Body Revolution – Weeks 1 & 2

Since I have been diligently committing some of my workout each day to the Body Revolution program by Jillian Michaels, I thought doing a review after each group of workouts (every two weeks) might be helpful for others that are considering the program.

The first two weeks of the program were made up of Workouts 1 & 2 along with Cardio 1.

Workout 1 uses your body and light weights and targets chest, shoulders, arms, quads and core with basic moves.

(click image for source prior to muscle distinctions in pink)

Example moves from this workout are:

• Lateral Shoulder Raises
• Squats
• Pushups
• Bicycle Crunches

Workout 2 uses your body, weights and resistance cables to work your back, biceps, glutes, hamstrings and core.

(click image for source prior to muscle distinctions in pink)

In both of these workouts, strength, balance and stability are the goal.

Example moves from this workout are:

• Hammer Curls
• Sliding Bicep Curls
• Deadlifts
• Hip Thrusts
• Donkey Kicks

Week 1:

Week One the workout schedule that I followed looked like this:

• Day 1: Workout 1
• Day 2: Workout 2
• Day 3: Cardio 1
• Day 4: Rest
• Day 5: Workout 1
• Day 6: Workout 2
• Day 7: Cardio 1

During each workout in week one, I stuck with the basics for each move and tried to familiarize myself with the program using 5 lb dumbbells or body weight for all of the exercises. I found the moves to be low impact and not very challenging for the current physical shape I am.

Week 2:

Week Two the workout schedule that I followed looked like this:

• Day 1: Workout 1
• Day 2: Workout 2
• Day 3: Rest
• Day 4: Cardio 1
• Day 5: Workout 1
• Day 6: Workout 2
• Day 7: Cardio 1

For the first round of workouts in week two, I made the change from performing the exercises at the basic level to moving to the advanced modification. I kept my dumbbell weight the same (5 lbs.) but added the weights for exercises that I may have performed with just body weight during week one.

(click image for source)

For the second round of workouts in week two, I continued with the harder modifications while upping my weights for all exercises to 7.5 lb dumbbells and this is when I really started to feel more burn throughout the workouts and was feeling the fatigue in my muscles post workout and on the following day.

(click image for source)

The cardio workout for weeks one and two is the cardio workout used for all of phase 1 so I will still be executing it for two more weeks.  The overall workout is low impact but still has be breathing heavy and sweating by the end of it.  I try to challenge myself with each repeat of the 8-minute circuit to get more reps in of each exercise in the one minute time span than I got in the previous set.  I’ve found this a good way to keep pushing myself harder through the three circuits.

Overall, I’m am glad though that I started with the basics and eased my way into the program. I’m going to continue to use the first day of each of the new workouts as an introduction, using lighter weights to familiarize myself with the new challenge. I plan to up my weights and work towards the harder modifications of each move as I repeat the exercises for the second time through and onward from there.