Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred--Beginners

I LOVE Jillian Michaels. I never watched Biggest Looser, but got addicited to her workouts via my "On Demand". My husband bumped up our package in April of last year and that is when I noticed her. I started with her No more trouble zones and Banish Fat Boost Metabolism which totally kicked my tush. Anyway, I could tell a difference when I did her workouts. What was better...my husband could tell a difference. wink! wink!

Anyway, in July I went on a two week vacation and then planned a party for my sister and totally got off routine and my on demand only had her shred, so I would do 1 and 2 when I could and even for 20 minutes I was sweating hard! I think they are great especially for beginners. I highly recommend Jillian Michaels. Anyway, I have rambled enough...really I just wanted to say....GO FOR IT!

what is the best way to check your measurments cause i dont have a measuring tape that u can wrap around u properly?

You can use a string, mark it off, and measure it with your stiff tape-measure.

It is GREAT to read everyone's positive comments, successes and struggles. So much to help motivate me to keep on going and to see that I'm not the only one dealing with some difficulties.

I just did L1D4 yesterday. Definitely feel stronger, although those push ups are still tough for me! Those 20 minutes go by really quick and I always feel GREAT when I'm done.

The one thing that is completely bumming me out is that I'm starting to feel it in my knees. I know I'm doing all of the lunges, etc... correctly...I think it's the jumping jacks and jump rope that is causing me the issues. I don't want to stop doing them, but also afraid I might be causing an injury. Any thoughts on this....anyone???

I'm still trying to convince my husband to start with me!!!

CONGRATS to everyone for keeping up the shred and making such fabulous progress.

I found on level one that i really really had to stick my butt out for the side lunge, arm raises or my knees hurt. The other exercise i have to really watch myself is in the forward lunge bicep curls. I have a hard time keeping up in good form.
Glad you are liking it too, i'm loving it. Today is leveloneday8 for me.

OK, here I go again. I've missed several days of the Shred and I have decided to totally start over, try it every single day for thirty days and see what happens. Parent/teacher conferences are today so I don't have to go in til noon. I'm about to do Day 1 Level 1 for the second time around. I also took my measurements, which I did log. I'm almost in tears. Weight is one thing, but seeing those numbers for each body part is an eye opener. I honestly had no idea how big I am. I have GOT to get healthy so I can be here for my son. Here I go.

By the way, I'm so excited that so many people have joined this thread. It seems like everyone is doing such a great job! You all inspire me!

It is GREAT to read everyone's positive comments, successes and struggles. So much to help motivate me to keep on going and to see that I'm not the only one dealing with some difficulties.

I just did L1D4 yesterday. Definitely feel stronger, although those push ups are still tough for me! Those 20 minutes go by really quick and I always feel GREAT when I'm done.

The one thing that is completely bumming me out is that I'm starting to feel it in my knees. I know I'm doing all of the lunges, etc... correctly...I think it's the jumping jacks and jump rope that is causing me the issues. I don't want to stop doing them, but also afraid I might be causing an injury. Any thoughts on this....anyone???

I'm still trying to convince my husband to start with me!!!

CONGRATS to everyone for keeping up the shred and making such fabulous progress.

I had to take a break today becuz of my knees too. Not sure what I'm doing wrong but would also like some tips from others. I'm only 23 and shud NOT be having knee issues just yet.

When I logged my exercise after doing the shred, I realized I had taken a whole week off. I thought it had been four or five days at the most. Jeesh. Anyway, got through ALL the jumping jacks AND all the push ups today! Woohoo! That makes me feel more motivated.

Since I'm currently having leg/knee issues and there are heaps of comments about hurting knees, I thought I would share this with you all:

Taken from "Shredhead's" blog: http://www.motherhooduncensored.net/shred/2009/12/a-more-kneefriendly-shred.html

Level 1 Knee friendly link: http://www.motherhooduncensored.net/shred/2009/06/making-shred-easier-on-the-knees-level-one.html

Jumping jacks
Sorry, Jillian won't modify these and neither do I. If I'm hurting on these I stop and do some extra warmup. Sometimes keeping my feet from going too far out helps, but usually I'm just not warmed up enough. Those dumb little knee circle things have really been helping me lately.

Pushups (if you have your knees on the ground)
When I was starting out I had to do pushups with my knees on the ground and the pressure hurt. Try putting a folded up towel under them for extra padding.

Squats w/shoulder press
Watch your form and make sure your butt is really going back enough. Try making it go back further. Also, you can try not going all the way down. Or, depending on your knees, try not coming all the way up. Try using lighter weights, too.

Jumprope
I end up using my calf muscles more than my quads for this, and I don't bend my knees so much. But don't lock your knees - that's probably not good. Don't try to jump so high, and use your arms more to get the cardio in.

Squats w/rows
Really stick your butt out and use the weights as a counterbalance in front. Make sure your feet aren't too far apart. If it still hurts, try squatting down more (or less) to find a spot that your knees like. It may be harder, but feel better overall.

Lunges w/biceps
I almost always have to keep my back leg a lot straighter (and therefore further back) than "the girls" do. Some days it's practically straight. Just make sure your front knee stays over the heel.

Butt kicks
Miraculously I can do these without hurting my knees. If you have problems, try doing high knees. If those are no good, then just jog in place.

Wide squat w/punches
Changing your foot angle can help. Try pointing your toes out a little. Or a lot.

Side lunges w/biceps
Good form is the only way I've found to make these not hurt, and some days that doesn't help me either. When I'm doing these right, my butt feels like it's going abnormally far back during the lunge. If I can't make the lunge feel good, I just do biceps at twice the pace they do to keep my heart rate up.

Cooldown/stretching
Do each stretch for at least twice as long as they do, and I do the quad stretches for a minimum of 20 seconds each leg. More if they're tight, and I often do a few other stretches as well. If you've seen a doctor (if you have knee problems you should) or a physical therapist, get stretches from them. It'll help. I think they really skimped on the stretching on this DVD.

Level 2 Knee friendly link: http://www.motherhooduncensored.net/shred/2009/06/making-shred-easier-on-the-knees-level-2.html

Jumping Jacks
As I mentioned in Level 1, Jillian won't modify these and neither do I. If I'm hurting on these I stop and do some extra warmup. Sometimes keeping my feet from going too far out helps, but usually I'm just not warmed up enough. Those dumb little knee circle things have really been helping me lately.

Walkout pushups (a bonus shoulder modification)
Okay, this isn't a knee modification but it's one I really had to do early on. My shoulders didn't really like this one at first, particularly the walking back part. I bent my knees while I was pushing back toward my feet to make it a little easier on the shoulders until I built up the muscle.

Squat w/row
Again, just like in Level 1, really stick your butt out and use the weights as a counterbalance in front. Make sure your feet aren't too far apart. If it still hurts, try squatting down more (or less) to find a spot that your knees like. It may be harder, but feel better overall.

High knees
If your knees don't like these, try either doing butt kicks or just jog in place.

Squat thrusts
You've got to be kidding, right? These tend to destroy my knees, so I often follow Anita on this one. If it's too easy to do it Anita-style, try doing it at double speed. Or turn them into plank twists (work the obliques).

Static lunge w/rows
I don't have a problem with these, as long as I'm careful about what position I end up in and how I get in that position. You may need to use your hands on the top of your front knee to help you get into a position with good form. Once you're there, fire up your quad and let go with your hands.

Pendulum lunges
I usually have to keep my back leg a lot straighter than they do on the video, especially on the "back" swing of the pendulum. Somehow keeping that leg straighter helps both knees feel better.

Oblique twists
Usually I don't have a big problem with these because, like jumprope, I try to use my calf muscles more if my knees are hurting. Also, you can try having your knees together or apart...it feels different to me when I change that. If it really doesn't feel good on your knees, just substitute another cardio move here.

Skaters
Yeah, so there are definitely no "big explosive jumps side-to-side" for me on these - 95% of the time I have to follow Anita. The slower side-to-side action lets me focus on really crunching my abs, though, so that's okay.

Military press w/leg extension
The only thing to help your knee here is to keep that leg lower, and make sure your form is good. As you get stronger it will get better, or at least it did for me.

Chair squat w/v-raise
Form, form, form. Get your feet the correct width apart, push your butt way back during the squat and use the weights to balance yourself. It really should be like you're about to sit down. Well, except your muscles should be leaping out of your skin.

Plank jacks
Following Anita is the easiest way to keep your knees from hurting on these. I find if I follow Natalie, I have to keep my legs straighter. If I bend them like she does, my knees start to complain.

Double jumprope
No. Single jumprope.

Cooldown/stretching
Stretch, stretch, stretch! Do each stretch for at least twice as long as they do, and I do the quad stretches for a minimum of 20 seconds each leg. More if they're tight, and I often do a few other stretches as well. If you've seen a doctor (if you have knee problems you should) or a physical therapist, get stretches from them. It'll help. I think they really skimped on the stretching on this DVD.

Level 3 Knee friendly link: http://www.motherhooduncensored.net/shred/2009/06/making-shred-easier-on-the-knees-level-3.html

Double jumprope
Yeah, even on Level 3 I'm still doing single jumprope. Oh well.

Butt kicks
Like before, if my knees hurt I sort of think butt kicks, high knees, and jogging in place are interchangeable.

Mountain climbers
I usually follow Anita on these. Try them at double speed, and turn them into oblique twists while you're at it for more fun. By the way, Natalie is doing a different version of these than Jillian - she doesn't put weight on the foot that comes front. I think Natalie's version is easier than Jillian's, but still harder on the knee than Anita.

Plie pose jumps
Don't jump very high, and make sure your knees aren't moving away from directly above your ankle.

Dumbbell cleans
Again, how far apart my feet are makes a big difference for me. It helps me to keep one hand on my butt as a reminder that it needs to move back as I squat down, and if it still hurts don't squat as far. Huh, I didn't think that would sound as strange as it looks in print.

Jumping lunges
Ha ha ha! Yeah, it's Anita time on these, and even those hurt my knees a little when I'm tired. Which is lots of days lately. I often keep the back leg straighter than she does, but if they still hurt, try putting your hands on the front knee as you drop down and start to push back up. Use your hands to support you only as much as you need it. If you push too hard with your hands you won't get the benefit of the lunge.

Weighted butt kicks and jumping jacks
You may want to drop the weights, especially for the jumping jacks. Form is really important.

Jump squats
You can do a couple of things to make these a little easier on your knees. You can squat down less before you jump. You can do a full squat but don't jump. Or you can put your hands on your knees for a little extra support. If none of those work, substitute another cardio that does work.

Rock star jumps
Nope, it isn't happening over here. I do butt kicks instead. Feel free to substitute something that's hard but not painful.

Cooldown/stretching
Last, I'll remind you once again to stretch, stretch, stretch! Do each stretch for at least twice as long as they do, and I do the quad stretches for a minimum of 20 seconds each leg. More if they're tight, and I often do a few other stretches as well. If you've seen a doctor (if you have knee problems you should) or a physical therapist, get stretches from them. It'll help. I think they really skimped on the stretching on this DVD.

Hello! I'm Kellee and I plan to start Shred tonight. I have a fellow MFP member who put me on to it and I've been anxious to try it. Currently, I am 14 pounds down and exercise about 5-6 days a week for a 1/2 hour. I mix it up so that I stay engaged with physical activity (I get bored easily) so I doubt I'll be doing this every day. Nonetheless I am very eager to get started.

Since I'm currently having leg/knee issues and there are heaps of comments about hurting knees, I thought I would share this with you all:

Taken from "Shredhead's" blog: http://www.motherhooduncensored.net/shred/2009/12/a-more-kneefriendly-shred.html

Level 1 Knee friendly link: http://www.motherhooduncensored.net/shred/2009/06/making-shred-easier-on-the-knees-level-one.html

Jumping jacks
Sorry, Jillian won't modify these and neither do I. If I'm hurting on these I stop and do some extra warmup. Sometimes keeping my feet from going too far out helps, but usually I'm just not warmed up enough. Those dumb little knee circle things have really been helping me lately.

Pushups (if you have your knees on the ground)
When I was starting out I had to do pushups with my knees on the ground and the pressure hurt. Try putting a folded up towel under them for extra padding.

Squats w/shoulder press
Watch your form and make sure your butt is really going back enough. Try making it go back further. Also, you can try not going all the way down. Or, depending on your knees, try not coming all the way up. Try using lighter weights, too.

Jumprope
I end up using my calf muscles more than my quads for this, and I don't bend my knees so much. But don't lock your knees - that's probably not good. Don't try to jump so high, and use your arms more to get the cardio in.

Squats w/rows
Really stick your butt out and use the weights as a counterbalance in front. Make sure your feet aren't too far apart. If it still hurts, try squatting down more (or less) to find a spot that your knees like. It may be harder, but feel better overall.

Lunges w/biceps
I almost always have to keep my back leg a lot straighter (and therefore further back) than "the girls" do. Some days it's practically straight. Just make sure your front knee stays over the heel.

Butt kicks
Miraculously I can do these without hurting my knees. If you have problems, try doing high knees. If those are no good, then just jog in place.

Wide squat w/punches
Changing your foot angle can help. Try pointing your toes out a little. Or a lot.

Side lunges w/biceps
Good form is the only way I've found to make these not hurt, and some days that doesn't help me either. When I'm doing these right, my butt feels like it's going abnormally far back during the lunge. If I can't make the lunge feel good, I just do biceps at twice the pace they do to keep my heart rate up.

Cooldown/stretching
Do each stretch for at least twice as long as they do, and I do the quad stretches for a minimum of 20 seconds each leg. More if they're tight, and I often do a few other stretches as well. If you've seen a doctor (if you have knee problems you should) or a physical therapist, get stretches from them. It'll help. I think they really skimped on the stretching on this DVD.

Level 2 Knee friendly link: http://www.motherhooduncensored.net/shred/2009/06/making-shred-easier-on-the-knees-level-2.html

Jumping Jacks
As I mentioned in Level 1, Jillian won't modify these and neither do I. If I'm hurting on these I stop and do some extra warmup. Sometimes keeping my feet from going too far out helps, but usually I'm just not warmed up enough. Those dumb little knee circle things have really been helping me lately.

Walkout pushups (a bonus shoulder modification)
Okay, this isn't a knee modification but it's one I really had to do early on. My shoulders didn't really like this one at first, particularly the walking back part. I bent my knees while I was pushing back toward my feet to make it a little easier on the shoulders until I built up the muscle.

Squat w/row
Again, just like in Level 1, really stick your butt out and use the weights as a counterbalance in front. Make sure your feet aren't too far apart. If it still hurts, try squatting down more (or less) to find a spot that your knees like. It may be harder, but feel better overall.

High knees
If your knees don't like these, try either doing butt kicks or just jog in place.

Squat thrusts
You've got to be kidding, right? These tend to destroy my knees, so I often follow Anita on this one. If it's too easy to do it Anita-style, try doing it at double speed. Or turn them into plank twists (work the obliques).

Static lunge w/rows
I don't have a problem with these, as long as I'm careful about what position I end up in and how I get in that position. You may need to use your hands on the top of your front knee to help you get into a position with good form. Once you're there, fire up your quad and let go with your hands.

Pendulum lunges
I usually have to keep my back leg a lot straighter than they do on the video, especially on the "back" swing of the pendulum. Somehow keeping that leg straighter helps both knees feel better.

Oblique twists
Usually I don't have a big problem with these because, like jumprope, I try to use my calf muscles more if my knees are hurting. Also, you can try having your knees together or apart...it feels different to me when I change that. If it really doesn't feel good on your knees, just substitute another cardio move here.

Skaters
Yeah, so there are definitely no "big explosive jumps side-to-side" for me on these - 95% of the time I have to follow Anita. The slower side-to-side action lets me focus on really crunching my abs, though, so that's okay.

Military press w/leg extension
The only thing to help your knee here is to keep that leg lower, and make sure your form is good. As you get stronger it will get better, or at least it did for me.

Chair squat w/v-raise
Form, form, form. Get your feet the correct width apart, push your butt way back during the squat and use the weights to balance yourself. It really should be like you're about to sit down. Well, except your muscles should be leaping out of your skin.

Plank jacks
Following Anita is the easiest way to keep your knees from hurting on these. I find if I follow Natalie, I have to keep my legs straighter. If I bend them like she does, my knees start to complain.

Double jumprope
No. Single jumprope.

Cooldown/stretching
Stretch, stretch, stretch! Do each stretch for at least twice as long as they do, and I do the quad stretches for a minimum of 20 seconds each leg. More if they're tight, and I often do a few other stretches as well. If you've seen a doctor (if you have knee problems you should) or a physical therapist, get stretches from them. It'll help. I think they really skimped on the stretching on this DVD.

Level 3 Knee friendly link: http://www.motherhooduncensored.net/shred/2009/06/making-shred-easier-on-the-knees-level-3.html

Double jumprope
Yeah, even on Level 3 I'm still doing single jumprope. Oh well.

Butt kicks
Like before, if my knees hurt I sort of think butt kicks, high knees, and jogging in place are interchangeable.

Mountain climbers
I usually follow Anita on these. Try them at double speed, and turn them into oblique twists while you're at it for more fun. By the way, Natalie is doing a different version of these than Jillian - she doesn't put weight on the foot that comes front. I think Natalie's version is easier than Jillian's, but still harder on the knee than Anita.

Plie pose jumps
Don't jump very high, and make sure your knees aren't moving away from directly above your ankle.

Dumbbell cleans
Again, how far apart my feet are makes a big difference for me. It helps me to keep one hand on my butt as a reminder that it needs to move back as I squat down, and if it still hurts don't squat as far. Huh, I didn't think that would sound as strange as it looks in print.

Jumping lunges
Ha ha ha! Yeah, it's Anita time on these, and even those hurt my knees a little when I'm tired. Which is lots of days lately. I often keep the back leg straighter than she does, but if they still hurt, try putting your hands on the front knee as you drop down and start to push back up. Use your hands to support you only as much as you need it. If you push too hard with your hands you won't get the benefit of the lunge.

Weighted butt kicks and jumping jacks
You may want to drop the weights, especially for the jumping jacks. Form is really important.

Jump squats
You can do a couple of things to make these a little easier on your knees. You can squat down less before you jump. You can do a full squat but don't jump. Or you can put your hands on your knees for a little extra support. If none of those work, substitute another cardio that does work.

Rock star jumps
Nope, it isn't happening over here. I do butt kicks instead. Feel free to substitute something that's hard but not painful.

Cooldown/stretching
Last, I'll remind you once again to stretch, stretch, stretch! Do each stretch for at least twice as long as they do, and I do the quad stretches for a minimum of 20 seconds each leg. More if they're tight, and I often do a few other stretches as well. If you've seen a doctor (if you have knee problems you should) or a physical therapist, get stretches from them. It'll help. I think they really skimped on the stretching on this DVD.

Thanks!

I know I'm late but I just bought the dvd today. I'm so excited about starting tomorrow morning! I will measure tonight.

Has anybody had any problems with pain in their lower legs? Think possibly it could be shin splints. I read several people have knee problems. Was wondering if anybody had any suggestions to make it a less impact on the lower legs.

Has anybody had any problems with pain in their lower legs? Think possibly it could be shin splints. I read several people have knee problems. Was wondering if anybody had any suggestions to make it a less impact on the lower legs.

I have problems with my feet and ankles, which started to move into my shins. I'm positive it's all the jumping. So, I got 2 ankle braces (the wrap around kind you get at Walgreens or Target) and it's help *a lot*. I wore them all day for a few days and the pains subsided, now I just wear them to work out and I'm doing much better.

Has anybody had any problems with pain in their lower legs? Think possibly it could be shin splints. I read several people have knee problems. Was wondering if anybody had any suggestions to make it a less impact on the lower legs.

Yes, my problems are more just below the knee on my left side.

And you are all welcome for the knee stuff. I didn't write it - it's from the Shredhead's website - I just C&P'd it! If you haven't checked out Shredheads yet, you should - great information! Just Google "shredheads" and it will bring you there.


And I'm due to do Day 28 today but I'm taking today, Saturday, Sunday and probably Monday off -- I need to rest my knee/leg and heal. I'm really bummed about it! I may see how the weekend goes and try again on Monday (but that's my husband's birthday so we'll see....).

So for now, I'm planning on taking it easy this weekend and picking up again next week!

Hi all,

how do you all log the shred into your exercise log? Please help! Thank you.

Hi all,

how do you all log the shred into your exercise log? Please help! Thank you.

I enter it as "circuit training" for 20 minutes because I've seen that suggestion before. However, that is really a rough estimate. I intend on getting a good heart rate monitor that tells you how many calories you've burned. It differs for everyone. You should consider getting one too. I've seen the Polar brand recommended a lot here.