Re: Jillian Michaels (BFBM and NMTZ)
I think I like these because you do 30-45 seconds of one exercise before moving on to the next, for a total of 5 exercises per circuit, and each circuit repeats twice. Good for those of us with a short attention span. They clock in around 50 minutes each.
BFBM is basically aerobic with a mix of athletic drills, kickboxing-type moves and plyometrics, with one 5-minute ab circuit in the middle. It's not very Cathe-like. The closest comparison might Boot Camp (both the long version or the 4DS version). The exercises are very much of the "get out of it what you put into it" school - if I go all out for the whole workout, I am a sweaty mess by the end; if I take it easy, and take all the short rests between reps, it's still a good workout, but can be made lower-impact/intensity.
NMTZ really surprised me. It's the same format (5 exercises per circuit, you do each circuit 2x), but there are a lot of compound moves and my HR stays pretty high throughout - it drops a little bit during the 2 ab/core circuits, but all in all it's really solid. Again, I can really challenge myself with slightly heavier weights or take it easy with tiny weights.
From what I've read, people who dislike Jillian's "drill-sergeant" style found her easier to take in these 2 workouts. I don't mind her at all, but I'm not super-picky, as long as the workout is good.
Neither one of these is as difficult as Drill Max, which I think is one of the hardest Cathe DVDs I own. They're shorter, though, so I feel like I can work harder without bonking out at the end (I frequently collapse during the last drill in DM - I just can't do that many push ups!!)