Jari Love Get Ripped Review

My apologies for being late on these last few posts, it's been a busy week, and I also got to go down to Calgary to visit my Best Friend In The World, Stacey, and go to Time Out For Women.  Which was awesome, by the way.

My Friday review (yes, I know it's Sunday, Happy Mother's Day everyone!) is of a series of workout DVD's called Get Ripped.  I've been doing this series for the last two years, and I can really recommend them.  They were designed by a fitness expert from Calgary, Alberta named Jari Love.  I own the following from the series - Get Ripped 1000, Get Ripped Slim and Lean, Get Ripped To The Core, Get Extremely Ripped, and Get Ripped and Chiseled. 

Get Ripped, you say?  Seriously?  I never would have picked up this series except my friend, Caroline, went to a RS class where the instructor led them through a Ripped-style workout.  Caroline came home from the class and bought the tape, and had great results.  I noticed the difference in her, and when I asked, she told me all about the program.  So I went out and bought two of the videos, brought them home and watched them, and got a little scared.

The program is a weight lifting program, using light weights and lots of repetitions.  Lots of squats and lunges as well.  It uses compound exercises to increase the calories you are burning (for example, bicep curls combined with wide leg squats - ouch!)  Each dvd is about an hour long, taking you through a warm up, lots of groaning and sweating, and then a cool down.  Start off light and work your way up gradually, and you'll be pleased with your overall improvement in fitness and strength.

Most of the dvd's I own are from her earlier series.  They are a good overall workout, that you should do two or three times a week.  For the first three weeks I found it very difficult (let's just say I had a hard time walking up and down stairs), but after that, you feel really great.  I started doing weights because I work with seniors, and I have seen the importance of maintaining muscle mass as you age, and also the benefits of weight lifting include strong healthy bones.  Strong bones and good muscles protect you as you age, especially when it comes to falls.  I know, this is looking far into the future, but people start losing muscle mass in their late thirties or early forties.  Which is where I am, people.  Try it, I dare you!