Jillian Michaels: Shred It With Weights [DVD]

This was a very well researched purchase after looking into a billion other exercise dvds. To start I am an inactive 30 plus year old who has had a year of illness including operations and skin grafts which has resulted in me now being classed as obese and very uni fit. Climbing the stairs was an issue a month ago. Due to the embarrassment of that and the fact I'm a mum who works with no time or funds to enter a gym an exercise dvd was my only option along with walking lots. Some reviews i agree with and the main one being she is very irritating which is true but the first few weeks I hardly heard a word she was saying trying to catch my breath again. Besides some of the bad reviews I still bought this due to the fact you get results and quick and kettlebell (after lots of research) seems to be the one exercise that works everywhere you need. So to start with I had no fitness levels and started at level 1 (after I bought a cheaper sourced kettle bell from the order and collect shop beginning with A). The first attempt was a success. I actually enjoyed it and the exercise gave you loads of chances to catch your breath. I used a very modest 4kg kettlebell which is probably enough for your first time. You have 3 different people but gillian wonders around so the two girls at the back are the ones that you should keep your eye on and just ignore gillian, one girl is easy and one hard (you can use a normal weight and I did at first which is just as good as a kettlebell). Start easy and move to the next girl. Once you have cracked that move to level 2. The results are on going, I didn't loose the claimed 5lb but 3 lb the first week doing it every other day then the next I went down to 2 lb and now 4 weeks on I'm on a steady 1/2lb a week loss with calorie controlled diet in place as well. Even though I don't loose the full 5lb a week and only a pound or two my body shape is changing and toning really quickly. I'm guessing my little weekly weight loss is due to muscle now forming where I had lost it so someone more fitter may have a bigger result than me. this is a really really good motivational dvd which isn't too hard and not easy either. Probably the best starter dvd I have tried so far. I have used davina dvds and some of the celeb ones but never got into them as much as I have this one. I don't dread turning it on and giving it my all. If you have no fitness at all this is probably one of the best starter dvds arpund or that I have found.

I absolutely love Jillian Michaels, and I absolutely love my kettlebells. Before this DVD I had only used kettlebell workouts from fitness magazines, but they had served me very well and I had gotten to know my kettlebells quite well. I had avoided buying this DVD because I thought it was just weights and I wanted a strength/cardio combo like most of Jillian's DVDs. I hadn't noticed the kettlebell in her hand on the DVD's cover. And as soon as I did, I bought it immediately. I don't consider myself advanced with kettlebells, but, as I said, I knew my way around them and had a set of 4 (2-8kg) already, so I was well-equipped for the DVD. So I considered myself intermediate. Even so, I paid attention to everything she said about the different ways of holding the kettlebell, form and control, and I can say that it's a really good place to start if you're new to kettlebells. She explains and demonstrates everything perfectly and confirmed that what I'd been doing in the magazines was correct. There are two back-up exercisers, two lovely ladies you'll recognise from Yoga Meltdown if you've used that DVD. The advanced exerciser uses a kettlebell like Jillian and does advanced versions of the movements, while the other woman uses a dumbbell and performs beginner modifications of each movement. By holding the dumbbell length-ways you create similar length to a kettlebell but at a lower weight, which makes this DVD usable even if you don't have kettlebells. A single heavy dumbbell - about 4kg - would do brilliantly. But kettlebells ARE different to dumbbells. Their shape and weight distribution is quite different to a dumbbell even if it's held length-ways, and, as a result, by using a dumbbell you're not going to get as much out of the workout, but that's not to say that it will be ineffective. You will still get a lot out of it, just not as much as you could. As Jillian states in the DVD, kettlebells are amazing because they combine strength AND cardio in every single movement, so you can burn more calories and melt more fat at the same time. The back of the DVD says that each section is approximately 25 minutes - that is the case when adding warm-up and cool-down, but the main workout itself is more like 20 minutes (unless I've gotten confused and it says 30 minutes, in which case it's more like 25). There are two different kettlebell workouts on this DVD, but there is a drastic difference between the two. As I said a couple of times already, I knew my way around kettlebells and a number of moves already when I bought this DVD. And so I found the first level adequate. It was still a challenge, and for those moves that weren't quite challenging enough I finally braved a heavier kettlebell and it made it suitably more difficult. But at the same time I was confident that, had this been my first taste of kettlebells, I'd have been using my 2kg and 4kg and it would have been just perfect to introduce me to the kit, form and workout in general. As it was, however, I was using my 6kg and 8kg for the most part, and 4kg for just one move. But then there was the second level, and it knocked me right down to 4kg and 6kg and I've got no hope of moving beyond that for a while. It was intense and the difference in difficulty between the two levels was surprising. But I loved it even if it hurt. Exercise is not supposed to be so easy you can breeze through it, you're supposed to struggle. If you're not struggling then you're not challenging your body, and if you're not challenging your body then it's not being forced to change, be that shedding fat or building muscle. In short, this DVD is one of my favourites, and it's a suitable introduction if you're new to kettlebells, as well as being suitable to those who already know their way around it. As with any strength workout, if it starts getting too easy, increase the weight and you can raise the intensity. In the DVD Jillian is using her own kettlebells and they have a wonderful design by being able to add plates to adjust the weight, making them really good for space-saving. However, for the vast majority of kettlebells out there, they're set weights like dumbbells, and if you want more weight, you need a new kettlebell.

Bought this as have enjoyed doing kettlebells classes (however an hour was a killer and pushed me past enjoyment and into pain) and wanted to get in shape for horse riding for next season. I am one week in and have lost 3 inches from my waist and am feeling fitter, stronger and motivated. The levels are a good way to get you into it, and it's good that in level 1 you can advance the moves to just stretch yourself a bit further and it wasn't easy, but is in good sections to still make you work. Even my other half has had a go and said he enjoyed doing it, which I never though I'd hear. I usually go for Davina, and really enjoy her workouts, but think I am leaning towards Jillian Michaels now after doing this!! Didn't find her annoying or irritating, as that was my main concern. The weights cardio aspect is what really does it and get you trim. I would say I'm around a moderately active level and the first time I did it I found it hard!!! But after a week level 1 is more manageable and I'm advancing some of the moves and considering buying myself a bigger kettlebell, to keep it hard. I did give level 2 a go, but not quite ready for that I don't think, so will give that a go at the end of next week!! Level 2 was hard! Like she says you will be gargling your heart in your mouth by the end of it, if you do it right.

powerful and enjoyable

Wer Jillian mag, dem gefällt auch dieses Workout von ihr. Die deutsche Version erscheint im März 2015. Ich persönlich mag die Uk-Versionen lieber, da man da ohne Umschweife Jillian zuhört. Lieferung auch problemlos aus UK. Zum Workout selbst: Es gibt zwei Level a ca 30Min. Jedes Workout besteht aus mehreren Zirkeln, die jeweils zweimal hintereinander absolviert werden. Wichtig: Für das Training ist am besten eine Kettlebell geeignet (auf der Uk-Version) auch so angegeben. Die dt.Version sagt nur, dass Gewichte nötig sind. Meine Empfehlung ist ganz klar eine Kettlebell, einfach weils mehr Spaß macht. Aber Vorsicht: lt. DVD soll man eine Kettlebell zwischen 3-8pfund d.h. ca 1.5-4kg verwenden. Diese Angabe empfinde ich als völlig irreführend. Ich habe Lev.1 mit 4kg das erste mal absolviert und hatte kaum Herausforderung. Jeder der schon bisschen trainiert ist und Jillian andere DVDs kennt sollte viell. ehr bei 6kg anfangen!! Ansonsten klare Kaufempfehlung

Do not buy!! Dvd's do not play, total scam.

Great workout, you can do it with a dumbbell instead of a kettlebell. It’s fast paced and makes you sweat, but it’s also very easy to follow.

Cercavo un workout con le kettlebell e questo è fantastico! Jillian Michaels è sempre grandissima. Non è troppo difficile ma fattibile.