Get Ripped 1000

Jari Love
Year Released: 2006

Categories: Circuit Training (cardio and weights)


I’m reviewing this workout after previewing and doing it once.

General workout breakdown: Beth (toaster) and the other reviewers have already broken this down and described it well. I’ll just add that this runs 58 min., with about 4 min. at the beginning for a warm-up and about 4 min. at the end for a final stretch.

Level: I’d recommend this to intermediates + through mid-advanced exercisers with previous weight lifting experience and some preexisting cardio and muscular endurance. You can lighten your weights, not use a step, and/or follow the “beginners” modifications to make this more intermediate in intensity, or you can increase them and go all out on the cardio with a higher step for a mid-advanced workout. I was probably at the mid-intermediate level when I tried this, and let me tell you that it nearly did me in. I should have chosen the Cardio Modifications option!

Class: 2 women and 1 man join Jari. Often several different versions of the same exercise and/or at least one alternative are shown.

Music: mostly instrumental upbeat stuff with a driving beat.

Set: somewhat dark interior set with living room furniture off to one side and motivational words (e.g. “results”) on one wall and pictures of muscled body parts on another.

Production: clear picture and sound. The camera angles are usually helpful rather than distracting.

Equipment: Jari presents options both for those using barbells with plates and dumbbells. She and most of her crew use a full-sized step with 2 risers, but you can lower the step height or do without if you want. You may want to have an exercise mat handy, too, for the abs and stretch segments.

Space Requirements: enough space to move around your step while doing lunges off of it, and then space behind to do squats, lunges, etc. You should also be able to lie on the floor for abs, etc. You can probably get away with around 6’ x 6’ (assuming you’re not too tall).

DVD Notes: The main menu offers you these choices: Introduction; Full Workout; Full Workout, Cardio Modifications; Exercises (i.e. chapters – each weights and cardio segment is chaptered separately); Bonus Features (Motivational Tips, Science of Metabolism, Other Programs, and Previews); and Credits.
At the beginning of each segment, the screen tells you the Max and Average Calories / Minute, and then for each weights segment the weights used by each exercise flash on the screen, too.

Comments: I agree that it’s too bad Jari didn’t simplify the equipment directional changes, but that’s not to say you can’t do so yourself.
This DVD reminded me that I generally do not like cardio and weight circuit videos! I’ve also moved away from super high reps with super low weights, although this one is more adaptable than some of the other more recent Jaris to slightly heavier weights.

Instructor Comments:
I like Jari: she’s relatively low key (I’d rather have someone a little more stilted than someone with too much caffeine in her system), and she believes in what she’s doing. At times she veers into motivational speaker territory, which isn’t my cup of tea, and she seems too focused on burning calories and especially carbs for my liking. But I applaud her for pushing weight training and putting out inexpensive DVDs of quality workouts. Anyway, Jari does include some form instruction and tips, and she mirror cues.

KathAL79

07/04/2008