I want to start off by saying that I am a Jillian fan. I find her NMTZ and BFBM very effective for me.
Set: Actually very pretty different shades of blue and a nice brown, not distracting.
Music: generic jazzy techno type. I usually only notice music in a workout if it is really good or really bad. During the workout I paid no attention to it.
Jillian is more glamorous with hair and makeup and spray tan.
She does her typical tough trainer shtick, but this does not bother me. She does it with the background exercisers trying to push them to go farther. She does make sure to give them compliments as well.
Both background exercisers are fit and beautiful and are really working hard. There is a modifier for the moves.
She even mentions at one point that people comment about her not doing the workout but stopping to teach too much and she says “I am a teacher”.
She talks a lot and gives lots of good instruction, but is pretty much non-stop talking.
The suggested way to do this workout is 3 weeks on Level 1 and 3 weeks on Level 2. Jillian says to workout about 5 days a week but does not specify to do this particular workout 5 days a week. If you like a longer workout, I think this would be good to pair with 30 Days Shred.
Both Level 1 and Level 2 use weights. The modifier in Level 1 does not use the weight.
I think this would be great to use a med ball with, that’s what I did.

Level 1 breakdown
Warmup: lunges, squats, low impact jackknives, this runs about 3 mintues.
The core of the workout (haha)
1. Standing knee crunches
2. Rear lunges with dumbbell overhead, tilt back stretching the core area
3. Burpees
4. Squats with knee up, rotating your weight side to side
5. Alternating side lunge with weights overhead, bending upper body over to lunging side. This move was kind of fast for me due to knee issues.
Then down to mat.
6. Lever crunches using same leg and same arm. Advanced has both arms out.
7. Back extensions.
8. Plank jacks.
9. Long lever crunches, opposite side. Advanced can hold a weight.
10. Double crunches
11. Side Crunches
12. Alt. crunches with long leg, long arm.
13. Caterpillar – start from standing walk your hands out into plank.
14. Side Crunches
15. Alt. crunches with long leg, long arm.
16. Side planks with knee in .
This one was tough, if you have wrist or shoulder issues this move might be a problem.
17. Spiders – which looks almost like Bootcamp style pushups, in fact the advanced background exerciser does a pushup too.
18. Mountain Climbers.
19. Side Planks with knee in.
20. Bridge Kicks

Then repeat at a faster pace. When I previewed this, I was a little taken aback at having to go faster, but when I did the workout, it didn’t seem too fast, maybe I am just slow.
The cool down is basic cobra and light stretches and Jillian goes into a motivational speech.
I have only done section 1 and I found it quite challenging and this is coming off of an 8 week
STS Meso 1 rotation. I would think that doing this workout 3 times a week would yield some good results, the calorie burn seems pretty high.

Level 2 Breakdown
Even the modifier uses a weight for this section.
The warm up is dynamic stretching with squats, high knees, lunges, skater s and a nonjump burpee.

1. Chops with weight.
2. Knee side oblique crunch with weight overhead.
3. Jumping jackknife.
4. Chops other side.
5. Side knee other side.
6. Low – high reaches.
7. Standing crunch repeater knees.
8. Plank twists.
9. Repeater knees.
10. Rotation pass through – this move reminded me of a move done is a lot of the Pink Firms.
11. Lunges, upper body twist.
12. Bicycle crunches
13. Pass throughs other side.
14. Dumbell swings – a kettebell type move.
15. Plank moguls
16. T stand kicks
17. Double crunch
18. Hollowman
19. Mountain Climbers.
Rinse and Repeat.
Overall I am happy with this dvd and feel I can get a lot of mileage out of it.
A couple of other comments: The dvd is not chaptered. I hit next and it took me back to the main menu.
Jillian does use the term “Bada**” for those who don’t want a dvd with language in it.

muddjeansgal