Any one else struggle with Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred?

cspong
cspong Posts: 260 Member
edited December 18 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey everyone!

So, I started Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, totally pumped and willing to push through, but I could only make it about 8 minutes before I absolutely had to stop, I tried later on today and had to stop after 9 mins. I think I could do this workout if it werent for the damn pushups! I can't do them, never have been able to... When I'm doing them to the video, I barely dip down and I'm still dying!

Anyways, I'm planning on sticking it out, pushing myself to be able to do the entire thing (let alone moving up to level 2 for now!) and keep at it.

Has anyone else struggled like this with the DVD? Every review I've read people raved about it, but nobody mentioned struggling like me. I'm a workout newbie and and am quite a bit overweight, but very very determined.

-Christine
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Replies

  • TKHappy
    TKHappy Posts: 659 Member
    Something I've learned over the years was "go at your own pace"....most people want to keep up and end up with injury or exhaustion....so if you have to do 5 pushups to their 20, well 5 is better then none! Eventually you will get stronger...good luck on your journey! :)
  • mommy7
    mommy7 Posts: 153
    Did you do them modified?? The only part of level 1 that I really had a hard time with were the side lunges with raised arms (circuit 3).
  • chunk1691
    chunk1691 Posts: 90 Member
    keep at it, its well worth it, im level 3 day 5 and i struggled when i started level 1 but just kept going. its a fantastic workout if you can stick with it, do the lower impact ones till you build your strength up, x
  • maryb2374
    maryb2374 Posts: 137 Member
    I started this workout last Monday and have been doing it 4 days a week with 2 days of cardio mixed in. Honestly, I would not have been able to do this back in January when I first started working out. Pushups are from the devil! I do think that for me the pushups are the hardest part of level 1 so once those are over, the only other exercise I really struggle with is the anterior raises/side lunge in the 3rd circuit.

    I have done the workout 6 times now and it's definitely getting easier to do. Still a tough workout for me, though. I have been able to increase the weights to 5 pounds and may try 8 for the chest flies/bicep curls tomorrow.

    Good luck!
  • cspong
    cspong Posts: 260 Member
    Haha, sadly, yes, I'm doing them modified
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    Struggle? Oh yeah! I'm still working at it off and on, but boy, it's hard. I'm good with level 1 now, and I do the full exercises where I can. But level 2? The pain is unbelievable the next day, so I rarely do it more than once a week. This has been a mighty long 30 days at this rate...
  • witchie13
    witchie13 Posts: 29 Member
    I am in the same boat as you are. Totally pumped, just started it and couldn't even come close to keeping up! Just keep trying is what everyone is telling me also. You can do it. I'm going to tell you the same thing, just keep trying. I had to start by doing the pushups on the wall!

    Good luck!
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    There is nothing wrong with modifying it until you CAN do it all. Right now I do my own cardio and just use the Strength and Ab portions to tone. I've done levels 1 and two, taken time off inbetween and each time I start again it gets harder.

    I did the strength and abs on monday and my quads are KILLING me yet today... Keep it up though and eventually you will be ably to get through it all.
  • tropaze
    tropaze Posts: 317 Member
    You don't have to get as many in as they do, I don't usually. Also take the 5 second break if you need it. Try to get a few in, take that small break and try for a few more. It's hard but stick with it, it's like you, is totally worth it!
  • Collidoscopekid
    Collidoscopekid Posts: 195 Member
    I was just talking about this today!On day one I was lucky to be able to 2 modified pushups. Today was day 8 and I almost kept up with them. Yes I am still doing the modified pushups but it so much more than I could do just seven days ago. Keep pushing, it get's better!
  • Emancipated_Tai
    Emancipated_Tai Posts: 751 Member
    I started last week and moved to level two the next day becauase I found it a bit easy! But i would suggest keeping up with it. After a week you may be able to do the whole 22 minutes, then move to level two. Don't get defeted because you can't do it all now because it will get better!
  • SuperScrabbleGirl
    SuperScrabbleGirl Posts: 310 Member
    Have you thought about modifying the modification? Say doing them on a wall first?
  • JessieArt
    JessieArt Posts: 275 Member
    Maybe you didn't think about the part where you survived 17 minutes of Jillian Michaels today!!! Maybe tomorrow you will make it a little longer. :smile:
  • hairspraymafia
    hairspraymafia Posts: 21 Member
    I was having a hard time following Insanity and found that even if I only did 3 or 4 of the reps when they were doing 10, as long as I had good form I got a good workout. It's when you try to go too fast to follow them, you lose the quality of the workout. Go at your own pace and you'll soon realize you've caught up! Good luck :D
  • wxchaser
    wxchaser Posts: 173 Member
    I'm currently struggling to get back to it. I've had to stop because finals consumed most of my time. I'm getting back on the wagon this weekend, after I've slept for a full day.
  • Charismasme2
    Charismasme2 Posts: 118 Member
    How I have to do the push ups at first is to use the wall. It's still push ups, just modified to what I can do right now. I do 3-5 on the floor, then move to the wall. I can't do the jumping jacks like they do either because of bad knees, but I modify to what I can do and keep moving. Just use it as a tool...do what you can, and modify what you can't.
  • breezy62037
    breezy62037 Posts: 16
    I do pushups against the wall. I have been doing the 30 day for almost a month and I am still on level 1. I had the hardest time with the pushups and doing jumping jacks and butt kicks. I am now able to do them! I always do my pushups against the wall. Stand about 1 1/2 to 2 feet away from the wall, just to where you are on the balls of your feet and keep your back straight and do a pushup against the wall standing up. Much eaiser on the back, but I still feel the burn on my arms, becasue I am using my weight as a tool. On the jumping jacks, I did a modified one until I could keep up.
  • mmsilvia
    mmsilvia Posts: 459 Member
    Go at your own pace. It's not a race. You do not want to get hurt. The first time my husband did it he only made it like 5 mins. He kept at it & soon he was able to do the whole thing.
  • liftingheavy
    liftingheavy Posts: 551 Member
    Oh my Gosh!! People struggle for sure!!! Some only make it 4-5 minutes. Doesn't matter, you will go a minute or two longer every couple of days.

    Your exhaustion means it is working! Do. Not. Stop. No need to feel bad or embarrased because you are actually working out, which is how you will lose this weight.

    Search for 30 day shred here and read how far these folks have come just from that DVD. It's amazing.

    You will see.
  • ssanto
    ssanto Posts: 53
    Hi Christine! I just started the 30DS today! I had difficulty with the push-ups as well - I am doing the modified but could not get more than 5 done - but I figure those 5 are a start. I also get bad shin splints and the butt kicks and the jumping jacks make them flare up - I just go at my own pace.
  • seebeachrun
    seebeachrun Posts: 221 Member
    I just kept telling myself it was almost over. You only have to do pushups during part 1 for a minute. It kills my knees! I slow down and focus on trying to make each one count because if you use the right posture you will gain strength and be able to do it.

    I almost quit at least twice during the first stage of the 30 day shred but I just kept saying motivating things and thinking of how hot I want to look in a bikini for my FI's birthday party on Memorial Day weekend.

    If you have to, just tell yourself that you have to get through the next workout. Each one is no more than 30-60 seconds. I count to ten over and over in my head and tell myself to hold out another ten seconds, another ten seconds, etc....
  • twoboys2012
    twoboys2012 Posts: 352 Member
    Totally agree with the others
    Modify, go at your own pace and you will get fast and stronger ... one thing that kills me is the jump rope jumping ... and push up of course. I do modified and not really sure how far i go down but i feel it and it is doing something as your body has not been doing it before so anything new will be hard.
    remember that you were doing anything before so you need to start into it slowly too. If you go too hard then you might hurt yourself/ pull something but at the samae time you need to push your body. As Jillian says if you are feeling it keep going as this is the time you will be getting most benefit. Go that little bit longer and push your body. If you want results you gotta do the work.
  • Tracey0013
    Tracey0013 Posts: 154 Member
    I have been working on and off on level one for about a month now. It does get easier but as other have said take it at your own pace. You will get there! I started only being able to do 5 push ups and the last couple were really weak. Now I can do around 12 per time they do them so a total of around 24 :) Where I die is the skip rope jumping! My calf muscles tighten up and threaten to cramp! I mix my workouts up one day I will go walking and another I will do a tape (I have a few )

    Good luck with it :) and if you want another friend send me a request! :)
  • michellelhartwig
    michellelhartwig Posts: 486 Member
    Today is day 5-when I get home....I really struggle with lunges and push ups....and jumping jacks and the likes....But I do what I can do...
  • jreed1920
    jreed1920 Posts: 123
    Heck yeah I struggled to get through Day 1. I couldn't keep up on anything. Today I finished Day 27 and thought to myself "huh, this seems to be going by really quickly today" so just keep with it and do as much as you can. I did it straight through 10 days per level no breaks. I think taking breaks in between would have been much harder. The days I was sore I actually felt better after doing the workout. I have spent my 27 days following Anita but upped my weights from 3-lbs on Day 1 to 8-lbs by Workout 2 and beyond.
  • Sister_Someone
    Sister_Someone Posts: 567 Member
    I completed it, 30 workouts in 30 days, but I was going at my own pace, pushing with only as much intensity as I thought I could handle, and I would pause the video and rest at first after each circuit, and later on only once about halfway through, because I have asthma and I would experience difficulty breathing if I tried to finish without pausing.
  • NICOLED73
    NICOLED73 Posts: 183
    You are a workout newbie! Don't expect to be able to do everything right off the bat. Just because it says "30" day shred doesn't mean you have to do it in 30 days. Take 50 if you need to...or whatever.
    I have a hard time with the strength part of level one too! And I am not a workout newbie at all. I still have to take that "5 second" rest that she says you can take....
    Keep at it and keep that determination. You can do it!!
  • hauer01
    hauer01 Posts: 516 Member
    The first few times I did it, I couldn't comlete it and I certainly couldn't keep up with her. Once I slowed down a bit and did the pushups at my own pace (yeah, I don't get as many done as her, but I am still doing them the whole time), I found that I COULD do them.

    Stick with it, if you don't do the same amount of reps, but you're doing them the whole time, THAT IS GREAT!
  • monalissanne
    monalissanne Posts: 159 Member
    I'll do my pushups up against the wall since I can't do them right and the modified ones are pointless if my butt is still up in the air. I modify a bunch. Anytime I feel like I can't go on, I keep on moving and just change what I need to. For example, when I can't lift my arms in the air anymore for the side lunges, instead of quitting, I keep doing the side lunges and do bicep curls instead.
  • bayertablets
    bayertablets Posts: 213 Member
    How I have to do the push ups at first is to use the wall. It's still push ups, just modified to what I can do right now. I do 3-5 on the floor, then move to the wall. I can't do the jumping jacks like they do either because of bad knees, but I modify to what I can do and keep moving. Just use it as a tool...do what you can, and modify what you can't.

    ^This

    I started out with wall pushups and felt like my arms were going to fall off after two, but I still pushed myself to touch my nose to the wall. A few days later, I moved to the side of the couch for the pushups, and eventually down to the floor. Don't slack on the upper body workouts because Level 2 will definitely kick your butt with all the plank moves.

    I was ~360 lbs when I started 30DS. I modified a lot, but gave 100% in those modified moves. You can do it!!!
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