Personal Training With Jackie: Xtreme Timesaver Training

Let me start off by saying that I purchased this DVD because I needed something different. I'd done lots of workout DVDs over the past 15 or so years but I've kind of fallen off the wagon again with being too sedentary and eating too much. So, I'd put myself back to the level of a "beginner" when it comes to working out. There is something exciting and motivating about trying a new fitness DVD and sticking with it for 6 weeks or so to see if it works. I have done Balanced Blend by Minna Lessig (excellent), some various DVDs by Tamilee Webb, a round or two of P90x, and lots of Jillian Michaels DVDs, mainly 30 Day Shred. 30 Day Shred has kind of been my "go to" video since like 2009 or 2010 (basically whenever it came out). Its fast and the workouts progress. The thing I'm finding now is that I'm not motivated by workouts that I've already seen over and over, and I'm getting a little tired of the same instructors. I don't feel like the 30 day shred even works for me anymore, but my body is probably just too used to it. That's where this DVD comes in.I initially purchased "This is Why You're Fat", which is one of Jackie's books. I noticed a friend of mine had lost a lot of weight and had gotten into working out and running and they said this was the book that changed their life. Then I figured maybe I'd try one of Jackie's workouts and stumbled upon this one. After reading all of the reviews that said it really makes you sweat and that you'll need lighter weights than you thought you'd need, I figured it MUST work. Well, I've only done the workout one time but I can tell already that it WILL work. I have no doubts in my mind. Every move engages multiple muscle groups and I could almost immediately feel my legs quivering. I started off using light hand weights for a couple of the moves but knew I had to put them down and modify for at least the first week or so. I made it through about 24 minutes of the video before making it through only about half of the reps of everything after that point. If you are using proper form, you will feel most of these moves running through muscles in both your arms and legs and often your core. This is a huge plus for me as I flipping HATE crunches and find them to be incredibly boring and a waste of time. I've always had much better luck with thinning my waistline by doing other types of core exercises.Now whether or not you'll like the format of this video... well.... I found that I was getting sick of it by about 24-25 minutes in, but that's because every move was completely exhausting. It started to feel like it was never going to end. If I have one complaint about this DVD, that is it. However, for me, I know this is what I need. I need lots of reps with lighter weight to build lean muscle, not shorter sets with heavy weight. The moves were only slightly confusing to me at first, but that's only because I'm super uncoordinated. I'd say the vast majority of people would understand the moves almost immediately.I plan on using this DVD every other day and alternating it with 30 minute runs outside on the other days. I plan on reporting back in another month or so to update on what progress I've made with this.

In order to varying my workout from my usual treadmill interval training and regular weight lifting routine, I decided to try some workout DVDs. I must admit I didn't enjoy this type of workout (via video) until I tried Robert Ferguson Essential 12 Minute-Workouts-Burner-Kickboxing video. I thought videos were lame, but after trying this one (the 24 min and 36 min clips of the video), and I was sore the next morning, I kinda got hooked so I decided to buy more of them. Anyhow, I liked this video so I'll give it about a 70% rating (i.e. hence the 3 stars) . Jackie is good at what she does, but she could use some improvement. I'll just start with the pros about it...Pros1. The workout is short, but intense as hell! I timed the workouts and they are about 8 tto 10 min. each, but she works you out so hard that it feels like 30 to 45 minutes because I got that burn quickly in my muscles. Working out has been a staple in my life for the last 10 or 15 years, so Im not coming from a newbie or couch potatoe perspective. I am about intermediate level and this workout is no joke. I just tried it last night and I know I will get better, but I am confident that an interrmediate or advance level exerciser will find this to be a good challenge.2.) I like the fact that this is not a dark, gloomy, dismal looking video. I cant figure out for the life of me why people like Jari Love would have a dark and drab dungeon looking place to film fitness videos in. It's depressing to look at dark room when you want to be energectic and feel lively. Though this video does not have the most colorful, lively decorated, studio, it doesn't look like a depressing set in a cave and since excercise is not my favorite thing to do, I have to have all the mental stimulation possible so I appreciate this video for having a decent setting for its recording.3.) I liked that the women who are obviously in great shape didn't try to pretend like they were inanimate objects void of pain like some of these videos girls and boys do. They are in good shape, but they weren't too prissy and perfect to show that this workout is tough so that made me feel like I wasn't so out of shape like I did on some of the other videos I have used even though I work out pretty reguarlarly.Cons:1.) Jackie really needs to let the folks at home know when she is about to transition into another exercise. I believe someone mentioned this issue when I read the reviews before buying, but I was like, " that shouldn't be a major issue, i'll just keep up." Well it is a major issue. I mean major to the point where I gave it three stars. A person of her caliber should know that you have to let the audience know when it's time to transition into the next excercise instead of just quickly jumping right into the next exercise without any notice to the audience. She did this time and time again through the whole video and it's really annoying to the point that it made me feel flustered. I mean I had to keep rewinding and pausing to get myself right for her speedy Gonzales quick fast in a hurry self. She doesn't even tell you what you will need for each exercise so you just have to look at it, and hope you have what you need nearby. This is an issue for me because I had to keep stoping to catch up so I could adjust properly and I had to go run and get my mat and dumbbells and this wasted my time. As I said, it was a bit flustering to me and a turn off. I am sure with time, I will know the video by rote memory, but when one is just starting, it is critical to know when the trainer is transitioning to the next execercise and she doesn't do that at all in this video. Someone said just watch the video before you perform the exercises, well this would be good if I had a photographic memory to rely on but I don't. I just think as a professional, she should know better....2.) I suppose I just got used to Robert Ferguson's video where he has the timer prominently displayed on the right side of the screen. I don't like this when I am on my treadmill, but it's so great on a dvd workout video. This video could use a timer on it because you have no clue how long each workout is. I didn't see the time for any of them on the video's menu so this was annoying. I had to use my kitchen timer to guage the time of the video clips.3.) Lastly, She could have displayed the name of the exercises she performs in the video, because I like to write down my training routine, but I would have to go back and listen to her until she gave the name of the excercise and I don't really like doing that.. Most trainers like Jillian Michaels, etc. will have that info to appear on the bottom of the screen, but not Jackie :-(At any rate, it's a good video and I will be using it again and again, but there is room for improvement indeed and I don't think I will buy another one of her videos anytime soon. I'll stick with Jillian, Tamilee and Robert for now.

I seriously, seriously love this workout! Its the toughest half hour exercise routine I own and I've got quite a collection!I've got two other Jackie DVD (crunchless abs and power cct training - both of which I like) so I had a rough idea what to expect from this - and I got it - only much harder and in spades.The DVD has sections of around 5 compound exercises aimed at specific parts of the body, so a section for glutes and shoulders, a section for quads and biceps and so forth - always an upper and lower body area together using hand weights. There is no specific cardio section in this it is all compound exercises with weights (and as traditionally cardio usually consists of dancy style/boxing/plyometric type intervals I didn't expect this to be a massive cardiovascular challenge - oh how wrong can a girl be?!?!) Each exercise is done for a minute.The first time I did this by the time I was 10 mins in I had decided I was having a bad day or going down with something - I was dripping with sweat, gasping for air and down to one and a half Kg weights (I rarely use anything under two and a half in any other DVD including my jillian michaels collection). I've now done this five or six times and have just come to the conclusion its pure genius! some of the exercises - a split lunge reverse row, a side curtsy lat raise kick combination (that gets my shoulders, butt and abs screaming for mercy while I gasp to breathe!) a reverse lunge front punch kick combo (that has a similar effect on quads and breathing!) a superman plank/crunch that gets just about everything and the list goes on. There are a few less CV intense exercises thrown in, like a held static squat/concentration curl but boy do you need them. The only "easier" section is the last four mins or so which is a "core and more" total body section that while giving a good burn does at least allow your heart rate to recover!As ever there is a modified version (which is basically the workout minus the weights) so it is accessible to anyone despite its toughness, but if you grab a set of light weights and keep up with the rep rate on the DVD this is TOUGH and the real delight of it is that you're concentrating so hard on trying to control the moves and keep the air going in that before you know it the half hour is done!The closest comparison I can think of to this is the circuits from Jillian Micheals No More Trouble Zones that use weights - only somehow tougher!If you can play region 1 DVDs (if you can't check out the various ways you can unlock your DVD player to play any region DVDS) and are looking for a challenging half hour routine to add to your collection - look no further!

First of all, I really liked this workout and as an introduction to Jackie Warner, it's definitely inspired me to go out there and buy some more of her DVDs. It's steady, methodical and Jackie explains every move you do very well, along with exactly why you are doing it - I like this approach. As one of the other reviewers has said, don't be fooled by the simplicity of the exercise and go heavy on the weights! Remember you have to do each one for a minute....and after your third minute of working on arms those 5lbs are looking pretty good!I was also surprised at breathing heavily after, oh, two minutes.....face covered with a sheen of sweat after 4 and thinking 'oh my god i'm dying!' after about six!! Jackie blends strength with cardio really really well in this and proves that you don't need to be jumping about to get fit!!The four stars on this review are simply because, as other reviewers have pointed out, it's so short!! It's dead on about half an hour; once you are past the 'oh god kill me now' point and really start getting into this, it stops! The thing is,on this DVD there is one half-hour workout. It's good, but is it worth it? I rate Jackie up there with Cathe and Jillian; their DVD's have two or three workouts (or a variety of combos when it comes to Cathe, thanks to the pre-mixes) which are just as good......so is this worth the money? I'm not absolutely convinced on that point. But recommend it? Yes I would.

Having not been exercising much owing to a bad knee and a very dodgy wrist that left me unable to perform plank-based exercises for very long, I had a scout about for something that was not too focussed on jumping about but was still aerobic. I love Jillian Michaels' workouts but some of the plank work is still too tough on my wrist so when I saw this reviewed by Sharnie, I ordered it immediately because, reading her reviews, we have similar taste in workouts.The only criticism that I have of this workout is that I wanted it to go on for longer because i liked it so much. It is a solid, well thought out routine that somehow manages to have your heart working nicely, causing you to pour with sweat, whilst at the same time just managing to finish each exercise before you feel you could not do any more reps anyway. Jackie has a real knack of telling you to stick with it or keep going, just when you are thinking about having a sneaky breather.The workout features a very quick warm-up and a very quick cool-down; you might find you want to warm up for a bit longer, but I feel that it is sufficient for the exercise that is to follow. There is a modified version of the exercises, demonstrated by Jericho and talked through by Jackie. This makes the workout accessible to everybody. The non-modified exercises require hand weights. Start low with the weights because you are doing reps for a minute per exercise and you have those weights in your hands almost throughout the workout. You have been warned!There is very little jumping about in this workout, so it should be suitable even for those with dodgy knees, although there are lots of forward, backwards and split lunges. Each exercise features compound moves where you will be working your lower body (usually with a squat or a lunge of some kind) whilst using hand weights for the upper body. These are challenging but achievable exercises and even beginners should find that they can move on to using light hand weights after a few weeks. There was no difficulty for my wrist in performing any of the exercises, save for a (frankly, brilliant) plank with knee to elbow cross (whilst using a handweight). I could just about manage it and was glad the next day that I did because that feeling of having worked your abs hard was amazing. Not felt that intense for years, since I first used my Pilates machine and could not get myself up out of bed the next morning!Aside from the single plank-based exercise, there is a press-up get-up military press exercise that also places a little pressure on the wrist, but again it is bearable.I was very surprised at how worked out and sweaty I felt by the end of this and I really needed a good stretch and cool down! This workout is much more aerobic than it looks. It gets the large muscles working, so is a good calorie burner as well as helping to strengthen and tone. Anybody who has completed JM's 30DS level 1 will be able to do this workout, albeit you might need to modify. This workout will help you to tone up and lose weight, but you still need to watch what you eat, it isn't a miracle. And if you can, do it 5 to 6 days per week. I am tacking it onto one of: JM's BFBM, NMTZ or couple of levels from RI30 to give myself a nice sweaty workout which produces that worked out ache the following day. I like Jackie, she is a lot calmer than JM (who I still like and trust) but obviously knows what she is doing. Give it a go, you won't regret it and your shoulders/core will rock!

I love this DVD - If you want to work hard in half the time then this is the one for you.It really revs the heart rate but the workout goes by so quickly. I feel like i have had a serious workout.I love Jillian and while Jackies approach is different I think she is equally as good.I will never have her amazing 6 pack but while I am doing the workout I look at her and think that if I keep at it I may get there!!!

I've done this dvd a few times now and it still works me. The workout is good (heavy on shoulder work- I have to opt for the easier version of most of the moves). Although the workout itself is good, Jackie isn't as engaging as Jillian Michaels, but that may just be me. I have to motivate myself to push hard in this workout (where as Jillian Michaels has a more "in your face" personality - which I like!)don't get me wrong- this dvd is good for the workout itself. I always feel like I've had a good workout once I've finished, but I feel as though Jillian Michaels has a better personality.