Making the 30 Day Shred Easier on the Knees - Level 3

Level 3 - take no prisoners!  Just like with Level 1 and Level 2, here's my list of some modifications I think might make Shred a bit more knee-friendly.  Like Levels 1 and 2, I don't always do all of these, just the ones for exercises that are making my knees hurt on a given day.  There's a bit of repeat advice from Levels 1 and 2, but I copied it here to comply with the word count that the evil Shredmistress imposes on me.

Lest we forget:
I'm not an expert.  I'm not a doctor.  Please be careful doing these exercises.  If something hurts, stop.  If you have questions, ask a medical professional.  I'm not responsible if you do these and get hurt.

Okilee dokilee, neighbor.  Let's exercise!

Double jumprope
Yeah, even on Level 3 I'm still doing single jumprope.  Oh well.

Butt kicks
Like before, if my knees hurt I sort of think butt kicks, high knees, and jogging in place are interchangeable.

Mountain climbers
I usually follow Anita on these.  Try them at double speed, and turn them into oblique twists while you're at it for more fun.  By the way, Natalie is doing a different version of these than Jillian - she doesn't put weight on the foot that comes front.  I think Natalie's version is easier than Jillian's, but still harder on the knee than Anita.

Plie pose jumps
Don't jump very high, and make sure your knees aren't moving away from directly above your ankle.

Dumbbell cleans
Again, how far apart my feet are makes a big difference for me.  It helps me to keep one hand on my butt as a reminder that it needs to move back as I squat down, and if it still hurts don't squat as far.  Huh, I didn't think that would sound as strange as it looks in print.

Jumping lunges
Ha ha ha!  Yeah, it's Anita time on these, and even those hurt my knees a little when I'm tired.  Which is lots of days lately.  I often keep the back leg straighter than she does, but if they still hurt, try putting your hands on the front knee as you drop down and start to push back up.  Use your hands to support you only as much as you need it.  If you push too hard with your hands you won't get the benefit of the lunge.

Weighted butt kicks and jumping jacks
You may want to drop the weights, especially for the jumping jacks.  Form is really important.

Jump squats
You can do a couple of things to make these a little easier on your knees.  You can squat down less before you jump.  You can do a full squat but don't jump.  Or you can put your hands on your knees for a little extra support.  If none of those work, substitute another cardio that does work.

Rock star jumps
Nope, it isn't happening over here.  I do butt kicks instead.  Feel free to substitute something that's hard but not painful.

Cooldown/stretching
Last, I'll remind you once again to stretch, stretch, stretch!  Do each stretch for at least twice as long as they do, and I do the quad stretches for a minimum of 20 seconds each leg.  More if they're tight, and I often do a few other stretches as well.  If you've seen a doctor (if you have knee problems you should) or a physical therapist, get stretches from them.  It'll help.  I think they really skimped on the stretching on this DVD.

- Bill

Comments

[Melisa]

The rockstar jumps KILL me. I can do, like 3 of them. Because I weigh probably eight times as much as Anita or Natalie. But I modify just by keeping my legs wide and jumping at the same pace. No leg curling with it or anything, just a straight jump up; keeps the heartrate up.

[Frema]

Weighted jumping jacks? The hell?

Oh, Level 3, I am not excited to meet you. Not at all.

[Mendie]

yeah rockstar jumps and me do not get along...always try them for a few then end up just doing high knees because i feel like I'm spasms and going to rupture something if i keep trying.

With the weighted jumping jacks, I ended up bruising my outer thighs as my legs move much quicker than my arms holding dumbbells!

[ShredFail]

I've started and quit the 30 day shred so many times this year that I've lost count. You guys have been so good at documenting...I'm trying again. Thanks for the inspiration.