Search - The Biggest Winner - How to Win by Losing - Shape Up Complete (2-Disc DVD Set - Front & Backside) on DVD

Thirty Minutes of Booty Kicking Hard Work

Namaste | United States | 01/02/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I am happy with my purchase. Each workout is roughly 30 minutes each. They are broken down into a warm up, two different routinues using upper and lower body together with cardio, and a cool down/stretch. The cardio is a lot of jumping (think jumping jacks, etc.) What I really like about the workouts is that they are time efficient. I feel like I got a workout in 30 minutes and she combines upper and lower boday together. Maybe I'm crazy but I am starting to see a difference after 7 workouts. If you liked Jillian on the Biggest Loser, you'll like her on the DVDs. Her personality is the same.



Why I gave the DVDs 4: There are no demos of the exercises, so if you are not familiar with the exercises in her book (Winning By Losing) you might want to watch the DVDs before you do them or to see what the modified version of the exercise is. I believe she mentions that in the intro as well. Also, there a lot of jumping. I read in another person's review that that can be bad for joint problems, so something to consider.



Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase. I would recommend this to a friend and I will probably buy it as a gift for someone in the future."

Tough/Effective Workout

Cheryl L. Malone | Costa Mesa, CA USA | 01/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I like many enjoyed the Biggest Loser show; that is why I bought these DVD's. I must say I am delighted with the results I am getting by doing these workouts, even though they push me to my limits. I can not see a beginner doing these, without modification you start where you are and work up to it. I am a workout animal but Jillian puts me to shame. This has been the only workout that has taken my fat percentage down."

Not what I expected but definitely a challenging workout!

Sheri in Reho | Rehoboth Beach, DE | 12/15/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"When I first read the description of this DVD, I thought it was going to be a weight training workout. When I actually got the DVD, I found a very different workout than I expected. It is a very intense cardio workout during which you do some upper body weight training. However, because of the pace and how the weights are used in some parts of the workout (i.e, overhead), I had to go down from the usual 5 lb. hand weights I use for home workouts to the 2-pounders in order to keep up. Now that I've done the workout once, I know that I could keep my 5-pounders nearby and switch to those for standard weight-training exercises such as tricep kickbacks, but keep the 2-pounders for aerobic movements with weights.



I exercise 5 days a week and do a combination of cardio, weight training and toning, so I'm in relatively good shape. However, I am still about 35 pounds overweight (not to mention over age 50), so I found some of the cardio movements (mountain climbers, plyos, etc.) either too tough or too fast to keep up with. I got through the entire workout, which was a half-hour I believe, but I had to do some alternative movements here and there. (P.S. You need an aerobic step for this workout--she uses it as an aerobic step and also to lay on to do some weight work, etc.)



No doubt about it, Jillian is tough. I truly believe that, if I was physically able to do this workout exactly as offered, I would see results. However, that unfortunately isn't the case. As a result, the workout had the effect of making me feel like a failure instead of inspiring and motivating me. That's not Jillian's fault--I'm just saying that it makes sense for me to spend my money on workouts that energize me and lift me up instead of making me feel like I'm not good or strong enough.



Just to give you a basis for comparison, I rent and buy a LOT of exercise DVDs and it's not often I end up with one that I feel is above my fitness level. When I first tried Tae-bo it seemed overwhelming, but now I can get through a 45-minute Tae-bo workout fine. So yea, if I kept trying this Shape Up Front workout, it would no doubt eventually get easier for me. However, doing the workout the first time did not leave me feeling motivated enough to keep putting myself through that workout until that happens."

A short workout that packs a punch and will whip you up in s

lightnshade | Long Beach, CA USA | 12/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A short workout that packs a punch and will whip you up in shape!

If you like endurance weight training with short cardio bursts then you will enjoy these workouts! I have all 4 of Jillian's endurance strength training DVDS and they are very good especially when combined with 30-45 mins. cardio. The Maximize Full Frontal DVD is a little more intense than Jillian's Shape Up Front DVD; it has more core work, more one-leg moves and the cardio segments always use dumbbells. The Maximize Back In Action DVD is also a little more intense than Jillian's Shape Up Backside DVD; it has more core work, harder exercises and additional power moves. All 4 DVDs are an excellent buy and since they are all short workouts, you can easily combine them with cardio for a well-rounded 60 minute workout. Note: You will not like Jillian's workouts if you prefer to go heavy with weights."