The FIRM: Fat Blaster

My aunt gave me this tape during Christams.She had two copies of it and she gave me her other one.She said I would simply love it.Me being a complete Firm believer accepted it with open arms.I was a little bit confused of it when I looked at the Box seeing it was a complete Firm cardio workout.I had never done one before.So I viewed it before I did it I could see all the fancy footwork of it and all the box aerocics.I didn`t know if I could do it.I practiced and practiced it and I finally got it,I love it. If you know what to do on this workout and know the steps like I do you will enjoy it.You do not need heavy weights on this particular volume but you will need 3-5 pound weights,An aerobic step 6-10 inches tall,and a mop or broom handle for balance.I have been alternating this with all my other Firm videos and it makes for great results.Alternating this workout with Firm workouts that use heavier weights makes for a great mix. If a person doesn`t like this tape it is because they can not learn the steps ans they are very stubborn.I can go through this tape perfectly and I feel great after.This is another one of my favorites from the Firm.Lisa Kay is very humble and I can follow her step aerobics perfectly.Allie Strickland`s higher impact floor aerobics really get your heart pumping.Nancy Tucker is a wonderful instructer as well.They also use the tall box on this video for tall box climbs and thought they were very fun and very effective on the fanny.This tape is really fun if you do it right.Who ever can not learn the steps on this tape and doesn`t like it are very lazy people.

I can see why this workout wouldn't be liked by advanced exercisers, but for overweight, beginner-to-intermediate level people like me, I find it ideal.The workout alternates basic step routines (the choreography is easy to learn) with floor aerobics, a couple sets of high-step climbs and four-limb moves. Some of it is high-impact, but this can all be modified. Because I have a bad right knee and severe arthritis, I usually don't use a step- I just do it all on the floor. My heart still gets a good workout. It is enjoyable. At the end, you have a set of spinal erector work, a couple of planks, some push-ups (not many), and a pretty challenging ab routine. After that, you stretch for a few minutes. It's about 45 minutes long. The music is non-vocal for the most part, but fun. It is tightly synchronized to the moves, one of the things the Firm used to excel at.It was made in the late nineties, and is a little dated, but that really doesn't matter. This is a great cardio workout for those us who aren't in phenomenal shape. But that said, someone who is intermediate or advanced could certainly make it more challenging by using heavier weights, upping their step height and jumping higher.Of all of the instructors, I like Nancy the best in this one. Her routines are a bit more dynamic and she seems more knowledgeable. Allie was a good enough instructor, though her speaking was a little unclear at times. Lisa was a little boring, but she had good form and cued pretty well.

I started with The Firm about 10 years ago when I first lost weight. Together with Weight Watchers, The Firm helped me lose 50 lbs. Started out with The Basics series and worked my way up. I got in excellent shape!! So here I am again, trying to take off the baby weight. I love this workout, and after tearing my house apart looking for it, I went ahead and ordered another. This one is dvd so that makes it well worth it. I think its great for a beginner-adv, or even someone like me who's been off the wagon for some time. It's a great workout and one I always turned to, to revve up my metabolism. It can be adjusted to suit your fitness level like other reviewers said. Adding extra weights, or by simply working harder. I continued using it even after I progressed on to more advanced workouts. Every time I did this workout, I felt that tingle, and knew it was working. Ha, that sounds funny but if you workout you know what I'm talking about. I'm so glad I found it here on Amazon. I had a huge collection of the earlier Firms, but some have gone missing due to moves etc. Its a little dated, but that doesn't stop it from working =)

This video is mainly cardio, but there are different forms of it in this video. There are 4 step segments, some hi/lo impact aerobics, and 4 limb aerobics using lighter weights. Tall box climbs are also featured in this video, where you step up and down on the tall box which really elevates the heartrate. Three different instructors (Lisa Kay, Nancy Tucker, Allie Strickland) lead this workout alternating between segments. There is also a fun abs section near the end of the video. It's a fun cardio workout with high energy music. You will need a step and a tall box or stool, light weights and a dowel or broom handle for balance. Not a really tough workout, but does the job in getting the heartrate up.

I really liked this workout and I'm glad I added it to my collection. It's a fun, efficient cardio workout. After finishing this workout, especially the next day, I could feel it. I really liked all 3 instructors so that was a plus. Allie, Lisa and Nancy were great and the cuing was perfect. This video is great for beginning or advanced exercisers. I am an intermediate exerciser and if I feel the moves are getting too easy I simply add heavier weights for a challenge. The FIRM is unlike any other workout series. You will definitely reach your fitness goals with consistency and a little dicipline. You can not go wrong with a firm video. The thing I really liked about this video is usually when the firm says one of their videos is a "cardio workout" it still usually has a lot of slow & heavy work, but this is truly a cardio video. Highly recommended.