I've never done a lower body workout quite like this one. I'm used to doing squats and lunges etc. with weights. This one is part resistance training, part cardio, part functional moves, and part “I don’t know how to describe them” moves. It’s a little bit of everything. It’s primarily a lower body workout, but the arms and core get worked as well because of the large number of moves in plank position.

The DVD is set up with three different workouts. Each has its own chapter. The workouts are supposed to be progressively tougher, but within each workout there’s a modifier who does an easier version of the moves that Jillian describes. I found all three workouts to be equally challenging if I did the harder version. I don’t think you need to master one level before moving onto the next one.

There are two background exercisers behind Jillian. She usually starts out a move with them (while describing it) but then stops and goes up to the background exercisers (particularly the advanced one) and really pushes them to work harder. She yells a bit. This bothered me when I previewed the workouts, but not at all when I actually did them. She does not count reps. Instead, each move goes on for a minute and then she calls time. She has no timer or stopwatch so someone off camera must be signaling her. Sometimes she directs you to do a rep or two extra and sometimes she counts down the last five seconds, but none of the moves goes on for very long. This is a blessing with some of the harder moves.

She groups three or four exercises together in a superset, and you do each group twice. She even structures the warm up this way. She mostly does functional fitness moves, but also throws in a bit of weight work, traditional floorwork, and cardio. She even borrows some moves from wrestling. There’s so much variety, you won’t be bored, exhausted but not bored. I found it to be a very challenging workout, definitely made for high intermediate or advanced exercisers. Modifications are shown however, and some of the cardio moves could be made easier as well. Another way to make the workout easier, or simply speed things up, is to do each superset only once. This requires quite a bit of fast forwarding since there are no chapter markers within each workout. Also, on one sided moves, she tends to work one side on the first set and the other one on the second set. You’ll have to pause the DVD and work the other side if you don’t do each group twice.

I liked all three workouts. Each workout had moves that were favorites, but it’s impossible to put them together in a customized workout, since there’s no chaptering of the individual moves. It’s a nice change from weights or barre workouts. I loved the great variety of moves. I think this style is really a challenge to the status quo exercises I’ve been doing. I think this is a workout that will deliver results. My only complaint is the lack of chaptering within the individual workouts. Other than that, I like this DVD a lot and recommend it.

Instructor Comments:
Jillian is well known from her TV appearances. She can be a bit much. Her style is not for everybody. There’s no question, however, that she develops effective workouts, and has a great deal of experience helping people lose body fat.

Jane P