FIRM/FitPrime/KickButt/Tracie Long

[shannonleigh23]

Can anyone summarize for me the main difference in styles between the categories listed above? I am looking to purge "dis-liked" material and purchase some new stuff that I know works for me. I have had my best results with the FIRM (not Firm Express, but BSS and Pinks) and may want to look into these.

Any comments? Suggestions? Raves? Rants ?

Any feedback would be much appreciated Happy Friday!

[Artist of Eyes]

FitPrime is great for older individuals or those returning to fitness. It's easier on the mind, body, and joints. It's the "lite" version of KickButt. KickButt is probably the closest to the original Firm Classics. It's more intense than FitPrime and uses the principles from the Classics. One of the keys with FP & KB is they use Non-dominate training so you use your non-dominate side first (it's been a while since I've done either).

Tracie Long does a lot of 4 limb and more endurance-styled lifting. She can use heavy weights but she tends to favor higher reps with lighter to medium weights. I have only done a few of her classics workouts a handful of times and I am not the expert on Firm Classics or Tracie's early years, therefore my info isn't complete. She uses a lot more athletic movements in her Longevity and Focus series compared to the Classics. I think this is also the case with TLTs but I've only done 1 workout from that series once. I personally like Tracie, but sadly, she just doesn't draw me in so I don't use her workouts often. I have most of the new workouts as I think they have a great concept, but they don't call to me like other instructors would. She's great for Functional Fitness and IMO, the best in the industry for just that. If you want Functional Fitness for whatever reason, I know I need them (I just don't do them ), She's the Go-To Instructor to use.

The Firm- where should we begin. It depends with all the titles. The Classics, I don't have much experience with although they use a lot of heavy weights, compound training techniques, and hit the body very thoroughly. I personally found them hard on the knees but OMG do they ever kick your butt! The BSSs are great and are a lighter version of the Classics but are still a great workout. The BSS2 Fanny Lifter Series with Add-ons and BBS4 TransFirmer are my favorites; the Upper Body workouts are great! You can get anything from 30-60 minute workouts, some include bonus material like the TransFirmer DVDs (bonus Legs or Abs workouts). It's faster paced lifting compared to The Classics so you can't go as heavy as you would with those. Great for both strength and cardio and the sets are usually bright.

The Pinks- I like several of them. These offer the most variety as they tend to keep up with current fitness trends. You get workouts from Yoga, Pilates, Kickboxing, Express workout options, Core-only, Cardio-only (several dance titles), and so on. I think of the Firm workouts (The Firm Express included), these use the lightest weights and the fastest lifting pace. You can't usually go as heavy as you would with some of the BSSs and not nearly even close to the Classics. It's mostly Cardio with resistance thrown in and most experts I'm sure would agree these are mostly Muscle Endurance workouts, not adding too much new muscle fiber, aka building the muscle, rather just making it stronger and tighter. There are some like Hi Def Sculpt and Total Body Toner that you can go heavier with but most tend to favor lighter weights; think 500 Calorie Burner and Power Half Hour (even the new express). The focus is usually either on the cardio routine itself or the pace of the cardio. You're either focused on learning a pattern or executing it at a much faster pace thus not allowing you to really use control with your lifts and momentum takes over.

Hopefully this helped you decided which workouts in your collection will meet your needs.

[ebianco]

To add to what Artist of Eyes said (which was a great thorough assessment!)

Fitprimes

Old Fitprimes– Tougher than the newer WHFN Fitprimes/Kickbutts and IMO most comparable to the BBH-classic Firms. One setback (for me at least) is a low production value, although you do have great instructors like Tracie Long, Carissa Foster, and Heidi Tanner from the original Firm.

WHFN KickButts – Tougher than WHFN Fitprimes and 90% as tough as the old Fitprimes. Some of the actual workouts (like Strong Bear) are very similar so there’s no need to get both versions.

WHFN Fitprimes – Beginner-Intermediate level, can be made a little tougher with (your own) modifications. I love all of the Fitprimes/Kickbutts so I modify them to suit my needs.

All of the Fitprime/KickButt varieties are functional with lots of slow, deliberate movements to engage the transverse abdominals, also intersperse yoga and pilates with the traditional cardio and strength that it shares with the Firm. Also all of the varieties are sort of equipment hogs and require a tall step, dowel, ankle weights, light and heavy dumbbells, medicine ball, and a yoga block depending on the workout. These also have a certain "personality" aka kookiness that a lot of people don't like, but I do! I LOVE these workouts!!

Tracie Long

Classic Firms/Old Fitprimes – Tracie (IMO) has always had impeccable form pointers and cuing and her workouts are down to business and vary in intensity although I’d say they’re mostly high intermediate. I especially like Firm Maximum Body Shaping, that’s her best workout IMO.

TLP/TLTs – Very very functional, lots of multi-planar movements, also there is a lot of medicine ball cardio, lots of unique exercises using a stability ball and gliding disks (or rags), and you have to go lighter with weights than usual to carefully execute the movements. The TLTs (not TLPs) are very high quality and there are three different levels shown that you can follow. I think a lot of people like these, but (like me) not sure where they fit into a rotation so don’t do them very often.

Focus/Longevity – Still functional but have also focus on traditional moves, like Artist of Eyes said she focuses more on endurance, high rep/low weight in these. I haven’t really clicked with any of them yet.

The Firm!! (I LOVE the Firm)

BBH/The Classics – Out of all the categories you’re asking about, I think these are the toughest. There are so many strength, strength/cardio, and cardio workouts to choose from to make too many generic statements, but on the whole, I would say they focus on heavier compound movements, traditional exercises (not functional or trendy), lots of step and floor aerobics with easy to follow choreography.

The BSSs

BSS1 and BSS2 use the Fanny Lifter and were a touch easier than the BBH Firms but kept a lot of the same exercises. Traditional exercises with moderate-heavy weights and mostly easy to follow step and floor aerobics. There are a lot of good workouts in these sets.

BSS3 uses the Firm box (aka death box) or you can easily use the BSS4 Transfirmer box, and is probably the toughest set out of the four, a little lighter on the weights but faster paced and pretty intense. The step aerobics (IMO) gets a lot more complex and tends to confuse me! BSS3 and BSS4 are unique in that exercises are now executed on the incline step, which work your muscles in different ways (also easier on the knees).

BSS4 uses the Transfirmer (a great sturdy step) and I think returns to the style of BSS1/2 a little more, with heavier weights and easier to follow step and floor aerobics. I have a few favorites in this set too.

Pinks – Unlike all of the above, these don’t use ANY step, use mostly light weights, and are very fast paced. While still traditional, these are a lot more modern, and include “new” exercises like kickboxing, plank work, plyometric lunges and such, and dancy choreography (at times). I found these to be less kind to the knees because they include countless lunge varieties often done at a quick pace. I still like and use a lot of them though, with my faves being Get Chisel’d, Pump Jump and Jab, 500 Calorie Workout, and Transfirm Your Trouble Zones (kbell workout).

[shannonleigh23]

You guys rock!
Thank you so much for your insight! I already have (and adore) a lot of my FIRMS (again, not FE though) and was thinking that to get more variety I should look at the "branches" that have sprouted from the FIRM's old roots. I now know what does (and clearly does not) interest me from these options. Thanks for taking time to help

[TinaT]

To add just a bit to the others:

Production quality of the Fitprimes/Kickbutts are unmatched IMO. They are beautiful to watch and the music is unique with each segment. Not the normal run of the mill workout tunes.

You can't say enough about the Classics. To this day, they still set the standards for thorough and complete workouts. BTW, if you really want a lower body challenge try Standing Legs.. it's a compilation/parts workout from the Classics and I believe it's still ranked as one of the toughest out there. You can get it on dvd with Upper Body. Love it.