Rating: Summary: A Great Total Body Workout Review: This is one of my favorite Firm videos although I'm a fan of nearly all of them. The Firm workouts have built strength and toned my body. I've gone from a walking/yoga exercise regimen to a running/weights/yoga one. I go to this video when I have some time, nearly an hour, and want to leave feeling that I've worked my whole body with cardio and sculpting combined. The workout is fun and challenging. Some have suggested that Allie is not as thin as she used to be. I think she looks great. It's been good to see her mature physically the way normal women do over the years. She's not Barbie-doll thin, yet she's very fit. I know I couldn't do this workout and give directions all the way through as effortlessly as she does. I strongly recommend the Firm and in particular this video.
Rating: Summary: Like this one! Review: This is one of my favorite Firms. I could consider myself
intermediate/low advanced. This video uses the Fanny Lifter
and Sculpting stick in lots of different ways. The Fanny
Lifter is used for step routines and tall box climbs. The Sculpting Stick is used for balance and some arm toning segments.
I don't find this workout to be really hard at all, but I think
it is a blast, and I always seem to get a good workout from it.
I think the music is good too. Allie is a great instructor,
she is really fit and energetic. When I first previewed it
I didn't think I would like it and almost got rid of it, sure
glad that I didn't.
Rating: Summary: Good for beginners. Advanced, pick something else. Review: This is the first time Ive bought any of the new firm series. I love the old ones, so I thought Id try one of these. Allie has always been my favorite instructor, so I picked this one. It was just OK. The super cardio and tough cardio from the old sets are better in my opinion, less of the faddish type stuff. I had to increase the intensity to really feel like I was getting enough of a workout. One portion reqires you to touch your feet, which I found more irritating than anything. The kickboxing bit is fast paced, but not really effective imo. For someone completely new to this type of workout, Allie explains some of the steps very nicely. There is also someone in the back showing beginners a modified version to get started with. The Sculpting bar would not have been enough weight for me, I just used my 5lb. hand weights, but the bar seemed like it would be ideal for a beginner.Not that it really affects the workout, but I found Allie's 3 new tattoos distracting after having done the old series with her in them. I would keep this video for when Im in a time crunch if I could skip through the parts I found less challenging, but the whole thing is on 1 track, which is not very useful. As it is, I am going to give this to a friend who is wanting to start working out.
Rating: Summary: not worth the money Review: This is the only FIRM video that I have not liked. I liked how she did five-minute segments; but I didn't like what was in them. There is kickboxing which is mostly arm movements, the step part was okay, and the low-impact is things like moving your arms and legs in front of you and behind you. I felt like I was back in junior high PE. I didn't use the sculpting stick; one could substitute 3 to 5 pound weights in each hand. And I am perfectly able to balance. I also have had no results. I weigh and look the same. I highly recommend the other FRIM videos (I really like them as a whole) but would pass on this one.
Rating: Summary: Horrible Review: this is the worst exercising dvd, that i ever bought 1- the instructor is much more overweighted than its shown at the cover of the dvd, it was hard for me to look at dvd, when u see someone that is not fit tryin to teach u how to work out. wheres the motivation? 2- the moves were real fast, she goes from one move to the next without explain much 3- u have to buy the pogo stick and and foot stepper, if u buy this dvd, u have to spend more money to workout what a disappointment !!! the dvd that i recommend for people to buy is the Crunch cardio salsa, its fun to exercise in different latin dances. the music is upbeat.
Rating: Summary: A little advanced, but effective Review: This workout utilizes the Fanny Lifter and the Sculpting Stick, but I would recommend using neither for the first couple of times through the workout to get the moves down, it is still rather effective without the step. There is some complicated choreography for the first time user, but Allie does a good job breaking it down. There are 6 mini routines, each one does an 8, 4, then 2 set breakdown of the moves. Because the workout is divided into segments, it is easy to pause, catch your breath, drink some water, and then start back up. The instructor has great cueing, and once I got a hold of The Firm's vocabulary I had no trouble keeping up. The segments have a kickboxing routine, sculpting, cardio, and a few use the fanny lifter for scuplting. There is a longer ab routine that is sure to have you sweating the first couple of times through. I just wish that they had held the stretches for a longer amount of time. All in all, I like it, and would buy it again.
Rating: Summary: Maximum Cardio Burn will do what it advertises! Review: This workout, led by Allie Del Rio, is a 55 minute long cardio and ab workout. The equipment used in the video is the firm fanny lifter and sculpting stick. You could use any sort of step you own, a broomstick, and a light pair of dumbbells to substitute.
This is a classic firm cardio workout, combining low-impact aerobics, step aerobics, and strength segments. Allie mixes it up frequently. Just when you start to get really tired she changes the segment, which helps keep it interesting.
As an intermediate/advanced exerciser, I got through it easily, although I definitely got a good cardio workout. The choreography is interesting, but not too complex. I will say, however, I know some beginning exercisers who only made it through the first fifteen minutes the first time they did it. The ab section is challenging.
Definitely a worthwhile addition to your fitness DVD collection.
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