Jillian Michaels: Banish Fat Boost Metabolism

This is a brilliant DVD for anyone who is already pretty fit. I don't think you need to be uber-fit (I'm not), but if you struggle with burpees and holding plank then there are probably other DVDs out there more suited to your level.This is a pretty tough workout that requires no equipment at all. There's lots of dynamic squatting (killer!), many different kinds of jumping, and kick-boxing inspired moves. Sample moves include squats into sidekicks, squats into jumps where you cross your legs at the apex of the jump (if you can...so far I can't), 180 degree jumps, plank where you pull your knee into your armpit to work your obliques, walking plank where you go from forearms to hands and down and up and down and up, various kick and punch combinations, and some really awesome standing ab crunches that I hadn't seen before. Be warned - there are no rest breaks, just points where the moves are slightly easier to allow you to recover while still moving.The DVD is 50 mins long and is divided into 6 min "circuit" sections. It starts with a warm-up predictably enough, but then moves through various types of cardio and kick-box-inspired moves. Each circuit is repeated twice, which is really good when you're learning the moves - first time to try it, second time to perfect it - with lots of really great instruction and motivation from Jillian throughout. The abs floor section is really good, but also super-hard. If you can't do plank for a reasonable length of time you really will struggle with this!I really rate this DVD for anyone reasonably fit and looking for a challenge. I was struggling to keep up at quite a few points! I have only two criticisms (the reason for my 4* rather than 5* review) and they would be that the cool down stretch seems a little short given how hard you just worked in the previous 45mins. My second is really trivial - the bonus segment, "Jillian's Tips for a Healthier Lifestyle" is really just an advert for Oral B electric toothbrushes, which annoyed me. I thought she was going to tell me what I should be eating!! We all know about swapping sweets for fruit already.Overall, a really good work out. Highly recommended.

About a year ago, I was seriously overweight and decided to go on a mission to drop to a healthy weight and size and improve my fitness. I've been working out with different DVDs a few times a week ever since, have lost nearly four stone (still a stone to go!) and wanted a new workout that would be reasonably challenging. This workout has proved to be perfect - exactly the level I was looking for to help me shift that final stone now that my body has got used to the other workouts I've been doing (Hannah Waterman and Clare Nasir - both relatively tough workouts and highly effective, but probably not quite at the Jillian Michaels level).First of all, if people are looking for a dance-type workout with 'fun' choreographed moves, don't bother with this DVD and go for a zumba workout or something: this DVD is much more akin to a circuit training type boot-camp routine, or even a school PE lesson with a tough gym teacher or a military fitness type workout. The moves are very simple and don't require much coordination; there are no combinations of steps to learn or anything like that. These are tried-and-tested, tough, simple-but-tough-and-effective exercises such as kickboxing punches and kicks, squats, lunges, planks, ab crunches, star jumps, skipping (without a rope) etc. This meant the DVD was perfect for me - I can't learn dance steps or complicated combinations of moves to save my life, and I like to keep it simple while working as hard as I can. This was ideal for that.This is a DVD that a total beginner will find very tough to complete. I'm reasonably fit, and although I completed this DVD without needing to stop, there were times when I was seriously suffering! However, if you are a beginner, DON'T let this put you off. The workout is split into seven 6-minute circuits, so you could start by doing just a couple of them and then build up gradually do doing more and more as you get fitter.I would warn that there isn't a great deal of instruction on technique and form - for instance, there are lots of squats but not really much advice on how to do them without injuring your knees (Jillian Michaels' other DVD, The 30-Day Shred, has more advice about this). But other than that, I think this is a great, challenging workout based on proven principles of fat loss, mixing cardio with strength and toning and bringing the heart rate up and down a lot. Also, for some of the exercises Jillian suggests easier versions for beginners, which would be useful if you were finding it all a bit daunting.Jillian is no shrinking violet and somewhat hectoring in that super-motivational American style that I usually find irritating. Despite this, I did get the impression that she's far more sincere than most American trainers and although she does come across as being quite aggressive as she barks instructions, she's also positive and encouraging and seems to want people to believe in their own ability, which saves her from being obnoxious in my book. She's no-nonsense, but doesn't come from the drill-sergeant school of unpleasantness. She's also quite self-deprecating at times, which at least reminds us that she's human.The music is almost non-existent, but it's not like this is a dance/aerobics workout and not much rhythm is required, so it really doesn't matter.All in all, this is cracking intense workout that will leave you knackered - which is why it works. If you really want results, this is the kind of effort you need to go to, even if it takes you a while to build up to it.