There's no shortage of weight lifting in P90X2.

FBG intern and on-again-off-again exerciser Kelsey is trying P90X2, the second version of the super-popular P90X system by Tony Horton. Find out how the last phase went below, and check out how the other P90X2 phases were here!

I DID SURVIVE! Okay, bad take on the song “I Will Survive.” But that’s what I thought when I was done with the last phase of P90X2! It was a toughie, but I got through it. I have officially completed the 90-day program. Woot!

The last phase combined all the elements we learned from the first two phases and applied them in the workouts—though the workouts were few and far between. We had a total of three workouts, one being yoga, which wasn’t as challenging as the other workouts. But the majority of the phase consisted of PAP Upper and PAP Lower, or Post-Activation Potentiation. To me it’s just a fancy term Tony likes to use. (I wonder if he knows what “PAP” means to most women…)

The Upper workout was fast-paced; you used weights and did push-ups, but also did some balancing with your own body weight. I am glad I was able to graduate to 10-pound weights during the program. I think that helped strengthen my workouts a lot. I do feel stronger overall as well. The Med Ball Plank sucked—excuse my language, but OMG. I am not a person who can hold themselves up with their own body weight (yet!), and this one was not any easier on a chair versus a med ball.

The Lower workout consisted of stretching muscles, using weights and building up the lower body. It was a good workout, but had a slower pace than the Upper. One of the moves I liked the least in the lower-body workout was the Side Bridge Leg Lift. This is not a move I have mastered at all, and we’ve done it quite a bit throughout the program. It’s another one of those where you use your body weight to hold yourself up and then, oh yeah, lift your leg up and hold it for a minute. I was doing well to hold myself up and not fall over, let alone hold my leg in the air. I went for the modified version on this one, where you just hold your arm in the air and not your leg.

However, one of the moves I really liked in the Lower workout was Tony’s Triangle. For this one, you lay on your side and lift your top leg in the air and then move it forward as far as you can in front of you and then lift it up, going backwards to make a triangle with your leg. I think being a dancer in a former life helped me with this move, but after 10 of those, it began to get harder and really worked those leg muscles.

Overall, this last phase felt like it dragged out for much longer than the other phases, even though we only spent three weeks on it. I think the repetition of the two workouts just got old. The weather also started getting really nice, so I think that factored in to our lack of enthusiasm to work out inside anymore. We kept getting the itch to go outside and do more productive things, like tend to our neglected lawns and overgrown plants from the previous winter. Oh, and that little-known basketball tournament that was on…NCAA…you know, that one. The guys and I were much more interested in watching those games than working out. Gotta make sure your bracket is holding up right? I’d say, overall, March is not a good month to work out if you want to be productive.

As much as the last phase dragged out, I’m glad we are done with the program and ready to move on to something else. Running, eh? Thanks to everyone for letting me ramble about my experiences from P90X2. I hope you all got some good information from it and try it out for yourself. You never know how it will turn out. Good luck, and please share your experiences below! —Kelsey

Let’s put it this way. There is a reason I avoid step classes—they mentally and physically kick my butt. If it wasn’t hard enough to do every repetition to the best of my ability, they throw in an “up-down-hop-back-forth”…then another “up-down-two-hops-back-forth.” I mean, tell me this isn’t as mentally tough as it is physically challenging? But with that being said, doesn’t the saying go: “What puts us out of our comfort zone helps us grow?” Well, it’s something like that. And Jari Love’s Get Extremely Ripped! 1000 Hardcore DVD is all about getting our fit bottoms moving and pushing us all to the next level.

Jari consistently encourages you to work hard, and—as a girl whose mother was part of the aerobic scene of the 1980s—I was thrilled to have great exercise cues. It makes a huge difference. What I liked most about this DVD though is Jari’s ability to modify each exercise for every fitness level. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or advanced, coming off an injury or are just plain scared of the raised step like I am, you can get a solid (and exhausting) workout with each modification. That being said, if your knees aren’t the strongest, be aware that jumping, squatting and lunging make up most of the cardio. The DVD incorporates lots of leg exercises, such as deadlifts, squats and lunges, and it balances the body out by performing rows, tricep kickbacks, shoulder presses and bicep curls. Personally, I would have loved to see more chest exercises besides push-ups, but the DVD gets a lot of fit-busting moves in in a short period of time.

The DVD can be broken up into 30-minute segments—one intense cardio session, a “Feel the Burn” segment (yes, it burns), a weight-training session, or two workouts containing cardio and strength training. BUT, if you are up for the challenge, you can do an 80-minute GET EXTREMELY RIPPED workout, which combines all the segments together. Each session begins with a 5-minute warm-up and ends with a 6-minute abdominal routine, which is so challenging it feels like any keg could split into a six-pack. (Get your mind out of the junk gutter—we drink water during our workouts, not beer.) Each workout alternates cardio and weight training, while giving you a moment to catch your breath and recover.

Now, if you are like me, you probably read “1000” in the workout DVD title and thought, “Is it really possible to burn up to 1,000 calories in one workout?” So, I put it to the heart-rate monitor test! After the full 80-minute session, I had burned 745 calories. Okay, so it isn’t the proclaimed 1,000, but all bodies and fitness levels are different. So if you are looking for a new challenge, the mixture of plyometric exercises and strength training will mostly likely give you a “step” in the right direction and a pretty impressive calorie burn.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★1/2

Fit Bottomed Line: One of Jari Love’s hardest workout DVDs to date, Get Extremely Ripped! 1000 Hardcore is, in fact, hardcore for those wanting a cardio and strength workout that is a serious challenge.

Have you tried this DVD? Or another with Jari Love? Agree with my thoughts? —Raquel

Kelsey doing a pull-up!

FBG intern and on-again-off-again exerciser Kelsey is trying P90X2, the second version of the super-popular P90X system by Tony Horton. Find out how it’s going below, and follow along with her progress in the coming months here!

Wow! That’s my initial reaction to P90X2 Phase Two. It was a definite challenge, taking me back to what I remember about the original P90X—weights, pull-ups and push-ups galore. All good muscle-building exercises.

Coming off the last phase where I modified several moves, I was determined not to do that as much during Phase Two. And I feel like I succeeded for the most part, but there were times I modified yet still managed to get a good workout in.

This phase worked a little differently than the last one in that there were four workouts that alternated every two weeks (so you did two workouts for two weeks and then two other workouts for two weeks). So instead of Phase One where you were stuck on the same thing for four weeks, it actually mixed up the workouts. I found this nice because I get bored easily, and I knew there was something new around the corner!

The one workout that did continue through Phase Two was Base and Back. It’s a combo of plyometrics and pull-ups. Instead of using resistance bands, which are now too easy for me, for the pull-ups, I used a chair for my weakling self. But I managed to do those pretty well! (See photo for proof.) I could feel myself getting stronger.

Shoulders and Arms was the first of the four alternating workouts. In this one, I went for the weights to tone my arms versus using the bands, which I think I’ve gotten used to from Phase One. This was one area I really tried to challenge myself. The Chest, Back and Balance workout was also one I tried to do modified pull-ups instead of using resistance bands. I succeeded for the most part with that. Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I was impressed with myself for using the weights. I’m not usually a weight lifting kind of gal, but I’m glad I took on the challenge.

The last two weeks of the phase involved the V Sculpt and Chest, Shoulders and Tris workouts. As with the others, I did my darndest to “keep up with the boys” or, in my case, use the correct weight and not modify the moves as much. I definitely stayed pretty stable with my progress in the workouts that lasted two weeks. But there is only so much you can do in two weeks. You would have to keep going with the program to really see how you progress. Ah well, for another day.

Phase Two definitely kicked my butt, but I’m glad I took it by the horns and tackled it as best I could. I must say the alternating workouts helped the phase go by much faster than expected. Now we are on to Phase Three. Hopefully I survive the program and can live to tell about it. So until next time…P90X2 Phase Two complete!

Have you done P90X2? Have a similar experience during Phase Two? Let’s compare notes! —Kelsey

The Insanity program. Credit: Beachbody.com

Those of you who know me know I truly enjoy a hard workout, like one that can make even the fittest of Fit Bottomed Girls and Fit Bottomed Dudes sweat. I like being pushed hard and seeing just how much I can get out of my body. Some people think I’m a little nuts. Those people probably won’t be surprised to learn that I freaking loved Insanity. I first did the program almost two years ago (which is when I first reviewed it for That’s Fit—if you want the details on each individual workout in the program, check that out), and since then, it’s regularly rotated into my fitness routine.

For those of you who are not yet familiar with Insanity, here’s the scoop. Insanity bills itself as “the hardest workout program ever put on DVD.” It’s a 60-day program that consists of 10 DVDs (six workouts you rotate through according to the Insanity calendar for the first month, one DVD that’s used for recovery during week five, and four that are rotated throughout the second month).

Each workout is based on the idea of MAX Interval Training, which basically means you do longer periods of super-intense exercise with short rest intervals. By switching up the intervals in this way, Insanity claims you can burn up to 1,000 calories in an hour. These intervals keep your body and mind occupied with moves that are easy to learn but tough to master, especially when you’re nearing the end of an interval and facing total muscle failure. Because, believe me, you will experience total muscle failure.

The workouts are all similar insofar as to say that, if you like one of them, you’ll like them all, but they differ enough to keep each day fresh. The first day is the Fit Test, which takes you through eight exercises for a minute each, and then has you write down your score. Insanity trainer Shaun T leads and, as he does with all the videos, participates in the majority of the exercises but takes breaks to show form (and catch his breath). The man and woman he uses as examples offer up their scores from their first time and what they score on the video (after 60 days on the program), so you can get a feel for where you stand. I was pretty middle ground—sometimes higher than their starting score, sometimes lower.

Now, the Fit Test had me struggling, but compared to the other workouts, it was a breeze. Each workout had its own special way to torture my muscles, so that even though I was sore enough after, say Plyometric Cardio Circuit to warrant concerned glances from strangers as I tried to walk up the stairs, I was still able to give the next day’s workout, Cardio Power & Resistance, my full effort. However, my full effort still wasn’t quite enough to finish every move, every time. There were several times when my body gave up before my mind was ready to quit, and even if my life had depended on it, I could not have possibly done another rep. Nope, not even one.

The Insanity program is $144.80 on the official Web site (including shipping and handling), which, I know is a lot of money to spend. But that’s a small price to pay for results, right? Plus, it comes with a nutrition guide, quick-and-easy fitness guide, calendar and access to online support tools. If you ask me, it’s entirely worth it. Shoot, it’s worth every penny and then some.

I have a couple of notes for you before I give out my official rating. First, I want to point out that this is a seriously athletic workout—I found myself transported back to being 15 years old and attending the varsity volleyball and basketball open gyms, hoping I could work hard enough to keep up with the juniors and seniors. It’s sporty without the sports, so if you consider yourself an athlete and want to be pushed in the same way a coach would push you during tryouts, you’ll enjoy it.

That being said, it is hard. There are no real modifications because Shaun T doesn’t want to give you any excuses for not giving absolutely everything you have. (I know this for a fact—he told me.) So, if you’re not in pretty good shape to start with and aren’t familiar with how to modify athletic moves like this, I would strongly recommend asking a trainer or fit and experienced friend to help you modify the moves to avoid injury.

One other thing I’d like to say is that this was the first workout my husband and I ever did together consistently (kind of like FBG Jenn and her hubby!), and we both had a blast. In fact, maybe it’s about time for us to start another round …

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★★
Long-Term Likeability:★★★★★
Music: ★★★★1/2
Fun Factor: ★★★★1/2
Meets Expectations: ★★★★★

Overall: ★★★★1/2

Fit Bottom Line: I loved it. LOVED. I loved how hard this program pushed me, I loved Shaun T, and I loved that each video was just different enough to keep me fully focused, but not so different that I had to struggle to figure out new moves with each one. And the best part is that, even after finishing Insanity, I’ve continued doing the workouts here and there, and use a lot of the moves when I put together my own impromptu workouts at the gym or when I’m on the road. I’m going to go ahead and say it: This is my favorite at-home workout program. EVER.

Have you done Insanity? Agree with my review of the Beachbody program? —Kristen

Kelsey completes Phase One of P90X2!

FBG intern and on-again-off-again exerciser Kelsey is trying P90X2, the second version of the super-popular P90X system by Tony Horton. Find out how it’s going below, and follow along with her progress in the coming months here!

P90X2 Phase One? Check. Me and the two guys I work out with spent a total of four weeks in Phase One: the Core and Balance phase. One week was practice, you know, so we could get acclimated to the workouts. That only lead to more soreness, but you can never get too much practice right? Best to know the moves and do them correctly so that you don’t get injured!

In the beginning, I definitely modified the moves so I could work up to (my version of) perfecting them. As time went on, I found myself getting better at the balance parts, as did my P90X2 buddies. And by the end, we all stepped it up a notch and tried to finish out the phase with mucho gusto.

The guys I am working out with—my hubby and our friend—definitely tried to outdo each other, which was a sight to see sometimes…competition, competition. I found it amusing. I, on the other hand, was determined not to kill myself like they did but still get a challenging workout in. As I looked back at my notes for the first phase, I noticed that I modified quite a few of the moves, but as the round continued, I got a progressively better at some of them. Good, right?

Here are a few of my highlights and lessons learned doing the first phase of P90X2:

Results from P90X2 Phase One

• Don’t Be Afraid to Modify Any Move. One of the moves on the day for Core is the Half Angel. This move is tough for someone who doesn’t have much if any arm strength, i.e. myself. So I modified the move by lifting my arm and leg separately instead of at the same time—because that would just be a disaster. I’m not that coordinated. I’m sure if I had more practice, I could master the move. Instructor Tony Horton emphasizes practice and tells first-timers not to go overboard and just do what you can. So I did and recommend you do the same!
• Celebrate Your Successes. The Russian Twist on the Balance and Power day was a move I improved on—in the weight category, as well as reps. For a weakling like me that was good. Tracking your results allows you to see just how far you’ve come!
• Tweaking Your Diet Helps You to See Results. Throughout the phase, I could see my body changing little by little. I must say, a few pounds are shedding off my waist and my pants are fitting a little better, too. I’m also trying to eat more healthy and less-processed foods. It’s hard to do on-the-go, but I’m doing pretty well with it so far. I’m hoping the next phase will give me better results with more muscle tone! So if you really want to see results with P90x2, make sure you’re eating well, too!

Overall, P90X2 Phase One was a good one. It was a welcome break from what I would consider the typical P90X material…weight lifting, push-ups, pull-ups, etc. I liked the core work and felt I improved my balance by the end of the phase. I’m looking forward to what the next phase will bring and how I will be able to improve through it as well. Although, I hear it’s lots of weights and pull-ups… Wish me luck!

Have you done P90X2? Have any words of advice for starting Phase Two? Share, please! —Kelsey

Kelsey does the one-arm chest press on a stability ball—a signature move of P90X2.

FBG intern and on-again-off-again exerciser Kelsey is trying P90X2, the second version of the super-popular P90X system by Tony Horton. Find out how it’s going below, and follow along with her progress in the coming months here!

After far too long of not working out enough, my hubby and some of our friends decided to do P90X2. I was up for it, as we had attempted and—well, in my case—failed miserably at the original P90X. If I remember correctly, I don’t think anyone actually finished the whole thing. My excuse for not finishing P90X was that I was planning my wedding, and meetings and other things got in the way. Frankly, at the time, I just wasn’t into it and it was summertime—so it was more appealing to go outside than work out inside. But this time with P90X2? Well, it was going to be different.

I’m determined to finish this time because it’s winter and I can’t fathom running outside. We also don’t have our gym membership anymore, so what better excuse to get off the couch and do something, right? I should clue you in that our P90x2 group generally consists of two guys—my husband and one of our friends and then me, the only girl—so it’s a bit of a unique dynamic.

Most of you have probably heard of the P90X or P90X2 programs, but may probably haven’t tried them, so I’ll give you the quick low-down on how they work (we’ll do a full review of both programs here in a few months). Each workout system lasts 90 days and uses weights to tone and strengthen, yoga to stretch those muscles, plyometrics to keep the heart rate up, and other various types of exercise to get you in shape. The program is designed to have a person work out for five to six days a week through three phases. There are even worksheets for some of the workouts for you to keep track of your progress, so I’ll try to let you know how I improve by the end of each phase of P90X2. There is also a meal system included, and while I don’t follow it, some people do to get the maximum results.

Each phase in P90X2 is supposed to last three to six weeks, depending on how you feel you have “mastered” the moves. This version also allows two days of rest, so you are only working out five days a week, which I find a little easier to manage than the six-days-a-week workout of the original P90X.

As of now, I’m into week two in the first phase of P90X2, and I can definitely feel muscles that haven’t shown themselves since I did P90X. I’m not used to working out with weights or holding up my body with my arms (not really something I can do well as of now). It’s easier for the guys to hold themselves up, and I do my best to modify the moves. Although, most of the first phase so far is better than P90X—less repetition and time goes by a little faster.

There seems to be a lot more core work in P90X2 than P90X—at least in the first phase. And the yoga is much better than the 90-minute P90X version. I was dreading the yoga since the last one was so boring and drawn out, but the P90X2 version is about an hour and has a lot more variety and stretching. I can only do so many downward dogs before I get a headache, you know? Yoga just isn’t my thing, but I’m attempting.

Tony Horton—love him or annoyed by him—is just about the same as he was in P90X, cracking “jokes.” The P90X2 workouts also bring back different people, who range from MMA fighters to moms to actual people who have benefited from the workout program. I think the goal is to make the program feel attainable, but sometimes you just feel lame because they are in so much better shape than you. But at least Horton lets one of them do modified versions of some moves, so we weaklings (for now at least!) can feel like we are still accomplishing the workout. And the modified version is not always done by the girl—way cool.

After a little more than a week into it, I do feel better. Like I’m working out. Shocking—I know. I can tell I’m using my muscles differently than normal, and it feels good. I’m getting that good sore feeling. I’m glad I decided to get my arse off the couch and do something. I know that working out makes you feel good, and I just have to harness that motivation and do it because my body always feels better when I’m working out.

So, it’s on to the rest of the phase and more painful, yet gratifying workouts. I’ll let you know how I fare in a couple weeks. Here’s to progress! Have you tried P90X or P90X2? What was your experience like? The results? —Kelsey

Doing a Biggest Loser DVD is pretty much an easy choice. Who wouldn’t want to exercise like they were at The Biggest Loser ranch? Or spend some quality time with Bob Harper? Or look at Dolvett Quince in red? (Because good God he looks drool-worthy in that color.) Or work out with former at-home winners of the show? We knew we would.

The latest in The Biggest Loser DVD line is The Biggest Loser At-Home Challenge, which is pretty much like the rest of The Biggest Loser DVDs on the market. You get a customizable mix-and-match menu with a variety of segments with pretty good instruction, fun music and a “real-person” quality to it since there are no fitness models used. In this one, the trainers are Bob, Dolvett and Anna Kournikova, and the contestants are Heba Salama, Jim Germanakos, Rebecca Meyer and Bernie Salazar. (Poor Jim didn’t make the cover.)

Now, let’s break it down piece by piece. First, you have the Warm-Up. Anna leads this 5-minute section, and it’s pretty basic. There are your basic stretches, pliés and other moves to warm the body up, plus modifications for the more challenging stretches like the runner’s lunge. Next, Anna leads Phase 1 Cardio, which is 10 minutes of sports drills with options to make the movements more (read: hard). From skaters to running man (a really low lunge with a tap back, then a knee and then a hop) to curtesy lunges with kicks, it may be “phase 1,” but it’s no beginner’s picnic. Phase 1 Strength is another 10 minutes of fun, with strength moves that use just your body weight. There are squats to side lunges, planks where you bring your knees to each elbow, balance work and more planks that make you row, twist and side plank. Again, no picnic. But at least Dolvett leads it and has a tight shirt on.

Then you move on to Phase 2 Cardio. This 15-minute workout is more challenging—and Bob is leading it (nothing is easy when Bob is in charge). It’s pretty much a Bob-rific segment that uses dumbbells for kettlebell-inspired moves. There are swings, static squats holding weights, moves where you’re swinging the dumbbell like a bat, squat jumps, jacks with weight—plenty of semi-complicated stuff to get your heart rate up fast and keep it up. Phase 2 Strength with Bob is a touch easier than Phase 2 Cardio because your heart rate doesn’t get as high, but oh-my-goodness do you feel the burn. Using up to 8-pound dumbbells, you do side lunges with a static front raise, knee-ups with a hold and upper-body work, and then there’s the fun combo move of a squat while reaching the dumbbells back behind you and then up and overhead for a tricep press and then back down to a squat again. Oh, and there’s plenty of pulsing and holding, too. There’s not much to write home about in the Cool Down, which is four minutes of your basic stretching and yoga with Anna again.

Although the moves aren’t timed to the music (and, for me, that always makes for a more jazzed workout), the music in this workout DVD is fun. Be warned though that although the sections are labeled as “cardio” and “strength,” all of them have moves that are both cardio and strength. Particularly, your legs and core never get a break in this DVD.

Which leads me to my next point. If you were to do any of the sections on their own, I’d say that each of these are pretty darn good. They’re full-body, burn calories and aren’t the same moves you’re used to seeing time and time again. However, if you were to do all or even some of the segments back to back—week after week—you’d be doing A LOT of squats, lunges and planks. So much so that I think you could mentally get pretty sick of them and that you could put your body at an increased risk of repetitive injury. Use a segment here or there during your week though, and I think you’re golden.

While I really liked that you could always look to Heba for lower-impact and beginner modifications, some of the instruction was hit or miss. The trainers are, on the whole, good with giving form cues and are motivating without being overly up in your grill, but it’s clear that Bob has the most experience with instructing a workout for a DVD (and rightly so!). Dolvett isn’t bad by any means, but it feels like with more practice you’d get to see more of his personality and spunk. ‘Cause I know it’s in there. And then there’s Anna. Honest to goodness, she couldn’t be much cuter in her Lululemon top—she’s almost like a little Russian bunny hopping about. But it’s obvious that it’s her first workout DVD, and she just comes off flat in her sections, almost like she’s reading a teleprompter.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):

Instruction: ★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★
Music: ★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★1/2

Fit Bottomed Line: You’ll need more than just this workout DVD in your collection for overall fitness, but for Biggest Loser fans who want more of the show, more of the trainers and more of a challenge than the past Biggest Loser DVDs, it’s a fun addition to the workout rotation.

Want to try this Biggest Loser At-Home Challenge DVD yourself? Leave a comment telling us who your favorite Biggest Loser trainer is, and we’ll select one lucky U.S. reader to win in about a week! —Jenn

While working out with Jillian and Bob is awesome, sometimes you really just want to work out with your girlfriend. Your normal, non-brutal friend, who can’t do laundry on her abs. You know, your friendly, upbeat, encouraging—and real—pal. Well, for times when you’re in that mood, Coach Nicole is your girl. Because she’s all of those things, plus she can give you a creative and fun workout that will challenge both beginners and intermediate exercisers in SparkPeople 28 Day Boot Camp.

This isn’t the first workout DVD we’ve loved with Coach Nicole, but it’s certainly our favorite thus far. A total of 85 minutes broken up into mix-and-match segments (we’re always a sucker for that!), it’s a customizable cardio and strength workout (yep, a sucker for that, too). With excellent cuing, a time-ticker countdown on each section and pacing that isn’t too fast or too slow, the new SparkPeople workout DVD marries traditional aerobics moves with new creative twists. All you need is a pair of dumbbells (3 to 8 pounds, I’d recommend), a place to move around and somewhere soft to put your knees for matwork.

There’s a 6-minute warm-up that is pretty basic with step touches, arm circles and squats with rotation. In the 12-minute Cardio Burst section, you mamba, push-turn, lunge and punch your way to fit. Cardio Sculpt (my personal favorite!) is a fun 12 minutes of sliding moves, bicep curls, bridges, skipping (whee!) and combo moves like a squat with an overhead press followed by a lateral lowering down of the dumbbells. Then there’s Tone and Burn, a 21-minute full-body extravaganza with unique moves like squats to an upper-body side raise to an overhead V, lunge with row plus pivoting, balance challenges where you do a bicep curl with a leg lift, jumping lunges (oh, the challenge!) and crunches with a chest fly. The final full segment is Total Body Challenge, which is half an hour of kettlebell-inspired moves that you do with a dumbbell—plus other goodies like wood chops, single leg squats with a lateral raise, side planks with side crunches and fun ol’ glute toning on the floor—sandwiched between cardio bursts like v-steps. The whole thing ends with a basic 4-minute cool down that includes low-intensity moves to lower the heart rate and stretching.

There’s so much variety and so many options to choose from (or splice together) that I feel certain saying that there’s probably something you’ll enjoy on the DVD. Granted, many of the moves would be too complicated for someone who’s never worked out before, been to an aerobics class or done some weight lifting, but if you have a general knowledge of working out, you should be okay (or get the hang of it after a time or two of practice). In order to accommodate different fitness levels, Coach Nicole has two other real girls as models in the DVD who show modifications to make the moves easier or harder. This was a nice touch.

While the music isn’t anything to write home about, it’s not too shabby, and it is good background music to your workout. SparkPeople 28 Day Boot Camp may not not be crazy, gimmicky or flashy, but it’s a really good full-body strength and cardio workout with moves you don’t see every day.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★★

Best for: SparkPeople 28 Day Boot Camp is best for beginner and intermediate exercisers who know aerobics and workout basics and are looking for a challenge.

Want to try this SparkPeople workout DVD yourself? Leave a comment telling us how it’ll fit in your workout routine, and we’ll select one lucky U.S. reader to win in about a week! —Jenn

Man-oh-man we’ve reviewed some good strength workout DVDs lately! A few weeks ago it was Jillian Michaels’ new workout DVD, and today it’s Jackie Warner! We’ve long been Jackie Warner fans (heck, we’ve talked to her not once, not twice, but three times!) for her no-nonsense approach to fitness and working out. And her latest DVD, Personal Training With Jackie: 30 Day Fast Start? Well, it’s like her other DVDs—plus.

As Jackie told us yesterday, this new strength DVD uses the concept of pyramid training, where you do combo-move super-sets (working a couple of muscle groups) and gradually increase your rep counts for each super-set from one to two to three…all the way up to 10 reps. Pyramid training is actually the kind of workout Jackie does when she needs to bust through a plateau—and by the looks of her and her ridic abs—it works.

The DVD has two 25-minute workouts on it. Each features a different two-minute warm-up and three-minute cool down and about 25 minutes of pyramid training moves. The Upper-Body Workout targets pretty much only the upper body, while the Lower-Body Workout brings the burn to your upper body, lower body and core (a little more bang for your buck there for sure). Using the recommended 5- to 8-pound weights, the combo moves Jackie has you do are not for the faint of heart. In the Upper-Body section, she has you do push-ups on your knees (hands on dumbbells) to hammer bicep curls, chest press to seated bicep curls, upright row to standing headbangers (also called overhead tricep presses), and wide row to tricep kickback. In the Lower-Body section, Jackie busts out the squats with front shoulder raises, deadlifts with lateral raises, sumo squats to military overhead presses, crunches to reverse crunches, a double-modification of the crab crunch, and lastly, more ab torture where you reach up to your toes and then open and close your legs like scissors. While not impossible, it’s pretty brutal.

Because you’re always counting reps for the pyramid training, I can see how the continual counting could get repetitive. On the other hand, counting each rep and then each set does help you to stay focused, which is a good thing when you’re doing these more advanced moves. All in all, with pyramid training, you’re always making progress, so most of the exercises go by pretty quickly.

Which leads me to my next point: pacing. I understand the need to move quickly in order to fatigue the muscle and get your heart rate up, but the pace of most of these combo exercises is too fast for my taste. If they were slowed down just a touch, they’d be much easier to do with proper form. Especially because Jackie doesn’t give that many tips on alignment. Sure, she’s enthusiastic and encouraging (without being overly “hard” or perky, which is hard to do), but I really, really wish she gave more form cues, such as keeping the abs in, the lower back flat and the shoulders pulled back and together when doing the Upper Body segment. I can definitely see inexperienced exercisers getting tired and having their form shot to hell after just a few reps. And nobody likes an injury, especially a back one.

Despite all that, I still really like the DVD and would do it again. Jackie is great about telling people that they should expect to be sore after the workouts and she gives lots of prompts to go up in weights if you’re not feeling it. The music in the DVD is techno-y—nothing to write home about but nothing terrible either. So while I wish the pace was slowed down, more cues were given and that the lower-body actually had more lower-body moves, overall this DVD is simple and no nonsense. As long as you’ve lifted weights before and are comfortable with combo moves at a quick pace, it’s one to add to your strength workout DVD rotation!

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★
Music: ★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★

Overall: ★★★1/2

Fit Bottomed Line: Personal Training With Jackie: 30 Day Fast Start is a no-nonsense strength DVD for the intermediate or advanced exerciser who is looking to build muscle, get her heart rate up and bust through a plateau or a workout rut!

Have you guys ever tried pyramid training? Jackie’s workout DVDs? Discuss! —Jenn

Just when we think Jillian Michaels can’t top her past workout, just when we think she couldn’t possibly have any more fitness tricks up her sleeve, she goes and creates another DVD that has us begging for mercy. This time it’s Jillian Michaels Extreme Shed & Shred. And it does not—I repeat does not—disappoint.

It’s like Jillian put all of her DVDs—Yoga Meltdown, 30-Day Shred, Ripped in 30, Shred It with Weights, 6 Week Six-Pack, and No More Trouble Zones—together for one master workout DVD to kick your butt and shred your body. With two workouts, the DVDs follow Jillian’s usual formula for booty-kicking: circuit training with weights and cardio. But in this DVD, she combines weights, kettlebell exercises, weight training, plyometrics, yoga poses, balance work and core moves for two workouts that really do shed and shred.

The Level One workout includes a 6-minute warm-up, 29 minutes of drills and a 7-minute cool down (42 minutes total). The workout itself is a challenging mix of burpees, down dogs, punches, kicks, good mornings (like dead lifts—hardly see these in workout DVDs, so I LOVED that she did them!), Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu moves, sun salutations and other moves that will have you saying owie. The 54-minute Level Two workout has the same warm-up and cool down, but a longer and more intense workout section that’s 41 minutes long. Featuring more complicated and advanced moves like plank push-up jacks, weighted reverse crunches, deep warrior poses, kettlebell swings with a dumbbell, and a standing balance and core strength move called “Statue of Liberty,” it is not for the faint of heart. If you’re super workout psycho, you can even put the two levels together for almost an hour-and-a-half of Jillian that might just kill you. In a good way, of course.

I’m just going to say it (and this is a bold statement in the workout DVD world): This is the best workout DVD Jillian has created and one of the best DVDs I’ve ever done. In no other Jillian Michaels workout DVD are her cuing, tips on form and modifications (she shows you how to make most of the moves easier or harder) as spot on as they are in this DVD. It’s like she’s been reading our feedback (and maybe she has since she mentioned us in episode 19 of her podcast!).

The music is good (except for the odd cat screeching in Level Two that’s more hilarious than distracting), the pace is slow and controlled, and you get a lot of what’s great about Jillian Michaels. She’s totally herself in this one: cracking jokes (be sure to check out the blooper reel off the main menu), demanding a lot out of you, and giving everyone a good dose of truth and motivation. In the intro of the DVD she even addresses good nutrition and how it’s essential to getting good results (she also tells you about her free nutrition plan that’s online). I especially enjoyed how she ended the cool down with corpse pose and a little semi hippity-dippity pep talk, saying ”everything is perfect in this moment.” And, really, in this DVD, everything is perfect.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):

Instruction: ★★★★★
Long-Term Likeability: ★★★★★
Music: ★★★★
Fun Factor: ★★★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★★★

Overall: ★★★★★ (I’m rounding up ’cause it’s that good!)

Fit Bottomed Line: If you’re a Jillian fan, you MUST add Extreme Shed & Shred to your workout DVD collection. Must!

What’s your favorite Jillian Michaels’ workout DVD? Could this one take its top spot? —Jenn