The 30 Day Shred
The majority of questions I get in reference to workouts are generally about The 30 Day Shred as I recommend it so much. I decided it would be easier to do a full review of it and that way I can direct people to it so that I don't miss out on anything.
The 30 Day Shred is a workout regime created by Jillian Michaels who is most notable from her appearance on the US Biggest Loser series. I first found out about it through Tumblr and I wish I had discovered it sooner. It involves 20 minutes of circuit training on workout days. Each workout combines cardio, strength work and ab moves. In the video, each of the moves is carried out by two other girls. One of the girls does the harder version of the moves so you can really test yourself and the other does modified versions of the moves so that you find the workout easier if you're just starting out or haven't quite perfected the harder versions. This can be not using weights, going slower, changing your form or reducing the number of reps.
In each circuit there are 6 different moves and 3 circuits to complete with a warm-up and cool down for each workout. The circuits begin with 2 minutes of cardio (jumping jacks, butt kicks etc.), 2 minutes of strength (squat and press, push-ups etc.) and 1 minute of abs (basic crunches, bicycles crunches etc.). As a beginner, I found the moves very easy to grasp as the instructions that Jillian gives are thorough and not rushed which is an issue I find with other workout videos. There are 3 levels in total and each level is done 10 times. There are different ways to do the shred depending on who you speak to; I did the shred solely on its own as a workout but others alternate it with extra cardio. Below is a printable calendar, from start-living-the-dream.tumblr.com, which you can use to track how far you've come.
A major bonus is that you only need minimal equipment and space to complete the workouts! The maximum amount of equipment you need is some hand weights and a comfortable surface to lie on and maintain some grip. I bought some relatively inexpensive hand weights from Argos and began by using 1kg in each hand. If you don't have access to weights or don't want the financial outlay, you can use water bottles filled with sand/stones or tin cans. If you don't have an exercise mat then it's pretty comfortable to do the workouts on the carpet and just lay down a towel to absorb any sweat (you WILL sweat!).
To buy the DVD is inexpensive now that it has been around for a relatively long time. I have seen it on Amazon for under £6/$10 or you can download it via iTunes and keep it on your laptop, ipad etc. which makes it easier to do as a workout if you have a shared computer or want to keep active when you travel.
I achieved fantastic results with the shred and I would widely recommend it to anyone that it is safe for. Obviously I would suggest individuals speak to their physician if their health isn't fantastic or they suspect it would be bad for their joints. I started the shred when I was around 230/235lbs with a BMI of ~38 and hadn't had a proper workout in years. Across the regime, I lost over 10lbs and over 10 inches from my key measurements (waist, thighs, arms and under my bust). I combined it with better eating and staying hydrated. I did not do the workout every single day and I made sure to take 1 or 2 rest days a week so it did take me longer than the 30 days.
One of the issues with the shred is that you need to be mindful of your form. You do not have a trainer physically present to tell you to adjust your form so it would be a good idea to check your form in a mirror and remember quality over quantity. It is important to do this to avoid injury such as during the squat moves and ab work as well as to increase the overall effectiveness of the workout. I think it is vital to stress how important the warm-up and cool downs are in terms of avoiding injury and soreness the next day. These are done along with you on the video so there's no real thinking to be done but at the end of the video it might be a little tough to maintain that final push and get it done.
Motivation is key in that some may find it repetitive and hard to push through because you might be doing it on your own. It was hard for me for the first few days but I felt a big difference in my fitness by about days 5 and 6. I knew I was doing more reps and took fewer breaks than I did on the first day when I could barely complete level 1. It's key to know that you shouldn't weigh yourself too much during the shred. In general, you're more likely to lose inches than you are pounds so you are physically smaller but your weight may not change dramatically. I measured and weighed myself after each level.
One advantage of the shred is that you can do it at basically any level! You can decide for yourself how arduous or easy you would like it to be by deciding how many reps you complete, how much you commit to each rep and the size of the weights that you utilise. It's also useful in that you don't need to design your own routine and it is pre-made for you so all you have to do is press play and push yourself. Post-completion of the shred and once you feel capable, I would suggest doing Ripped In 30 which is another regime designed by Jillian. It is basically of the same format but is made up on 4 levels and harder than the shred, in my opinion.
Overall, it is quick, cheap but by no means is it easy (if any workout is easy then it isn't a workout).
xoxo
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