Aerobics & Toning

[Tanja]

This week I am doing a blast from the past: The Original Firm Time Crunch Video. This workout is great. It keeps my heart rate up and I can use dumbbells up to 25 lbs. Additionally, the impact is rather low.

Over the past year, I was sucked into doing a lot of the Jillian Michaels, Bob Harper, New Firms, etc. where you use mainly rather light weights such as 5 and 8 lbs dumbbells, but not heavier than 12 lbs dumbbells. The impact is a lot higher, too.

Those who have done the Originals and the newer stuff - are the results the same? From a wellness point, I believe the the Original Firms are better. They are well rounded and gentle on the body at the same time they work the muscles thoroughly with weight that actually challenges the muscle. I don't think the trend of faster, harder, higher impact workouts are beneficial in the long run. What do you think?

[Jane1721]

I've done a couple of Jillian's workouts and at one time had all of the pink Firms, and I really feel like I get better workouts (and therefore better results) from the BBH Firms, and even the first four BSS series. I can use heavier weights with these workouts because the pace is slower, and I think my body responds better to that. And injury prevention? Definitely! I was plagued by injuries last year, including a strained lower back muscle from doing a burpee in one of the newer Firms.

I do like high impact cardio and I think it compliments the older Firms. I don't like plyos, though, and I don't do workouts that have too many of them. The plyos in Fat Blaster or Cardio Burn (for example), I can handle. The plyos in Insanity type workouts? No way!

[SquishyMommy]

Personally, I much prefer Classic Firms to the newer ones. And same as you, I've gotten sucked into higher impact workouts and my knees are paying the price. I have found that Classic Firms slimmed me down in a way no other workouts have ever since. Well, TA definitely slimmed me down, but I felt squishy and like I lost a lot of muscle. Right now I am doing Kettlebell Kickboxing and while I am still pretty early in my rotation I feel like I am getting very similar results to what I got with Classic Firm. There are a few high impact moves but they are easily modifiable and do not make up the majority of the workout.

[Lucky Star]

I can't do the "faster, harder, higher impact" workouts any more. I know they work for many but for me they're an invitation to strains and injuries even with very light weights, so I totally agree with you. And I agree that the original Firm Time Crunch (aka Volume 4) is really quite fantastic: a manageable length (~40m) that has it all, is (mostly) low impact, and moves at a nice doable pace. It has definitely become my favorite of the original classics. (ETA - I've also rediscovered Volume 4 with Jayne Poteet, which I'd always considered a tad too slow moving. I guess now that I'm in my 50s it's not any more!)

It's pretty funny, because back in the day I read reviews for Time Crunch stating that Kai Soremekun lifts those light weights while doing step too fast to be considered safe (I'm paraphrasing here). Whereas by today's standards it's practically a snail's pace. FWIW I've never experienced a problem doing any of the classic or early BSS Firms, but I can't say that for the newer ones with their jerky twists, turns and jumps.

[Lucky Star]

Originally Posted by Jane1721

I was plagued by injuries last year, including a strained lower back muscle from doing a burpee in one of the newer Firms.

I'm sorry to hear this - ugh!
I am so over burpees being in every workout, and often done at a breakneck pace. These days I'll only do them once in a while, slowly & carefully.

[Lucky Star]

I just thought of something else: in recent years I have been plagued by on-again off-again knee pain which has largely prevented me from doing lunges. I'm sure this was in part brought on or certainly exacerbated by the fast twisty (so-called "functional") lunges done in so many newer videos. These days I've returned to modest amounts of slow, deliberate lunge work, deeper and often holding significant weights -- my knees feel so much better!

[Exercise Diva]

I love the Classic firms too (especially the first three volumes) but now do the higher impact moves on a rebounder. Question for all of you though? Do any of you substitute another move for the upright rows - there are quite a few in Vol 1 and now they're saying that they are not the safest move for your shoulders. I do substitute reverse lunges for the forward lunges because my older knees prefer that - just haven't figured out what to do instead of the rows.

[Lucky Star]

I do what I call 'lateral' upright rows. IOW instead of straight up I pull the weights on a diagonal, extending the elbows more to the side. This incorporates my upper back (sort of pinching my shoulder blades a bit) and rear shoulders. It feels safer to me.

[cherimac]

Originally Posted by Jane1721

I've done a couple of Jillian's workouts and at one time had all of the pink Firms, and I really feel like I get better workouts (and therefore better results) from the BBH Firms, and even the first four BSS series. I can use heavier weights with these workouts because the pace is slower, and I think my body responds better to that. And injury prevention? Definitely! I was plagued by injuries last year, including a strained lower back muscle from doing a burpee in one of the newer Firms.

I do like high impact cardio and I think it compliments the older Firms. I don't like plyos, though, and I don't do workouts that have too many of them. The plyos in Fat Blaster or Cardio Burn (for example), I can handle. The plyos in Insanity type workouts? No way!

It's interesting that you say that about the BSS Firms. I thought they were truer to Anna's methods than the Pinks are. BSS1-4 were always my favorite Firms, followed by BBH. I liked the Transfirmation set okay but not much after. Of the Transfirmation set, I honestly think Annie's Hi Def Sculpt was so underrated. You can definitely go heavier with that one than with lots of the other Pinks.

[Jane1721]

Originally Posted by cherimac

It's interesting that you say that about the BSS Firms. I thought they were truer to Anna's methods than the Pinks are. BSS1-4 were always my favorite Firms, followed by BBH. I liked the Transfirmation set okay but not much after. Of the Transfirmation set, I honestly think Annie's Hi Def Sculpt was so underrated. You can definitely go heavier with that one than with lots of the other Pinks.

I think so too! Especially the BSS1 workouts, I still use these a lot. To me, the Pink Firms aren't anything like Anna's workouts. The only one I kept from the Transfirmation set was Hard Core Fusion, and I got rid of all my other Pinks except Allie's other one...Total Body Toner, I think.