Thread: 6 Week Six-Pack

Hello - I started Jillian Michaels' 6 Week Six-Pack today. The recommendations are that you do it 'at least' 5 times a week, so I have planned a schedule of 5 days a week with rest days, taking me over 6 weeks and 1 day (this may change). The DVD lasts 35 minutes so it's a little trickier to fit in to my day, especially as I am out of the house from 8am - 10pm most days of the week for the next 3 weeks.

The beginners moves are pretty much up with the advanced moves on 30 Day Shred - you are expected to do full plank jacks and mountain climbers so it isn't a beginner's DVD - by the way, Shred is not an easy beginners DVD, but you can do it as a beginner with a few rest stops and the improvement scale is tremendous over the first few days of level 1.

I got through most of it with a few exceptions - like any first time through a new workout you realise where your mat should have been placed. I have a sticky yoga mat which should stick to the floor like glue - but on my first burpee it flew out from under me - I am already terrified of burpees since a dreadful PE session in 1989 where they made me violently sick. So I rested during the burpee sets. I could not get the balance on my side planks - I know that will take me a few days to suss out. I am a bit confused by spider planks but I was kind of giving the press-up version a go by the end oh - and I kept forgetting what leg I'd done as I kept switching my mat end.

In short - after Level 3 of the shred, this is not that hard - I did everything with weights and sure you sweat for longer than you do on shred - but without the leg work it just doesn't feel quite as exhausting. Maybe it's the mental concentration of doing core work - I'm not sure.

I will be doing this in conjunction to my 5k training (3 runs a week for 6 weeks) to try to combine fat loss. I may also knock in a couple of sessions of Banish/Boost and Shred to up my cardio and fat loss (and keep some leg work in), because at 37% body fat, you ain't going to see my six-pack after 6 weeks.

Hi Sarah

I just posted on the 30DS thread. I have just got this as well and tried it out on Monday. Its hard but think it would be a lot harder if hadn't done the shred. I agree that its a bit tricky but also think the second circuit is worse cos its so quick. Think it'll just take time to get used to it.

I also have BFBM and am making up my own rotation of the three JM DVD's. Hopefully will be able to join you when I finish the shred next week.

Lynn

Today is a rest day (already? It is planned that way!) I am not stiff in the slightest. It's not really a total rest day as it is my second mile for my mile - 5km training schedule.

The scales are going up. Fine by me - it'll correct the other way soon, I'm sure.

So I did my second day (I now have to do 2 more days in a row as my next rest day is Monday which is a full on rest day - ie a rest day from running as well) it went well - buildingup the burpees - which are more like hiccups, can't do side plank twists without falling over 15 seconds in. Everything else is done to full form with my abs held in. It's really not thaaaaat tough, but I do sweat and go red so something's occurin' I didn't feel stiff at all yesterday, but today as I started and repeated the day before's motions I could feel the stiffness as I worked through the moves again - if that makes any sort of sense at all. I dunno if it's the running cos that always makes me look longer and leaner, but I already look skinnier. Oh - and in the swimming pool today I noticed that I now have slim arms and my bingo wings have started flapping - so swimming a mile a week and running a couple of miles a week plus shred/six pack = less bingo wings, it would seem

Hmmmm....

3rd session DONE! I can now do evil sideplank things - but only on one side - but at least I have the sense of the move now - full form all the way baby! I also got confused again and lay down on the wrong side - the transitions are toooooo fast and she doesn't give you left or right cues. I AM GOING TO END UP WITH A LOP-SIDED WAIST!!!

If I have one criticism of the DVD, she does have a habit of not announcing the next move on this one. There she is waggling her weight in your face and going 'YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!' and I'm looking at her going 'Er, no - no idea - it could be one of three things right now. Which, Jillian, WHICH, DAMN YOU? Oh - those - ugh - I hate those.'

I have to confess that Level 1 6W6P is a bit dull after 3 attempts - Level 2 looks a little livelier...and Jillian's comments and face are hilarious - but then I remembered that core work is usually blimmin' dull anyway and I really need to strengthen my core for all the riding I want to do this autumn - and it really is over before you know it. That said - as 6W6P doesn't burn me out like the Shred did (I had a 2.5k run and a swim today as well as it and I could go for more right now!) I may add the odd level 1 shred in here and there. And dare I say it - I miss all the press-up action...

Mine came yesterday! I watched level 1 through.. It doesn't look as hard as her other dvds.

I think I would struggle to do the same routine essentially 15-18 times without getting bored. The 10 days of the shred was bad enough!

Plus I dont feel like 30 mins is enough. I'd have to tack something else on.. Hmm.

Did my 4th session in 5 days...and I have to admit I stopped in the last 2 minutes. Not sure why - I was bored and I had other things on my mind - I had just ransacked the flat for something and realised how filthy everything is and that I now have no time to do any cleaning until er - August and during the process I had lifted my bed off its rails and broken it slightly...so I just wasn;t in the zone or the mood. I am so sorry Jillian - I'me even managing full sets of sort of burpees now...but...dunno - just been so busy with everything and so preoccupied that I wasn't in the zone. Still - I had been thinking about taking a rest day today so that was more than I expected to do and I have a 2 hour dance rehearsal this evening. I guess if I get going and blitz the flat for an hour that can be my penance

I was all excited as my copy of No More Trouble Zones was due to arrive today...errrr...I opened the jiffy bag and thought 'Wow this is heavy' it was a One Tree Hill box set. Er great.

Did you order the set? Or is it a mistake?

Be grateful you have another day before the aches set in again!! I have sore arms, thighs and obliques!! Did level 2 shred today and thought what's next?!? Seems a bit tame now I'm fitter. xx

Ha! No! I have no idea who these One Tree people are...the delivery slip said No More Trouble Zones! Conplete Amazon fail! Today is a rest day anyway...no running or anything...

Also, thank you amazon for including an Ocado flyer with a picture of a juicy steak oozing with cheese. Helpful. Not.

I'd be interested in your opinions of 6wk6pk - v - no more trouble zones (when you get it!) what do you think of 6wk6pk compared to shred? Trying to decide what to get next, ready for when I have completed shred in @ 18 days lol!

Hi - I covered that in the first post in the thread - I will say that it is duller and less motivational than the shred, but it really is having a huge impact on my core. Also Level 2 of 6w6p looks insanely hard and hilarious so I'm just getting through the three weeks of Level 1 to make sure I'm strong enough for it! NMTZ is 55 mins long so I won't be able to use it consistently til I've stopped being on Cambridge Sole Source AND dropped one of the three plays I'm in - so it'll be a few weeks before you see that!

I basically think NMTZ and BFBM will be my go to DVDs until Ripped in 30 is out in region 2.

Looks like I'll end up having a 3 day break from this as I ended up hobnobbing with the rich and famous last night, which I can tell you absolutely nothing about as they might find me by googling their names

I did do an almost 3k run yesterday - today is a cross-training day so I should in theory be on a 6w6p day but I didn't get home til 12:30 (on a school night!) and have only just woken up and it's time to get the school bus! And then I don't get home until 11 tonight. Busy busy busy!

So - anyway - 3 days off Jillian...I'll be back and in the groove first thing tomorrow morning I hope!