian is, as always, good about offering a modifier to follow and all the girls on this DVD are helpful to watch. I agree with some other comments that the DJ is kind of silly and distracting, but most of the time, I am too focused on not passing out to worry about him much. Ha! I love the different moves that build on what I've already learned from her other DVD's but still challenge me to move in "new" ways. There is great variety and you definitely don't get bored! I do wish the cool down was a bit longer. She leaves out two stretches (triceps and quads) that she normally does. I just added those on my own. No big deal. My recommendation is to preview the whole workout before actually attempting it. And I always approach my first attempt at it at about 50% effort, just to be sure I am using good form. Today was my first full-on run through and I really loved it! I can FEEL that it moved muscles in new ways. This is a great workout and I am so glad that I bought it and very thankful to Jillian for bringing it out. It's the perfect next step for me. I wish I could tell her in person how very thankful I am for her influence in my journey. I have lost 50 lbs. and counting! I feel strong and capable thanks to using her DVD's faithfully. Long story short: This a a great workout! Buy it! =)

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 so. Although I have a bulge that I've had since I was fifteen years old that I'm attacking. Plus, I watch what I eat. So... I decided that I'll need to add another work out with Extreme Shred and Shed just to change it up in my 5 day workout week. I purchased this DVD, Hard Body. I almost became swayed by reviews about the cheesy DJ and production quality. However, now I'm like, HUH????? What are they talking about???? I LOVE this work out. Why? 1. You do the first 6 circuits back to back and then start from the beginning. I prefer this format. 2. I like that the girls in the background are really working hard to get through this workout too! :-) 3. I like the variety of exercises and the mix of cardio and strength. 4. And I LOVE how good I feel afterwards. There are no ticks here or there. No owies :-) Jillian always stresses form first. You don't have to keep up with her but you she does stresses that you keep moving. Also, since I workout with her Monday-Friday, I've adopted a new slogan for my life. I'm starting to "get comfortable with being uncomfortable." So far I lost 10 pounds. I have about 15 more to go--I think. Could be less. It's hard to mark pounds when you do Jillian's workouts because the strength training builds much needed muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat. So although I see my body getting leaner, the hand on the scale ticks downward at a slower pace. Oh. And I usually eat 1 hour before I workout because if I don't have energy in my body, then I'm zonking out halfway through. And so I ate an hour ago and now it's time for my workout!

It's sort of a mashup, style/lengthwise, of NMTZ, BFBM, and 6W6P. The moves are either completely new, or have been altered and/or combined together in unique (and sometimes painful) ways. I've only done level one, which ran 45 minutes. I was sweaty and purple upon finishing, and may have been even more so had I not had to stop to figure out what the hell they were doing (some combos were marginally tricky, but not so much that I couldn't figure it out). I also had to move some stuff out the way, as I needed a bit more room than in other Jillian workouts (my house is tiny). And of course, she was Jillian throughout, though not as abrasive as she's been in the past. If you like her style, this won't disappoint in that area. She repeats one long set twice, and each set is comprised of about 6 or 7 circuits containing 3-4 moves. Does this make sense? And the moves consist of an interesting blend of strength, cardio, abs, and otherworldly combos of the three put together. Among these are weighted burpees, surrenders with camel twists, and those weighted push-up/rows combined with mountain climbers. She recommends a combo of 3, 5, and 8 pound weights. To be honest, there were moments where I wished I had 3 lbers on hand. Mostly, though, 5lb did the trick, and I did a few moves with 8 (these moments were fleeting, however). Now, I liked the workout a whole bunch. But the production threw me off. For instance: there's a DJ. Why? WHY? Plus, the camera doesn't always focus on where I want it focused, primarily b/c there's more going on in the studio (sort of like Insanity, etc.). The set is different, and there are about five women doing these moves (some advanced, some intermediate, and at least one doing beginner modifications). Also, you won't be spending as much time on any one move, as the pacing is pretty quick. These last two points, though, are good things (overall). Like another reviewer mentioned, this is NOT here 3-2-1 system, but I think it's just as effective (and actually, you'll get more cardio in along with some pretty super weight training). I'm simultaneously looking forward to/dreading L2 of this DVD.

About me: I LOVE at-home workouts. I own a LOT. I guess I would have to say that I am at the high intermediate to advanced level. Even though I have a lot of DVDs, I generally have always avoided Jillian Michaels because, well, I don't need to be yelled at in order to work out. I enjoy working out and even when I don't, I make myself do it AND make myself enjoy it because it's great for me and makes me feel good (and LOOK good, of course!). I brush my teeth, I wear makeup, I work out. It's just a personal responsibility for me. I don't need a drill sergeant to keep me in line. I keep myself in line. That being said...I finally realized that I never try her and broke down just for the variety of trying a new instructor. I must say, I'm glad I did! I really enjoy this workout! It's not crazy, drag-out tough, but it's challenging, effective, and, at 45 minutes, just right time-wise. I'm not sure if all of her DVDs are like this, but I really enjoyed Jillian leading this workout. Instead of being yelled at and insulted, which is what I expected, I found her funny and energetic. She IS tough with a loud voice and a big personality, but I found it more of a refreshing, gruff teasing method than an army officer barking at me. She made me laugh with her interactions with the 4 other women in the DVD and also was encouraging and positive. Cool! As expected from a fitness superstar like her, the DVD's production is top notch. The lighting, the fab workout clothing on her and her 4 backup workout gals, the set, all very nice. The music was great, I really enjoyed working out to it. And speaking of, yes, there are some unnecessary shots of the DJ. (He's cute though! :-) ) However, the shots are pretty brief, and the only times I noticed was when he was shown in between exercises. During the exercises, I was too busy sweating/balancing/staring at the ceiling b/c I was on my back, often not even looking at the TV. It didn't really bother me, and hey, he did a great job! Love the beats! There are 2 45-minute workouts on the DVD, a Level 1 workout and a supposedly more advanced Level 2 one. As of the date of this review, I've only done the Level 1. I will be doing this one for a couple months and then, when I do Level 2, I'll update my review. Level 1 is nice! One thing that I like about "Hard Body" that is different from most of my other DVDs is a lack of rigid, 8-count, choreographed reps. I like that sort of structure, obviously. But it was nice to just jump into moves and just start doing it, no counting, just going at your own pace until she tells you to stop. As far as the exercises themselves, they were a blend of strength moves interspersed with cardio moves. The workout definitely had my heart rate up the whole time. In fact, with exception of upper body, I felt like I get more of a cardio benefit with a little bit of toning. I felt this in my lower body a good bit, my abs a little bit but my upper body was really feeling it, with mostly 5 lb. and sometimes 3 lb. weights. My upper body was the only part of my body that I felt was thoroughly fatigued by the end of this workout. I actually work my lower body and abs a tiny bit more afterwards and THEN I feel like I've thorougly worked everything. The moves are fun and effective, and are generally done at a good pace. The girls try to stay synchronized in their moves while Jillian often walks around giving pointers on form and beginner/advanced variations. However, I found it better to adjust the speed of a move based upon my personal preference. While some moves I found really well-paced and a challenge for me to keep up with, other moves I felt were too slow for me personally. I found that speeding up some moves made them much more intense. Some of my favorite moves are Suicides (you know, that warmup that basketball players often do when they run to one side of the court, touch the ground and then run to the other side), weighted burpees, the pivot-lunge-punch with weight, the squat and pivot up with arms out and parallel to the ground (with weights). The hardest move, for me, is that dreaded walking push-up with a hop up and hop side to side and then back down again. Whew! I still cannot do every rep! Still working on that! KILLS my upper body, and even my legs feel that hopping! So all in all, I really enjoy this workout! I'm very glad I gave JM a try, and I will definitely keep her in mind when getting new workout DVDs in the future! UPDATE 03/19/14: So I finally tired of the Level 1 workout and moved on to Level 2...and wow! It's definitely harder! And it's not like just a step up harder, it's more like 5 times harder!! Wow! Whereas with Level 1, I had fun but needed more at the end, with Level 2 I am crawling for the finish line, yelling, "Finally!" This workout worked me all over, and fried my lower body in particular, which I loved. I mean, my butt and thighs were burnt out. I also got a good upper body workout with this. The only part of my body that felt a little lightly worked were my abs, so I still add a few minutes of ab work after this workout. But this workout is solid. Most of these moves are so much more difficult to execute than they appear to be when you're sitting on your couch previewing it! :-) Some of my favorite moves include: the plyo squat with the front arm row with weights (Jillian reeeally lets you hang out here in this move the 2nd time you do it...I was cursing at her to let me stop!); the wall-to-wall plyo squat with one weight where you start squatted down facing one wall, then leap into a squat facing the other wall and then back (whew...the burn!); the "pass-the-weight" move where you're on your stomach and pass a weight from in front of you, behind your back...WHILE keeping your arms and legs raised up in a Superman pose...shockingly tough!; the two goddess squat exercises; the kettlebell swing while jumping into a deep squat forward and back; and my personal favorite, the plyo lunge while lifting your weight-holding arms out into a fly, palms down (I encounter a lot of plyo lunges in my workouts...it's a great, effective move but I thought I'd bounce right through this one...could not BELIEVE how much tougher this was than it looked!). Some moves I modified because they were either too tough (I just can't do more than one of that outside knee to outside elbow/"grasshopper" pushup...I try, but I usually do one cycle and then just hold a plank while I move my knees and legs...SO impossible!) or because they're unneccesarily complicated (the one-armed mountain climber just requires too much mental concentration to adhere to, and I'm a coordinated person!...I just do a regular, two-armed mountain climber...STILL tough because by the time I get to this point, I'm already sweating and panting). Solid, challenging workout!

As someone who considers herself a bit of a Jillian junkie, I know she's a little nuts, and that is exactly why I love her. I've been through no less than a dozen of Jillian's other work out videos and I do one of her routines 5-6 times per week, so I'm very used to the Jillian way. I saw a good price on this one and thought I might as well give it a shot, mix things up (even though the cover pic is a little creepy to me - like, why you look at me like that Jillian?) Here were my immediate thoughts after completing level one for the first time: "HOLY ****, JILLIAN! WTH WAS THAT?" This is like all of her typical combo move circuits ON CRACK. I walked around cursing her name for no less than an hour afterwards. Which of course means that I loved it and can't wait to do it again, because us Jillian diehards are also a little nuts. I'm scared of level 2. Can't even bring myself to preview it yet. Gotta master level one first. The DJ in this was awesome, really cranked it up when you got to the second round (this is 6 circuits, but instead of doing each circuit twice and then moving on, like in most of her other videos, in this one you go through each circuit once and then back through them all again - like she does in six week six pack - like two long circuits). The helpers she has in the video are fun to watch and I enjoyed her interactions with them. If you are a Jillian beginner - THIS IS NOT FOR YOU. It moves very fast, the moves are sometimes several steps long, and if you are not familiar with Jillian's moves and style, by the time you figure out what a bridge-press-fly-banger is, the interval is over and she's moved on. this workout will just be frustrating for you. Go to youtube, check out some of her workout videos on there first, and come back to this one when you are used to Jillian. This one was exciting and sort of exercised my brain as much as my body. I was actually pretty excited to see these wild things I could do, that I wouldn't have guess I was able to. Somehow, Jillian yelling at me always convinces me that I am wonder woman.

Let me say that I love most of Jillian's previous DVD's. I was so excited when I finally received "Hard Body". I am sorry to say that it should be renamed "Sore Body". And not sore in a "good way". I tried out Workout 1. Jillian rushes through the moves. There is little instruction as Jillian just seems to laugh through the whole thing. The DJ is annoying and pretty useless because I really couldn't tell the difference in his music throughout the DVD. It was just one long track. And to top it off, this DVD has to have the shortest cool down stretch in the history of any exercise DVD made. I work-out regularly and can say that I am at an advanced level. And even though I added some stretches at the end, the overall quality of the exercises, the awful instruction, the lack-of flow in general and emphasis on stretching gave me a really sore arm and shoulder for the next three days. I have not had a fitness-related injury in the past and I strongly believe that this DVD caused my pain. The only exercise I got during these three days was tossing this DVD in the trash. I didn't even bother with Workout 2. If you like interval training like I do, I would highly suggest "Paul Katami Bootcamp 4X4X2" and "Mike Donavanik's Extreme Burn" DVDs. I would NOT recommend this DVD to anyone.

First, my background/fitness level so the reader may be able to judge my review based upon where they are at. I've been at it for almost a year after a rather sedentary lifestyle due to a health issue. Health issue is still there but I've made some huge breakthroughs. So I was overweight and way out of shape. Now I'm obsessed, a fanatic - workout 6-9 hours per week. I do kettlebell workouts 3-4 times per week, JM ~2-3 times per week and I'm on the stationary bike about 3-4 hours per week. But I would describe myself as an advanced beginner trying to bust through to intermediate with about 10 more pounds to lose. I am a fan of JM's workouts. 30 Day Shred and No More Trouble Zones were probably my favs up to now. I love JM because she's got this down. Her rhythm, timing, exercise transitions and strategically timed motivational shout outs are always great. The production value is always excellent IMO (compared to other workouts/trainers I have or have tried.) The workouts are well designed - they bust my rear anyway. This workout continues with the same standards. I sit here after my first workout with JM's HB (that didn't sound right) and my butt is kicked. I'm soaked. To be honest, some of the compound moves are tricky for me and I was at least one rep behind in every set but part of that was because I had to watch and learn for a rep. For the first time in a very long time, I had to sit out a set (the plank rows with mountain climbers in the second circuit.) But, I look forward to getting all the moves down and being strong enough to kick workout 1 & workout 2's arse. And I'll get there. So in summary, this is probably my new JM favorite. I project that intermediate to advanced users may have plenty to work with here. Brand new beginners? Eh. Not sure. This was maybe, maybe too hard for me a year ago. Try 30 Day Shred first? Or not, dive in as JM routinely gives modified movements some of which I used today. Anyway, this almost middle aged guy that really needs to stay motivated and enjoy working out appreciates Jillian's work and I think Hard Body is, for sure, an excellent chapter in an overall quality body of work.

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 form when you can't focus on the women working out or even see them part of the time. And the women she has working out with her aren't always in sync like her back ups in other videos. It just seemed like it was slapped together and not real high on the quality. Again, as a WORKOUT it was pretty good. A little quick through a lot of the moves, but not bad. Hopefully the second workout on the DVD is a little better. One reviewer mentioned it was kind of a long circuit repeated twice rather than the more structured, focused circuits of 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30 and I have to agree. I loved the 3-2-1 system best of all her workouts. But this longer circuit through twice isn't horrible. It's that way in her 6 Week 6 Pack - do all the moves, repeat once, you're done. I just really have mixed feelings about this one though. I loved some of the new twists she put on old moves. I will say that. But wish she had stuck to the production quality of previous videos and didn't go through all of the moves and modifications so quickly.

Great DVD/.I have most of Jm's DVDs and fortunate to have a multi region player so that I could import this one from the USA. Ive only done level 1 so far as I want to master that one before moving on. Im quite an experienced work out junkie and this hits the spot. Quite tough on the arms..Im quite weak when it comes to press ups so I tend to do some extra leg and abs workouts in between this one. I should try level 2 I guess as thats where they might be hiding. All in all love it and Love JM x

Wahnsinns- Workouts, die wirklich mega effektiv sind. Wenn man sie wirklich kontinuierlich durchzieht, kann man schöne Ergebnisse erzielen. Anfangs zwar WIRKLICH anstrengend, aber man kann ja das Mitmach- Volumen nach und nach steigern. Dazu kommt, dass fast der ganze Körper, aber vor allem die Problemzonen bearbeitet werden.

To all you Jillian Michaels lovers out there, hurry up and add this DVD to your collection! I'm still on level 1 (going into week 2) and seeing great results. It's a little different than her other DVD's (live DJ during the workouts, 6 circuits instead of 3). I've lost 30 lbs doing Jillian's other DVD's (Ripped in 30, 30 Day Shred, Killer Buns and Thighs, Kickbox FastFix, Xtreme Shed & Shred...) and wanted to lose an additional 10-15 lbs...this is it for me! I'm loving it! To you newbies, if you're thinking of trying out workout DVD's, shopping around with all the different trainers and types of DVD's can get scary and confusing. PLEASE take my word, get Jillian's workout DVD's. I promise you, you will lose the weight (as long as you stick to it and do what she says). It's simple, there's a reason you see her face on almost every cover of health magazines...the woman knows what she's doing!!! Combined with her new book Slim for Life, you'll be all set!!! Trust me on this :o) PS. Did you hear Jillian's coming to Canada in April and May!!! Can't wait to see her in TO!

It doesn't work. And the worst part is that it is not returnable.

Lamentablemente no me sirve, me mandan los discos con región 1, aquí en México debería comercializar la región 4, no lo puedo reproducir