Rating: 
Summary: great workout
Review: I thought that this workout was great. It really had me sweating and I am in my ideal weight. Allie is my favorite instructor and who cares about the tattoos and her figure. This is a great cardio workout. Time goes buy fast. And even though the ab section is short it is challenging. I would definately recommend this to friends.
Rating: 
Summary: fun cardio
Review: I use this on my light training days. It's a great break between other Step routines; I dig the combination of weights and cardio!The main reason I'm writing, is due to some of the past comments that have been written, in regards to Allie. I cannot believe how snobby some of these reviews have been...from comments about her weight, to her tatoos, its just pitful how self-absorbed and trite some of these reviewers are. Shame on you! Exercise is for everyone!! Even if you have tatoos, piercings, black, white, fat, thin...Exercise is not just for the skinny and so-called "perfect" people. If you're new to Max Cardio Burn, do not allow these judgemental reviewers to cloud your vision. This is a great video for light training days, the steps are easy to follow, and, you don't need the sculpting stick (I just use my weights and step!) to perform the exercises.
Rating:
Summary: Great cardio workout!
Review: I was so pleased with the secoond BSS from the FIRM. You'll really like this workout. it's got awesome cardio moves and music that are sure to get your heart rate going and burn calories! It includes a great standing leg tune that will tone your thighs! I also love the ab work. Allie is a supurrrb instructor, too. It all begins with a warm up on the fanny lifter, followed by intense aerobics like kickboxing, step, climbing the 14" tall Fanny Lifter. The new Firm Sculpting Stick is used, both for light four limb aerobics and stability. Following the aerobics is a standing leg tune using the stick for resistance (hamstring curls, hyperestensions, and abductions). Cool down before hitting the floor for a very tough set of abdominals and plank work that will really shape your core! The stretch is relaxing and long enough to make you feel purrrrfect! Miss Kitka
Rating:
Summary: A good intermediate cardio workout
Review: I'm an advanced exerciser and use this video for my "light" days, or when I'm coming back from a layoff due to vacation or illness. It's also good to tack on to another workout if you want additional cardio.
The choreography is fun and features a variety of different moves. The instructor, Allie (who is cute as button and definitely not out of shape!), has a nice camera presence and her cuing is excellent. I used a heart rate monitor while doing this video and stayed in the very low end of my training range.
Rating:
Summary: Allie's not bad.
Review: I'm giving this DVD 3 stars because I haven't used it yet. I just bought it a couple weeks ago. I'm still using The Firm Body Sculpting 2-3 Pack. I'm writing to comment on Allie Del Rio as an instructor. I think she's a good instructor. At The Firm studios in South Carolina she is known for her cardio routines because they get results. Just try and look past the tattoos and workout to the best of your ability. If you see Allie in older Firm tapes, she's quite slender and some have commented on her being larger in these tapes. Maybe she had a baby recently or maybe she's been doing heavier weight lifting. Who cares!! Does every instructor have to look like a twig for people to get motivated?
Forget what Allie looks like, stick with this system and you will see results!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Fun!
Review: I'm someone who usually likes to lift heavily when I use the Firm workouts, so when I previewed this, I didn't think was going to work me that hard. When I got into the first couple of tunes, I thought this was going to be a guilty pleasure- enjoyable, but maybe not the best way to spend my workout time. Then at the thirty minute mark, I noticed that I was sweating- a lot. By the time we were ready to cool down and stretch, I felt like I worked out- and I liked it! This workout alternates between low-impact, step, and four-limbed aerobics (aerobic movements with 3 to 5 lb weights). Of course, they're showing the use of the Fanny Lifter and their new Sculpting Stick, but I was able to get a great workout without using either (I have a stool, a regular step and a dowel, as well as a collection of dumbbells). Step choreography is my downfall (no pun intended), but this managed to be challenging without dangerous to someone like me. The combinations use simple steps, but by the time you're done, you know you've worked hard. The kickboxing sections are fun. An experienced kickboxer (or even a Tae Bo devotee) will not be impressed, but it's enough to add a nice change to the usual Firm low impact choreography. For the four-limbed sections, they have you use the Sculpting Stick and then the "twigs" of the Stick as your light hand weights. From what I have heard, these won't weigh more than 2 lbs. I think that would be enough for someone very new to weight training, but even with my 3 lbs (and sore shoulders from yesterday's workout) I felt like I could have gone up to 5 lbs (but I wouldn't have gone any higher). The four-limbed sections are as close as you're going to get to upper body toning. If that's what you want, look elsewhere. A brief leg toning section using the Stick for balance and resistance is also included, along with a very short section where the 14-inch step (or stool) is climbed during the aerobics (one set for each leg- this has to be one of the shortest tall box sets the Firm has ever used). The legs section was the only place that I thought it would have been nice to have had the stick for extra resistance. However, ankle weights would also work fine here. A brief abdominal section is included, and then we stretch out with quite a few yoga-inspired stretches at the end. I wouldn't call this a total body workout, but it's a fun and effective cardio workout. The instructor, Allie Del Rio, is clear and motivating throughout. I think this is a great workout for beginners through advanced.
Rating: 
Summary: NOT for beginners!
Review: Maybe someday I'll be able to get through all of it, but I don't know what some of these reviewers are talking about when they say this tape is too easy. If you are serious exerciser and have used a ton of the FIRM tapes in the past it might be easy, but if you are new to exercising at all (as I am)or really out of shape and am finally motivated to get moving (as I am) this is a tough place to start. The instructor goes so fast that I miss have the steps and don't really know if I am even doing them correctly because it's so rushed. Plus, having five other instructors as the people exercising in the background really isn't that motivating- they have obviously done this routine a million times! As it is now, I do five minutes and stop the tape, then another five and stop the tape. I'm dying!! I'll get through it eventually, if I don't find a better tape first.
Rating: 
Summary: Didn't feel productive...
Review: This dvd is hard to follow, and reminds me of a gym class workout in highschool. The production is pretty lame, the music is hard to hear, and I had the same complaint about Complete aerobics, why do they put the women for beginners all the way in the back? How can someone who has no idea what they are doing follow someone they can barely see?
But just in defense to the instructor, who cares that she has tattoos? And I wouldn't say she is out of shape, I would much rather be a full figured, toned woman then some of the other women in these tapes. Don't make up excuses for not working out, the tape is hard, but the tattoos didn't make it hard.
If you want a good workout I would try Complete aerobics by The Firm. It will seem hard in the beginning but if you stick with it, you will definetly see results, and feel good about yourself when you finish.
Maybe I will try this dvd again but my first impression of it was that the production made it impossible to follow the routine.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely got to get it!
Review: This is another great Firm Workout! The workout is upbeat and challenging - and set up to challenge beginners and advanced people. The aerobics are combined with the fanny lifter at all different levels. And the ab section is awesome. I definitely notice a difference in my abs after doing this workout for a couple of weeks. I also like the music - it fits section perfectly and keeps you motivated. You'll really love it if you get - I definitely do!
Rating:
Summary: I love this DVD
Review: This is my favorite firm workout. I am an avid exerciser, and I find this workout to be fun, challenging, and uplifting. Allie is my favorite instructor, regardless of her tatoos??? She has a gorgeous body, I am thin for my height, and I am somewhat envious of her curves. All in all though, this dvd is a good workout, I have the equipment, but I agree that it isn't necessary to have it to get a good workout from this dvd. The segments go by fast, and I usually sneak it in before work for my cardio. It is work getting up at 5 am for!
| 
