Cardio 3! Madeline and Jillian...now BFF's forevs!

Somehow I got out of order but I wanted to post the month three cardio review done by Madeline and some additional notes she has about other workouts!  This was the cardio DVD Madeline did all throughout month 3.

She finished a tough 90 day program that carried/pushed her through year two law school finals AND wedding prep AND a new job AND a move.  Pretty darn good!  Now two days from wearing a fancy dress and wedded bliss, I want to thank Madeline for sampling this program for me so myself and my clients know what the demands are and what to expect.

From a physical therapist and trainer perspective, I would expect to start healthy.  If you have any sore spots,  shoulder, wrist, back. hip, knee, ankle, you need to address that ouchy spot, or have a professional guide you on modifications, or if you need to wait before starting this program.  A lot of the cardio moves and intervals have some plyometrics or jumping that can be modified but you may not feel like you are getting the full experience or level of intensity if you skip them.

Also, expect to be pushed.  Jillian Michaels presents a 30 minute video in this series but she wants you working the WHOLE time.  If you turned on the video and it was easy and 100% doable, you most likely would not be making gains!  If there is a move you cannot do or is tough, do what you can and see if next time you can do a bit more (unless it hurts your joints, etc).

I think Jillian does a good job enforcing form, and offering examples of what to do and not to do in these DVD's.

And now, Madeline's update on cardio 3.

Cardio 3

Wow! I have done this workout 4 times – I’m so sorry I have not updated sooner.

Cardio 3…is a beast. It’s definitely the most fun cardio workout out of the three, but WOW. But the end I am breathing so hard. That being said, I can already see improvement since the first time I did this dvd.

Jillian takes you through about 20 (maybe more) exercises. You do each one for about 20 seconds, and it moves FAST. The exercises may only be 20 seconds each (repeated three times), but they are TOUGH. Plank moguls (in plank, hopping to the right, back to center, to the left, etc.), rock star jumps (kicking yourself in the butt), a series of squat jumps into alternating lunge jumps into squat jumping jacks…these are ALL tough. 

I can tell I’m getting stronger. I think my favorite exercise is plank punches. It’s the very last exercise in the series. You are in plank and then you just punch it out. It feels SO awesome, especially the last time you do it. 

High knees are CRAZY hard for me. She does mountain climbers and these high knees where you shift from side to side – great ab workout, but it is SO hard for me!

Overall, I’m seeing improvement. I just finished weeks 9 and 10 – and just a few more notes on those dvds:

DVD 9: I really liked this one. The cardio intervals were all REALLY fun, and she does this move where you squat and raise your arms with weights…for some reason, this was my favorite. I really felt like I was hitting all areas of the body with that move.

DVD 10: This was, by far, the most challenging dvd in the series for me so far. The axe lunges are BRUTAL for me, but I love the one legged tree squats. I also LOVED the last circuit. She has you do half moon (one of my favorite yoga poses) and then these killer shoulder lifts. Overall, did not mind these two weeks!