Killer Buns and Thighs

Would there be any doubt that we would receive nothing but a tough workout from our beloved trainer? Yes, she still makes you want to reach through the TV and occasionally give her a smack down (with all the muscles she helped you form) but alas, you keep pouring it into your workout. I'm an athlete, 43 years old, mostly run trails and circuit train daily (with one rest day) so am in good shape but have room to improve (we all know staying fit is nothing but a ton of WORK - fun WORK.) I've been looking for something that focuses more on the backside and could barely wait all weekend for my Amazon package to arrive today. Even if you have not been an athlete or if you are trying this as a beginner, just take your time, honor yourself, and follow the beginner in the video. Just stick to it. This quick review is about workout 1 and 2 and I did them back-to-back tonight. I may update later w/workout 3 but I just wanted to write quickly to say that Jillian herself says she lies (!) about time - of course (and thankfully so) the workouts are a bit longer than she announces in the beginning. Lots of plank work, variety of lunges (curtsies), front/side/back kicks, some plyo work, working with the chair (step-up to back lunge), side planks with inner thigh lifts, old school mat work. In workout II I really loved the single-leg burpees back to plank and then back up to single leg and jump or the single leg squats with corkscrew overhead press with jump. I was sweating big time in Level I - I wouldn't recommend anyone skip this one because it is a great challenge and of course, with Jillian, you can make it even more intense. All of this can be paired down to suit your level of ability. Overall, for first workout, I had 146 avg hr and burned almost 430 calories in 38 min for workout I. Workout 2 was 475 calories in 38 min. I'm 5'9 and b/t 135 and 140. Pretty awesome stuff. It was just about the same for me in workout II but I did peter out a bit at end after long work day and challenging workout so I tapered off in intensity so as not to lose form. There was an earlier comment that Jillian rags about naysayers on Twitter or whatever but it's just a fleeting comment and it's no big deal, it's the truth. She takes hits for putting herself out there because people can be mean but this video is just rock solid. The back-up girls are awesome too - prime condition and no messing around. Nothing to gain attention or distract (minimal ego, which is so refreshing.) I'm a huge Inside/Out Bob Harper fan (love those cd's - but some of the folks in the background can be distracting.) The music is familiar, some of the old school mat workout is familiar (think Jane Fonda even, or TA mat work) but it's effective. Jillian calls herself an "artiste" in this one and I believe her - master trainer. I'd recommend listening to Jillian's podcast. Check out the 3/11/11 post - first it talks about possible nutrition pitfalls of going vegan (I'm not vegan, but have huge respect) and then there is a section of the talk that refers to how she trains and how much time you have to put in. All about combo/hybrid lifts, utilizing all muscle groups all at once - it takes at least 20 mins to release hgh hormones. This is where she calls herself a "liar" about time (of course she says it's shorter than it is) and I love her for that. I'm so excited to just give all of myself to this new dvd and see what happens. Give yourself a treat and get this one, add it to your arsenal (pun intended.) Update: Finished Workout 3. It's tough but not as tough as 2 in my opinion. It seems to have more mat workout - warm-up was kind of slow compared to workout II. Overall, my avg hr was 143 and burned 385 calories. It just wasn't as intense as I like but i still love it. I think if you're up for challenge combo'ing a few of these like 1 and 3 or 2 and 3 (esp on weekends) would be rocking. You could easily do level III and tag on a run (if you're already in good physical condition.) I have to say that I'm not sore at all (from any of these) but I still have room to grow/improve/challenge myself but I def feel the booty working and I'm dedicated. I hope everyone loves this workout too and sees the results you want! Take care! Now to enjoy the afterburn. Cheerio!

I am a long distance runner. When I strength train, I focus mainly on my core and legs. I own 30 Day Shred (completed it 4 times with better results each time), No More Trouble Zones, Burn Fat Boost Metabolism, 6 Week 6 Pack, and Killer Buns and Thighs. I cannot say enough good things about all of the videos I own. I never get bored with Jillian, even though I can repeat exactly what Jillian says in the videos I've done them so many times. I do 6 Week 6 Pack twice a week and this time around in my training program I've thrown in Killer Buns and Thighs once a week. I love Jillian and this workout does not disappoint. If you know Jillian, she's the same in this workout that she is in all of her workouts, or even in the show Biggest Loser. I think it makes her seem real. I like her chatter because it makes me smile (one of my favorite lines of hers from 6W6P is "I want you to leave this workout visibly smaller", it motivates me. Another is "you don't quit when you see the finish line, you RACE for the finish line"- this is often a mantra when I am training for a race, or during the race.) That being said, it makes me sad that people don't like her workout because she's too talkative or the things she says, who cares. A) She's an awesome trainer for me and millions of other people BUT that doesn't mean she's going to be a great trainer for everyone, we each need a different style. B) We should be judging her workouts, if you can't stand what she says, put her on mute, but her workouts have proven results to me. I have lost 40 pounds and 12 dress sizes in the last 2 years through running and Jillian. I do not pay to go to a gym. I have a flat stomach with a defined six pack and that magical "V" that guys say girls can't get. My first mile I ever ran was slower than slow, I have cut minutes off my pace. I am faster and lighter and feel more amazing than I have ever in my life. I am hoping through more consistent use of this video to FINALLY shave off my saddlebags and better tone my booty and thighs. I love the way I look. When Jillian tells me in 6W6P that I'm gonna look amazing, I trusted her, and through hard work and determination and just 30 minutes a day (plus miles and miles of running) I DO look amazing for the first time in my life. What's better yet, is I feel amazing. I highly recommend adding this DVD to your arsenal. I use her videos after I run, I feel less fatigued if I do my run first and her videos after. Just an FYI, I started running 2 years ago with Couch-to-5k and did 30DS for 30 days, L1 for 10 days, L2 for 10 days, and L3 for days to kickstart everything. I then progressed to No More Trouble Zones and Burn Fat Boost Metabolism (which goodness! I can run 26.2 miles but this DVD kicks my BUTT!). After that I did 6W6P (5 days a week, L1 for 3 weeks and L2 for 3 weeks). I've now run a marathon and a handful of halfs and 10ks and am training for my second full. So, I do not recommend starting out with this DVD if you are looking to lose weight, or are a beginner. I recommend her 30DS or Ripped in 30 to start, and then go from there. I look forward to adding her body revolution to my repertoire as well!

I coasted through my early to mid twenties with virtually no exercise. Having a good metabolism meant I stayed slim, so I thought I was doing alright. Back then, I mistakenly thought that working out was for people who needed to lose weight or for fitness fanatics.. Well, I was very wrong. When I went to the doctor for a yearly check up and found out my cholesterol was high, I decided to pick up a couple work out DVDs to get in shape. I started with Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and I can't recommend that DVD enough. After working my way through level one and two, I decided to pick up another DVD to alternate with Shred. I chose Killer Buns and Thighs, and it is glorious. Now on level two after two weeks of level one, I can say that I'm getting results from this and Shred. My thighs and bum are firmer but more importantly, I feel healthier. I have more energy during the day and sleep better at night after an afternoon of working out. For those who are beginners like me, don't get intimidated by Jillian Michaels. She explains the exercises really well. If you're new to Jillian or to exercise DVDs in general, start out with 30 Day Shred and supplement your weekly regimen with workouts like Killer Buns that target your problem areas. By the way - level two is hard but really fun. Single leg burpees, reverse squats, lateral jumps (lots of jumping, actually). And the ladies do a great job of making you feel like you're there, toughing it out with them. Jillian has her own style of no-nonsense encouragement. It's refreshing and it works. There is this excellent positive energy around level two that makes me get into it every time. Now I can't wait to work my way towards level three. In nearly two months of working out 4-5 days a week with Shred and Killer Buns, I have lowered my BMI, significantly toned down my shoulders, abs, thighs, and bum, and lost an inch around my waist (something I wasn't even aiming for). I'm going to hit the doctor in a month or so to check out my cholesterol, but after all this work and a couple diet changes (less meat, more grains and greens) I'm sure to have better results than before. Jillian Michaels = highly recommended!

Having done the 30 Day Shred, Shred it with Weights, and 6 Week Six-Pack, I expected Killer Buns and Thighs to be Jillian's typical (and extremely effective) mix of cardio, weights and resistance. But this one is a little different to the others. Namely, there are longer periods of repetition in the resistance moves- you hold stances longer, repeat moves more, and stay in similar positions for different exercises. For example, in Level 1 you do back-to-back moves in Sumo squat- different exercises, same position. This kind of repetition really, really hurts. It reminds me a bit of the Tracy Anderson workouts on YouTube, but obviously much better. No question, Killer Buns and Thighs had me in more pain than any of Jillian's other workouts. And I always absolutely kill myself during her routines. I have a rule that if I can speak in the 10 seconds immediately after doing one of her workouts, I'm not working hard enough. Killer Buns and Thighs still has weights, cardio and resistance, like her others, but you don't huff and puff from cardio so much, but more from trying to hold and repeat the positions and exercises for the length of time required. It's similar to the way Olympic weight lifters huff and puff when they lift the equivalent of an African elephant. Basically, you put a huge amount of strain on your body and you can FEEL it. But the results come very quickly. The last of the flab on my upper thighs completely toned up in about 3 days, which blew me away. And the vibe of the whole thing is pretty fun- Jillian laughs a lot and jokes around with Natalie and Anita (the 30 Day Shred girls), which takes your mind off the pain a bit. Each level lasts for about 40 minutes, which is a little longer than some of her other DVDs. I do this workout five days a week, which leaves time for muscle recovery. Needless to say, this workout is very challenging, even Level 1. You need to already have very well-developed muscles, and a very strong core, otherwise you literally will not be able to do about 70% of the moves. I would advise anyone who is not pretty fit to first do 30 Day Shred, or 6 Week Six-Pack before attempting this DVD. The copy on the back of the DVD is misleading because it basically says that unfit people can do this workout- I completely disagree with that. I had come straight off 6 Week Six-Pack, which pretty much gave me thighs and abs of steel (!) and I still couldn't hold all of the positions for the full amount when I first started. It's tough. But it's worth it.

To preface this, I'd consider myself an advanced beginner by Jillian Michaels workout standards. Before I started her workouts in December, I'd been exercising, but not on a consistent basis. I was in "superficially good shape" -- meaning, I was already thin, but I was not strong and I sometimes got winded walking up long flights of stairs, that sort of thing. So I decided to try the Beginner 30 Day Shred, which I LOVED, and found to be a great starting point for someone in my situation (it's also great for absolute beginners -- but that's another review). After completing that, I was so happy with how much stronger I felt, how much muscle tone I was seeing, and how energized I was that I wanted to try more of her workouts, so I picked this one up along with a few others. Overall, this is a fantastic workout that seriously kicks your butt. It's got a nice difficulty level -- even if you're doing the "beginner" movements (which, Jillian herself says aren't really "beginner" -- it's more like challenging movements vs. the "advanced" movements, which are superhuman, haha). Personally, I alternate between the normal movements and the advanced ones, depending on what it is. Obviously we've all got our strengths and weaknesses, and what I love about JM and most of her DVDs is that she takes this into account and gives you simple ways to increase/decrease difficulty based on your fitness level. The only reason I'm giving this a 4/5 instead of 5/5 is that I'm not super fond of the way the workout is broken up. In all of the other JM DVDs I've tried, it's been broken up like this: Warmup, Circuit 1 (x2), Circuit 2 (x2), Circuit 3 (x2), Cool Down. But in this one, she has you do the warmup twice, which makes it feel like it's a circuit, not a warmup. I'm there's a reason for this that isn't immediately obvious to a non-fitness expert, but it was a little strange and caught me off guard. I can get over it, though. There are also four circuits (five, if you count the warmup), which isn't a huge deal -- I'm just partial to three-circuit workouts. But what really threw me off was that during level one, there are a few times she says this workout is "less than 30 minutes." It's actually 43 minutes (I checked level 2 and 3, and they're also 43 minutes each). I thought maybe she meant the workout itself (so, minus the double warmup and cool down), but even if you take those out, it's still more than 30 minutes. I was really hoping for something around 30 minutes total because I'm short on time in the morning, but again, it's something I can deal with. I just have to get up a little earlier. All in all, I'm really pleased with this DVD. Can't wait for her new one to come out in a few weeks -- got my preorder in!

This workout is TOUGH. So far I've only done level one twice and have yet to level up. I'm a huge JM fan (I own 6 of her workouts), and can honestly say this one leaves me burning like none other. The first time I did this, I was unsure if I was going to make it through. Level one clocks in at a little over 40 minutes, including the warm up and cool down. I'm 5'5 175 pounds currently, in average shape. I've recently lost about 15 pounds in a little under 2 months. I think this workout would be very challenging and perhaps a little discouraging for an absolute beginner, but there are endless ways to modify the moves and tailor ye workout to ones' own abilities. Natalie and Anita are there to give you some ideas. The moves in level one are quite diverse, most of which I hadn't seen from Jillian before. Each circuit targets a few specific areas and hammers those muscles HARD. For example she goes from sumo squats right into squat jumps, leaving your quads begging for mercy. The good news is that before you know it, you'll be onto the next circuit, affording those muscles a bit of recovery. She uses the perfect mix of mat work, strength, and cardio that keep things interesting. Her combination of squats, kicks, inner/outer thigh work, plyometrics, and even a bit of yoga will definitely tone you up. Although I've yet to do levels 2 and 3, I know this DVD was worth my money already. I'll admit, there is a lot banter in level one (I'm definitely sensing some tension between Jillian and Natalie!). I don't mind it, but some people might find it disruptive. I think it's funny...plus when Jill psychs one of the trainers out, I get to laugh at the girls losing their balance while I mainain focus and form! I have begun to add this to my current rotation of JM videos: BFBM, NMTZ, and Hard Body. I would also recommend 30DS and Ripped in 30 for anyone who likes 20-30 minute workouts.

This is an awesome DVD, and it deserves 10 stars. First of all pros and cons: The Pros: - literally one of the most challenging workout DVD's I've ever done (love nmtZ, bfbm, ripped in 30, kickbox fast fix, insanity, and p90x) -it will give you a great round, firm butt, and Carrie underwood thighs The Cons: -it's really damn hard -if you don't already have VERY strong legs you're going to be in rough shape for days. So I've done this DVD, mixed in with other JM videos and tri-weekly 7 mile runs. I am in excellent shape. This workout took me to a different level and gave me a 'grade A' 5 star rearend. (Thankyou Jillian!) As some negative reviewers said, 'this workout won't give you a butt like nicki Minaj or Kim kardashian' ummmmm, no workout will give you that because that is genetic and those are fat deposits (or surgical enhancements) not muscle. And news flash: Kim k isn't in shape! And I was really annoyed when someone said this would give you an ass like Jennifer aniston or Miley Cyrus. No, and no. My measurements are 35-24-40, 5'2, and 129 lbs so I'm hardly in that category, although I'd love to look Jen! This workout is amazing. I have a great butt thanks to jillian. If you want a curvy round butt you will get it, just don't expect to do it twice and then look like JLo. Consistency is key and Jillian's workout are great for tightening and toning everything up. If you were genetically blessed (or cursed depending on your personal taste) with a petite frame and a small butt, no you're not going to end up looking like Maliah Michel, but this will sculpt you, tone you, and lift your booty into amazing ass land. Great butts can come in any size, so use Jillian's workout and work that thang!

I'm 9 months pregnant and have been sedentary for the duration (and have gained much more than the recommended amount) but got this video at 9 months. I haven't looked at Level 2 or 3, but have been doing level 1 without issue. There are some moves I skip, like jumping in place, high knees and planks, but I swap those exercises with some of the other exercises in the video or just do upper body workouts with light weights. There aren't too many of those I have to skip and I do modifications for the side planks, where I instead stay on the ground and on my elbow to do the leg lifts she's doing. The first level is basically a traditional stability phase of exercise so I would say it should work for anyone who has been sedentary and is just starting out. Not too much cardio in it so you won't get out of breath at all (I never did but I did skip the jumping in place warm-up and I can't go all out when doing the moves like I might if I weren't 9 months pregnant). I can't speak for the other levels as I haven't watched those yet. With regard to her comments, I actually don't mind them for the level I watched. I have other Jillian videos and I get so sick of hearing it and seeing the stupid background people's comments and facial expressions, it is irritating. But this video actually hasn't bothered me yet. What I did appreciate is that one of the girls that Jillian favors actually gives Jillian some backtalk and "talk to the hand" gestures and actually pushes her away a couple times. It's all in good humor but I think it lessons how irritated I might otherwise get at being repeatedly subjected to the same banter. Jillian's attitude is definitely happier in this video so far so that is a nice change. And I appreciated that she only does 2 sets per circuit. In other videos of hers she does 3 sets and I get extremely bored. One thing I didn't like was that there is background music with a beat, but I don't think even one exercise is executed to the beat of the music. I also didn't see an option to have music-only, so you'd have to mute it and find your own music - but then she's not doing anything to any rhythm so you'd be doing your own number of reps to your own beat. Overall, I prefer her other videos to this one because they are a better workout for me, with more cardio and more weights and follows the beat of the music, so I probably wouldn't ever do level 1 of this video if I weren't compromised by being pregnant. Again, my disclaimer here is that I did have to substitute some of her moves (mostly with others from her level 1) that I just couldn't physically do with a giant belly.

Every DVD from Jillian Michael's is useful and very motivational!

It arrived within the expected delivery time. Great lower body workout for beginners. Love all of Jillian's workout DVDs. .

ジリアン姐さんが大好きで、輸入版も日本版も何枚も持っています。(リージョンフリー・プレーヤーで) ワークアウトの内容は★4つです。 しかし、ディスクが最悪。 フリーズしまくり。 傷は見当たらないので、データの問題かと思いますが。 少し高くても日本版にしておけば良かった。

Defective product

Ejercicios de calidad, específicos y eficaces! Es para región 1 hay que tener DVD multiregión, ya que en México somos región 4. Recomiendo este video en específico.