Almost a week ago, I mentioned I had tried a new workout, said I would write a review of it…then almost immediately forgot all about it. It’s called “getting old”, though I prefer to think of it as “delightfully scatter-brained”.
The workout I tried was Jillian Michaels’ Cardio Kickboxing:
I’m not a huge fan of Jillian Michaels, but I came across this workout online for free, saw it was about 25 minutes long, and figured, what the heck? Why not give it a try?
Right off the bat, I started wondering what Jillian Michaels had to drink, smoke, or otherwise consume before this workout. She is very giggly, silly, and loopy, to the point it gets a bit annoying. Barely 30 seconds into the intro, she bleats into snorting horse laughter for no apparent reason. It all comes off as a bit forced and fake.
The workout is basic choreography, no complicated steps, and moves along in a drill format: for example, 30 seconds of this move, 20 reps of that, repeat a few times, move on. There’s nothing wild and crazy here, simple punches and kicks, cardio moves like knees to elbows, but very little information and guidance about form, so if you don’t already know how to throw a punch or execute a side kick, it might be better to start elsewhere.
The workout got my heart rate up, and I was lightly sweating, but I had no issues keeping up. (Given my fitness level these days, which is something close to zero, that means it isn’t a very intimidating workout at all). I would label it as barely intermediate, not quite beginner, but definitely not advanced either.
I would do this workout again if I can still find it for free online, but I doubt I would spend anything on it to own it on DVD. It’s an old workout, nothing spectacular, and more than a little on the odd side. But if you want a quick workout that’s not on the gasping-and-wheezing level of intensity, it’s worth a shot.
Sweat & Sparkle 