Jillian Michaels: 6 Week Six-Pack

Having come straight off JM's 30 Day Shred (I did it for 8 weeks just because I liked it so much), I was kind of expecting this work-out to be easy for me, considering my new-found fitness. How wrong I was. This work-out is really challenging, and it really hurts. This is way more painful than the Shred, but I think that's because there is more strength-training and floor work. In this DVD you mainly use your own body weight in resistance moves, which I think is a lot harder than just holding hand weights. Hand weights do make an appearance, but it's pretty limited. I'm 5ft 6 inches and roughly 120 pounds, and I'm probably at a middle range of fitness (if you classify Jillian as super-advanced). A note of advice- there's no way that an unfit/injured person could do this work-out. Unlike the Shred, where Jillian pretty much assumes that you're overweight, this DVD is for fit people who want to get even fitter/more toned. I would recommend that if you're quite overweight or haven't worked out for a long time to first start on the 30 Day Shred. And if you have any knee or shoulder injuries, no way. The work-outs are about 35 mins, and the time flies when you really focus on what you're doing. Demonstrating the moves are Jillian, 'Advanced Girl', and 'Beginner Girl'. Advanced girl is a freaking machine, and I'm not sure if I will ever get to her level. Beginner girl is too easy though, so I stick to the middle-ground, which is what Jillian usually demonstrates. One criticism is that there's not a lot of explanation, so you have to look at the screen a lot the first couple of times to see what's going on. But other than that, it's pretty clear-cut. It took me two days just to get coordinated enough to do the moves properly, so don't stress if you feel like an idiot the first couple of times. Some of the moves are really, really hard. This work-out also focuses on muscles that I didn't even know I had! It's unbelievable. I've only been doing it for a week, and I now have this amazing muscle above my bum that makes everything feel stronger and more pert. My stomach is also getting ripped, which was my whole aim. What's also great about this work-out is the fact that it doesn't bulk up your arms, which was something I didn't like about the Shred. Some people have said that there's not enough cardio in this work-out. I disagree- if you're doing the strength moves right and are really forcing yourself to hold your core correctly, you puff and pant a huge amount, and your heart rate is through the roof. There are also very, very intense cardio intervals which, again, if done correctly, absolutely kill you. But I concede that it doesn't leave you as exhausted as the Shred, so maybe you could add in some more cardio at the end, like skaters, or mountain-climbers. Having now done Level 2 for about a week (I spent longer than 3 weeks doing level 1, because I could still really feel the burn and wanted to master it before moving on), I can say that Level 2 will slay you alive. If you follow Advanced Girl, this is an exceptionally hard work-out. The first two times I did it, I couldn't walk properly the next day. I basically needed a Zimmer frame. It's very hard on your legs, and Jillian seems to focus less on your abs than Level 1. I think the way she's designed it is for Level 1 to build your ab muscles, and for Level 2 to burn off any left-over fat so you can really see those muscles. That's not to say that Level 2 ignores your abs, but the focus shifts to either working your entire body, or hammering your largest muscles- your legs and your glutes, so you burn as many calories as possible. At one point during my first go at Level 2 I actually gasped out loud "You've got to be kidding me!". If Jillian can get me to say that even after Level 1, and the 30 Day Shred, that's saying something. One criticism of Level 2 is that I don't think it does enough lower back work, so I add one minute of bridge kicks at the end. But all in all, it's excellent. Highly recommended.

First of all, I have never liked exercise dvds. I find it annoying and distracting to follow along rather than just focus on the workout. That said, I heard great things about 30 Day Shred and the prices on all of the Jillian Michaels dvds are so reasonable that I decided to order a few. After doing levels 1 and 2 of the Shred for a couple weeks, I decided to give this dvd a shot. I really like the interval format of most of the JM workouts. While 6 Week six-pack doesn't follow the 3-2-1 formula (3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio, 1 minute abs), it's still a very familiar approach. You do one long circuit (about 18 minutes) twice through, minus a few of the warm-up exercises the second time through. The warm-up was new and different and a little more ab-focused- no jumping jacks, though I initially substituted jumping jacks for a few of the other cardio moves throughout the circuit- they are mostly all variations on planks - plank jacks, mountain climbers, etc. Many of the ab moves are variations on crunches. However, it flows together well and goes quickly. One of the main reasons I like this dvd is because it seems to go so fast. And it gets easier every single time you do it- I found I could focus a lot more on form and keeping muscles engaged after I built up some strength to do a particular exercise. I think this dvd is a great complement to the other JM dvds because it's just not realistic for me to, say, do the 30 Day Shred EVERY SINGLE DAY. I get bored fast, so mixing it up makes a huge difference. Also, I think the exercises here complement the strength moves in the 3-2-1 workouts so you're still getting a great workout while resting some of those other muscles. I consider myself to be in good shape, and I do a LOT of yoga, so I was able to adjust fairly quickly to all the planks and side planks etc in this workout, but it is still HARD for me, in a good way. I don't know how I would feel about it as a beginner- I believe the other JM dvds are a better first choice for those new to working out or high intensity interval training. In 2-3 weeks, I've gotten to a point where I do two segments per day- usually Level 1 of 6 week six-pack, and then varying levels of 30 Day Shred or Ripped in 30. If you are getting bored with either of those dvds, want to mix it up, or are ready to REALLY focus on your core, this is a GREAT dvd. If you're new to Jillian Michaels, I would go with 30 Day Shred, though Ripped in 30 is also fairly accessible and is mostly new exercises (except for push ups, squat and press, maybe a couple others). Jillian recommends doing each dvd every day, 5-6 days per week. For me, the key to that is variety. Try one, if you like it, try another and mix it up! I've paid a lot of money in the past for personal training sessions and I don't think they can compare to the workout you can get from these dvds. If you have the time, space, and correct equipment (mat and appropriate sized dumbbells), the Jillian Michaels dvds are the far better investment, and more productive all around. Having worked out with a few different 'master' trainers, I prefer her moves and you waste a LOT less time between strength moves: walking from machine to machine, waiting for a piece of equipment, chatting about this and that, taking a water break. She runs straight though and bam you're done. Also, I watch each level once through before doing it, partly to pump myself up and partly to see what I'll be doing so I don't waste the first few reps of each trying to figure out the details. I'm looking forward to the release of her new glutes and thighs dvd- I do find most of these dvds focus on core and upper body strength far more than lower body, and have even noticed this as far as my own results go... so a dedicated lower body workout sounds great.

Super DVD, ich bin sportlich, komme aber trotzdem zu schwitzen. Es gefällt mir besonderes dass die Übungen nur zweimal wiederholt werden, dadurch wird mir die DVD nicht langweilig. Ich bin sehr zufrieden und kann weiter empfehlen.

こんどこそ効果的な腹筋メソッドを体験できるかと、本製品を発見したときはワクワクしながら即発注した。 結論からいって、今回もまた、腹筋を鍛える、という目的としては、やはりBilly BlanksのTae Bo: Amped - Rock N SculptのRock N'ABSに勝るものに出会えなかったといっておこう。 けれど、本メソッドに期待したのは、他に、ポッコリお腹の解消だ。そのためには、腹直筋や腹斜筋の鍛錬ばかりではなく、コア全体に刺激のあるものでないとだめ。6 Week Six Packはそれを叶えるものと期待した。 Level１，２を試してみた。刺激に不慣れな内股、特に左内股を傷めてしまった。レッグマジックというダイエット器具が爆発的に売れているが、片手と片足で身体を支えるポーズを行えば、傷めないように注意しなければならないが、器具の購入は必要ないということだ。 両手を床に着いて行うエクササイズはどれもしっくり来なかった。刺激がイマイチで意味がわからないのと、きつ過ぎるものの両極端のエクササイズが用意されているのだ。もっとも、きついのができるようになりたいというモチベーションは盛り上がる。腹筋鍛錬の効果よりも、全身のバネを養成し、全身的な脂肪燃焼に効き目がありそうだ。 本メソッドを実行しても腹筋は筋肉痛になりそうもない。けれど女性で腹筋を６つのPackに割りたいと願う人は少ないと思う。これで充分だろう（タイトルの6 Week Six Packはおおげさだろう。パッケージ写真のJillianの腹筋だって6Packになりきってない）。男の私としても、汗のかけるコアトレ中心のプログラムであるところを評価しよう。腰椎を痛めるような危険なエクササイズもないし、すべてのエクササイズが楽々できるようになるまでつきあっていこうと思う。

I don't know what to say at this point about JM. She is an amazing and effective trainer, and I don't know why women continue to pay high gym membership fees when they can simply buy 4 of her dvds and rotate them through the week for about $40. I started this one at level 2 (there are two levels), which is a great 35 min workout. While it does target the abdominal region more so than some of her other dvds, this is still a full body workout - pretty heavy on cardio. You need a mat and hand weights - preferably in a range of lbs. I switch between 5 and 7 lb weights in this workout. I don't sweat much even when I'm working hard but sweat was running off my face during this one. Buy it. And if you don't already have these, get them, too: Hard Body, Ripped in 30, and Extreme Shed and Shred. If you rotate among these 4 dvds, you will get results. I don't workout more than 2-3 times per week, and I'm very fit after doing her workouts for the past 3 years exclusively. For those who are trying to up their fitness level and to lose weight, you will be happy with what these videos will do for you. And if you're a beginner and intimidated by these workouts, don't be - she always offers alternate ways of doing the exercises to allow for those who are working their way up in fitness. If you stick to it, you will advance and be able to keep up with her most advanced dancers in a matter of months.

This is a great core workout (don't think it is all just crunches; she adds Burpees, lunges, planks...) where Jillian combines core moves with cardio in order to melt that fat and show your muscles. There are two workouts of over 30 minutes each. Level 1 focuses more on mat work while level 2 is more standing work. Both of them are challenging but one of the girls shows the begginers modification. Jillian has set this workout a bit different than her classic circuits: This time, you do all the moves once at a slower pace and then she repeats the whole sequence faster than the first time. You will feel your abs burn and you are going to see results since the first time you do this workout, YES, SINCE THE FIRST TIME. I just love it and love how challenging it is while effective. I normally do this workout right after 30 Day Shred or Ripped in 30 when I have the time to do an hour workout. I have not followed the recommended program of doing 3 weeks level 1 and then 3 weeks level 2. I like to combine them according to my mood (I find boring doing the same workout every day for that long), but I don't think that goes against the effectiveness and results. I can notice a huge difference in the way my tummy looks: My waist has shrinked and I have way more definition. Will I get a six pack? I don't think so, I still need to lose a bit of weight for that to happen. A 6 pack is not my goal right now, just to get fit and lose that belly! Although I think it would've been possible to get it if I was fit already. I totally recomend this workout since it's fun, challenging and goes like a breeze but specially because you are definately going to see results...and fast (as with all Jillian's DVDs). (en français, mais pardon pour la traduction si elle n'est pas 100% correcte) Il s'agit d'une séance d'entraînement des abdominaux très bien (ne pense pas que c'est tous les craquements seulement, elle ajoute Burpees, fentes, planches ...) où Jillian combine mouvements abdominaux avec cardio pour faire fondre la graisse et de montrer vos muscles. Il y a deux séances d'entraînement d'un peu plus de 30 minutes chacune. Niveau 1 se concentre davantage sur le travail de mat tandis que le niveau 2 est plus de travail debout. Le deux sont difficiles, mais une des filles montre la modification débutants. Jillian a mis cette séance d'entraînement un peu différent de ses circuits classiques: Cette fois-ci, vous le faites tous les mouvements une fois à un rythme plus lent, puis elle répète la séquence entière plus rapidement. Vous sentirez vos abdominaux brûler et vous allez voir les résultats depuis la première fois que vous faites cette séance d'entraînement, OUI, DEPUIS LA PREMIÈRE FOIS. J'ai adoré le deux séances et combien elles sont difficiles tout en étant efficace. Je fais d'habitude cette séance d'entraînement après le 30 Day Shred ou Ripped in 30 quand j'ai le temps de faire une séance d'entraînement d'une heure. Je n'ai pas suivi le programme recommandé de faire 3 semaines Niveau 1, puis 3 semaines niveau 2. Je tiens à les combiner selon mon humeur (je trouve ennuyeux de faire la même séance d'entraînement tous les jours pendant si longtemps), mais je ne pense que cela va contre l'efficacité ou les résultats. Je remarque une énorme différence dans mon ventre: Mon tour de taille a rétréci et j'ai beaucoup plus de définition. Vais-je obtenir un six pack? Je ne le pense pas, j'ai encore besoin de perdre un peu de poids pour que cela se produise. Un six pack n'est pas mon objectif maintenant; juste me mettre en forme et perdre ce ventre! Mais je pense que ça aurait été possible de l'obtenir si j'étais déjà bien en forme. Je recommanderais totalement cet entraînement car il est amusant, challengeur et passe vite mais surtout parce que vous allez certainement voir les résultats ... et vite (comme avec tous les DVD Jillian).

He usado la rutina de primer nivel en varias ocasiones y tras un mes (o menos) de hacerlo 3 veces por semana realmente noté el incremento en la fortaleza de mi abdomen sólo haciendo el primer nivel. Siempre me ha costado trabajo fortalecer el abdomen, y para mí estas rutinas son retadoras.