Workout DVD #33: Jillian Michaels: Shape Up: Back

See the DVD | 30 mins | hand weights, step

Day 72

Motivation is looking at Jillian Michaels‘ toned arms and wanting to have arms like hers sooo bad! They are a work of art in this DVD – not too muscley, just perfectly formed. Looking back over her DVD covers she seems to have filled out her arms somewhat. I’m no expert on her physique, and never really watched The Biggest Loser beyond the first few season’s shows, but whatever exercises she says I need to do – I will!

Netflix writes:

Los Angeles trainer to the stars Jillian Michaels, whose client list includes Amanda Peet and Mark Ruffalo and whose no-nonsense take on weight loss can be seen on the TV show “The Biggest Loser,” leads viewers on an exhilarating workout that targets the back muscles. Learn how to sculpt the upper body’s often-neglected areas in this program that promotes an overall feeling of health and wellness and a balanced approach to fitness.

This workout is a killer. Thankfully it is not long but if you do all the reps you will be sucking in breath by the midway point and be ready for the end and the mercy of the cool down!

I started off my workout today with the 20 minute Turbo Jam workout, which is a great precursor to another short workout such as this one. I was nicely warmed up which was good because immediately this workout gets you jumping around like a woman possessed, and your heart rate spikes fast.

Call me old fashioned, but I like a warm up to be just that – not a heart attack waiting to happen. I like to start my workout gradually after just loading the DVD player.

This DVD is a half hour of mainly anaerobic work, with very little strength training involved [because the weights are too light.] I thought I would be using heavy weights so I had my 10lbs ready. Wrong! You need light weights for this. After doing Jari Love’s Get Ripped several times I was ready for some hefty weight lifting so I was a little disappointed.

You definitely want to use light weights with Jillian as you will be doing jumping jacks with them and other  exercises at a fast tempo. I like fast but I took it down a notch on some of the exercises – like the curtsy squat with bicep curls. I tried to stay with the group but I felt like I wasn’t using my muscles enough – the weights were swinging about more than being consciously moved through the motions.

Another thing that I found a little much for me was doing the high intensity bursts and then just laying down on the floor. My head felt like it was swelling! Each segment is repeated, so the second time round I did my crunches on a stability ball to keep my head above my heart.

By the end of the 45 minutes total [which meant Jillian's workout was really 25 minutes, not 30] I felt really spent. I was exhausted! I’m now looking forward to my next delivery from Netflix – Jillian’s Shape Up: Front. I am sure it will be much the same – a KILLER workout.

Here are my stats:

4/18/08

45:25 [workout time]
19:47 [in aerobic zone 60% -80% Target Heart Rate]
148 bpm [average heart rate] – this is high intensity stuff
180 bpm [highest heart rate]
384 [cals burned]