Firm - Fast & Firm Series Express Cardio

Rating:
Summary: Beware, company sends unwanted product
Review: Buy the firm and you will be sent a large number of unordered videos along with unordered vitamins. BEWARE.

Rating:
Summary: Fun Fun Fun!! Love the Firm
Review: By far one of my most favorite Firm cardio workouts. I have over 20 in my rotation and this one is great. Challenging and a fun.

Rating:
Summary: A great "quickie" from the Firm!
Review: Fast & Firm Series Express Cardio is also sold as Express Cardio as part of the Body Sculpting System 3 set. The only difference between this workout and the BSS3 Express Cardio is the cover design. This workout calls for the Firm Box (you'll use it on the incline quite a bit) and light dumbbells--3 pounds or less. You could modify and use a regular step or the Fanny Lifter without much problem, but I really enjoy the incline Box for this and other BSS3 workouts.

This is a fun, intense 30 minute pure cardio workout. The choreography is varied and interesting without being overwhelming and Stephanie never asks you to do anything on the box that feels dangerous. Her cuing is excellent--as much as I like Fat Blasting Cardio with Lisa Kay (another 30 minute BSS3 cardio workout) I think that Stephanie does a superior job with cuing and flow in this workout. Stephanie also improves on her performances in previous Firm workouts--unlike older workouts like Super Body Sculpt, she speaks with good intonation and doesn't slip into a monotone. She stays upbeat and encouraging throughout the workout, which makes it more fun for the user.

I own almost all of BSS1, all of BSS2, and most of BSS3--of all of those Firms, this video easily makes my top three favorites of all time. It's a great 30 minute workout!

Rating:
Summary: Awesome workout!
Review: I just purchased this video, I nearly passed on it, so glad I
didn't. It is a great short cardio workout, about 30 minutes.
The time just flies by! It really packs a punch in little time.
The routine is innovative and interesting, it flows well and
goes great with the music. The variety is good too, you use
the box in incline position for a few segments, in the 14 inch
position for one leg press segment and there are some cardio
segments that you don't use the box at all. The workout can
be easily modified and is doable without using the incline
at all for those who don't like working on it. Light dumbells are used (3 lbs max) but you could forego the dumbells if you prefer and still get a solid workout. I highly recommend this video, it is my new favorite and I will use often.

Rating:
Summary: So amazingly unique!
Review: I purchased this workout to accompany my Body Sculpting System 3 along with Advanced Cardio with Lisa Kay (which is only availible through the FIRM or Collage right now) and was surprised at the way this workout is designed.

The cardio in this thirty minute workout is slow and concentrated. A LOT of cardio is performed on the incline bench in the beginning with and without dumbells. Although it is not exactly fast paced, it is surprisingly challenging. Some stepwork is followed by lunges and squats on the incline utilizing light dumbells. I use my Sculpting Stick "twigs" for this part. After all of this, there are two sets of very fun low impact floor aerobics broken up by a challenging set of quick legs press- also slow but tough. The last work is done on the incline again. It was interesing how the plyometric jumps onto the box made it both hard and interesting.

The chorepgraphy here is quite different. But just because it's slow doesn't mean it's easy, because it isn't. It is quite different from anything I've done before, but I find myself enjoying it every time. The music is really hot. Stephanie is a supurb talent and will make beginners feel comfy.

All in all, another winner from the Firm.

Kitka

Rating:
Summary: Time Saving Workout!
Review: Many of the Firm Cardio work outs are 55 to 60min. long however This one is just 30 mintues. There is a mix of three different workout here. so you will not being doing just step for an hour.This is a Great addition to any Workout schedule.


Rating:
Summary: Much better cardio out there
Review: There are building blocks to any good workout that lead to the final routine. Express Cardio skips the building part - goes straight to the routine and leaves most beginners and a fair amount of advanced excercisers behind. There is nothing that is terribly wrong with the step routines or this workout but it left something to be desired in the instructing department. If fact, there wasn't any. She told you to do it and left you to fend for yourself. Sure, it wasn't boring - just extremely frustrating. I've been with the Firm since Volume 1 came out - and in my experience anything the Firm makes that says its cardio is usually not their best. They excel in other areas and if you are going to use the Firm - you should expect to use props. They have always required something - but I believe now they are going gadget crazy. You don't need their box. You can find ways around any of their gadget requirements. A Reebok step can duplicate everything that box does except go to 14" - and if you already have their wooden step up box from way way back or their recent "fanny lifter" - then you have that too. Any other stool of that height is acceptable. If I were you, I wouldn't buy this workout - there are much better cardio workouts out there.

Rating:
Summary: Great Instructor
Review: This is a great fast video for a great fast intense workout.

Rating:
Summary: This requires that you buy their step
Review: This video uses a modified step called the FIRM box. You probably won't be able to find this in a regular athletic store, and it costs twice the price of a regular step. Unless you already own this step, this is not the video for you.

Rating:
Summary: AWESOME!
Review: This workout is my new favorite! I am so uncordinated I thought I would NEVER be able to do all of the moves. But practice makes perfect and now I have sooooo much fun in this workout. What I like best is that it is only 30 minutes! Most of the firm workouts are longer and it seems to never be over. This one is fast and trust me YOU WILL SWEAT!