Jillian Michaels – I don’t want you representing women’s fitness
Jillian Michaels trying crossfit (Sorry I for some reason couldn’t get the video to embed!)
I was very disappointed with Jillian Michaels after watching this video. She honestly looks AWFUL performing every one of these exercises. Shouldn’t a famous trainer make sure she looks good doing exercises before she tries them on TV?
Also, I was disappointed to find out that Jillian really can’t even do more than one unassisted pull up. WHAT!?!
I find it kind of sad that Jillian, who doesn’t seem that strong and looked pathetic performing those exercises on TV, represents female fitness in mainstream media.
Sorry Jillian, but I think you sold out and now are a disappointment to the world of women’s fitness. Did you ever really have a passion for fitness? If so…where did it go because I don’t see it.
What do you think about this video? Does it upset you to find out that she really doesn’t look athletic when exercising?
Can we please elect someone like Annie Thorsdottir or Lindsey Smith the female fitness rep. for mainstream media?
Posted on November 20, 2011, in Man Biceps, Uhm? and tagged Crossfit, Jillian Michaels. Bookmark the permalink. 13 Comments.
Man Bicep 
That was also a pretty short WOD! And she didn’t even bother gripping the bar evenly. No, I am not impressed, but I haven’t been impressed with her fat-shaming, starvation based TV show for a long time.
(BTW, just getting into Crossfit and Paleo and I love your blog.)
How are you liking Crossfit and Paleo so far? If you ever have any questions, let me know!!
Loving it like crazy. Thank you, I will!
I think the most disappointing thing was her attitude: “It’s HEAVY” “Why only fourinches higher” whine whine winge. She doesn’t allow that BS from people she’s yelling at on national TV, what the hell makes her think anyone wants to hear it from her. It was like she gave up before the timer even started, and that’s probably what let to her shoddy performance. That, and her terrible nutritional philosophy probably leaves her tired and depleted most of the time.
I know!! Great point! If you don’t allow any whining, please don’t be a baby yourself!
Yeah, what was up with her complaining about everything? I could deal with the fact that she struggled through the workout – I mean, I probably would have done the same (although I don’t make a ton of money as a fitness guru so….) – if her attitude hadn’t been so poor.
It isn’t that I don’t think those moves are challenging…my point is that if I was doing those moves on TV I would have practiced to make sure I looked good!!!
I have never been a Jillian Michael’s fan but to say that she is an embarrassment to women’s fitness is a far stretch and is subjective. Jillian Michael’s reputation was built by a Hollywood mentality and the fans which follow this type of novelty. She would have never had the attention that she gets if it weren’t for people commenting and reacting to her in mainstream media (and unfortunately, that includes all of us who are on this thread and unintelligent links to foolish videos that are posted on many Cross Fit sites (in this case, CrossFit NYC).
Jillian Michaels has obviously been curtailing to the type of weight training which we had all been exposed to in the media for years and years. The mentality of fad diets, supplements and take a dumbbell– do 3 sets of so and so reps, isolate your body parts according to push and pull factors, and there goes the perfect body! We all know that there is much more to this. It has to be a lifestyle combined of both anaerobic and aerobic efforts, and functional movements combined with strength components geared towards versatility.
Anyway, my point is that this foolish tv episode with Bob who I tend to like, is frustrating because it’s not about the exercise, it’s about being famous and getting more famous. It is all a sales pitch.
Now, Jillian did not do the exercises correctly and when placed in an environment where tv viewers go completely ga-ga over Jillian and the Biggest Loser staff, it is quite dangerous. We don’t want people trying this at home without proper technique.
Frankly, it shows that she is not perfect, has room for improvement and was a trooper.
And, hey, us “Cross Fitters” have to learn that Cross Fitting is quite unique- it is not for everyone but that doesn’t mean that we have to be “snobs” about our preference in fitness styles. I can tell you that I witnessed plenty of Cross Fitters with awful technique at the games, in you tube videos and in my preferred place for Cross Fitting.
Jillian Michaels is not my favorite in terms of tv fitness personality but hey, she has a heck of a body and her strength levels may not be (optimal according to Cross Fit) standards and that is okay. They don’t have to be unless you want to compete in the games. One can lead a Cross Fit style, be in kick ass shape and represent Women’s Fitness.
Think about what sells- Jillian Michael’s body and tv personality or a Cross Fit chick with a broad back, callouses on her hands and bigger thighs than her mate in bed. The bloke Bob could have worked with her beforehand on form but he didn’t. He has found a gold mine in Cross Fit and he is not thinking form- he is thinking dollar bills. Let’s not be fooled with his charismatic nature for at the end of the day he too, is a tv hollywood personality.
And fellow ladies, let’s not be haters and keep thinking that our way is the only way- give credit to any woman who has made it successfully for it wasn’t too long ago when we couldn’t vote.
Instead, let’s try to think about everyday people and the amount of work they put into losing weight, how they struggle with food and have never heard of a power snatch.
Let’s keep Cross Fit a friendly and non-judgmental place- that way we can learn to educate properly.
Ok while I do understand your point…from the standpoint of a trainer (and be that trainer female OR male) her demonstration was pathetic. As a TRAINER, I wouldn’t want to look that bad on TV. She should know better and want to represent women (and even trainers) in a better fashion.
Plus, this isn’t a crossfit site. It is a weight lifting and awesome women site. AND as a woman who has made it, shouldn’t Jillian be using her power for good and be promoting a strong image for our female children?
I’m not being elitist. I just don’t want the same old myths about women and weight lifting propagated and I think that her pathetic demonstration definitely doesn’t help the female weight lifting cause.
“Cross Fitters” have to learn that Cross Fitting is quite unique- it is not for everyone but that doesn’t mean that we have to be “snobs” about our preference in fitness styles.
Umm last time I checked a box jump, shoulder press and medicine ball slams are not moves unique to crossfit (I’ll give you the sumo high pull). This should have nothing to do with your “unique style.” As a personal trainer and someone who coaches others in health and fitness, she should be able to execute these properly. I doubt it even crossed Bob’s mind to work with Jillian doing such basic moves beforehand. I know how you cross fitters love to hate on tony horton, (even though most of you started with p90x) but i bet he wouldn’t look like that doing these exercises. I think the point manbicep is making is how about a woman who not only looks good, but a woman who can walk the walk as well. I dont think she’s saying the “woman representative” has have to have a huge lat spread and deadlift 300 pounds, but how about someone who doesn’t look terrible doing these easy movements.
“Let’s keep Cross Fit a friendly and non-judgmental place- that way we can learn to educate properly.”
I don’t think a more perfect example exists of the pot calling the kettle black than your comment.
Right on Fattylanes! It’s not cool to dig on Jillian Michaels. As you know Crossfit is not something that you just start doing well, regardless of how in shape you are. Practice makes perfect. I think that her performance makes a good point for people who might get discouraged about their abilities, even Jillian struggles! Also, people work out with different goals in mind, Crossfit is unique to many workouts. Some people focus on strenght while others are into cardio or body sculpting. No matter your goal or preferred workout, we all should respect each other as athletes and as humans.
Jillian is great at what she does, she motivates and helps people not only lose weight and get in shape, but she is sensitive to their deep rooted issues that in many cases are the result of their obesity. She didn’t just “yell at and starve” fat people on her show, she truly helped many of them change their lives for the better and in turn most of them turned to their families and communities to induce more change. She is an inspiration to many men, women, and children to get their lives on track… so what if she struggled at Crossfit, so do I everyday 🙂
No Crossfit is not easy, but the moves that Jillian did on TV, she should have been able to do well. I don’t expect her to be a top Crossfitter or even enjoy Crossfit.
BUT as a trainer on TV she should be able to do an overhead press and a freaking box jump. THAT IS HER JOB!
Crossfit borrows exercises from everywhere and none of the exercises she did should have been something she’d never done before. If you are a trainer on TV, do exercises with good form!
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