The Firm.....advice and tips for a newbie?

[angie_nrs]

I just recently started getting Firm tapes and I'm trying to get it all figured out. I know I'm late to this party, but here I am. I got a huge lot of 31 tapes from a seller on Ebay and I also have some that I acquired from thrift stores.

Upon doing some of the originals, my first impression was.....there are some quirky moves here, especially in the warm up and cool down sections. Apparently these moves can be picked up through repetition since there is not much queing going on for a newbie. After doing them a few times, it does get a bit easier to pick up. I also noticed that I really have to listen for the queing since many times it is there, it's just very late, like immediately right before the move, so there's not much time to think. Again, I think with repetiton that will get better. The old workout clothes are a bit amusing, but don't bother me one bit. I also don't mind the instrumental music. I'm using my small blue square step box in lieu of their firm bench and it is working just fine. I am noticing similar moves being used on the originals, but if they are effective, I can deal with that.

A few questions for those who are experienced Firm users. Is there an original Firm rotation? Are the original Firm volumes 1 thru 6?

I'm trying to figure out which are the same workouts but in different cases? I have the gold colored tapes that say 'sculpt' on the top that seem like they are the same as the blue marbled colored cases that say 'firm parts'. I also have 2 of the 'firm parts' videos with the same picture on the front of Kathy Deery but one is 79 minutes and says 'floor legs' and one is 30 minutes and says 'lower body sculpting'. It is confusing that the same picture is being used on the tape cover. I have a couple more similar to this as well.

I also have some Firms that say 'cross trainers', 'fast and firm', firm basics', 'total body', 'body sculpting system (purple)', 'body sculpting system 2', etc. I also have a couple of the pink DVD's that I picked up at the dollar store.

I guess I need some advice on how to decipher what is what and how to use them together. It'll take me a while to actually DO all of them. When you all do a Firm routine, what does that consist of? Do you use all of these or just the originals for the most part? I guess I'm trying to figure out how to integrate these together to get the best use out of them.

Any and all advice or tips to a newbie would be appreciated!

[adawn]

Your thread already had some good tags, but I added some other tags that may be helpful: "everything the firm, firm compendium, and firm history".

By clicking around on those tags I got to this post in another thread that might be of interest??

Originally Posted by bethellen

Here is a list. I started included compilations; but then stopped. Minutes are first and category after. Some of my category titles changed with the newer ones.



Firm Classics . . . 1986 - 1992
60 1986 - Vol 1 / Body Sculpting Basics (Vol 1) Classic
65 1987 - Vol 2 / Low Impact Aerobics (Vol 2) Classic
62 1988 - Vol 3 / Aerobic Interval Training (Vol 3) Classic
42 1990 - Vol 4 / Time Crunch Workout (Vol 4) Classic
46 1991 - Vol 5 / Abs, Hips & Thighs Sculpting (Vol 5) Classic
52 1992 - Vol 6 / Complete Aerobic Weight Training (Vol 6). . .. a.k.a. Boomers Workout Classic

Firm Parts (from Classics)
5 5 Day Abs (5DA) Abs
5 5 Day Stretch (5DS) Stretch
29 Lower Body Sculpting S-L
41 Light Aerobic Mix C
42 Standing Legs (SL) S-L
48 Tough Aerobic Mix (TAM) C
35 Upper Body (UB) S-U
32 Aerobic Butt Busters Classic

Firm Audios
Abs & Pelvic Diaphragm
Easy PowerWalk with Weights
Hard PowerWalk with Weights
Universal Cardio Trainer

Firm Cross-Trainers . . . 1994
60 The Hare (Hare) H
60 The Tortoise (Tort) T

Firm Parts (from Tortoise & Hare)
44 Ballroom Aerobics (BA) C
34 Sculpted Buns, Hips & Thighs (SBHT) S-L
42 Tough Tape (TT / TT1) S

Firm Cross-Trainers (Variety Series) . . . 1995
60 Firm Cardio (FC) T
57 Firm Strength (FS) T

Firm Prime Powers . . . 1996
45 Prime Power Lower Body Shaping T
45 Prime Power Fat Burning T

Firm Basics . . . 1997
45 Abs, Buns & Thighs (ABT) T
45 Basics Fat Burning (BFB) H
45 Sculpting with Weights (SwW) T

Firm Tri-Trainers . . . 1998
45 Better Body & Buns (BBB) T
45 Fat Blaster (FB) C
45 Maximum Body Shaping (MBS) T

Firm New Cardios . . . 1999
48 Cardio Burn H
46 Calorie Killer 2 H
46 Maximum Cardio H

Firm Parts / Blast Set (from New Cardios)
43 Bust & Butt S
47 Core Cardio 1 C
46 Core Cardio 2 C

Firm Super Shapers . . . 1999
63 Super Cardio Mix C
52 Super Sculpting (SS) S
48 12 Minute Time Crunch Cardio S
48 12 Minute Time Crunch Weights C

Firm Parts / Super Shapers
51 Cardio Split 1 (CS1) T

Firm Parts (from post-Classics)
40 Boot Camp 3-in-1 Mix (BC) S
63 Cardio Step Mix (CSM) C
More 5 Day Abs (M5DA) A
67 Total Body Shaping Mix (TBSM) T
45 Tough Cardio Mix (TCM) C
45 Tough Tape 2 (TT2) S

Firm Parts / Split Set (from post-Classics)
69 Lower Body Split (LBSp) L
61 Upper Body Split (UBSp) U

Firm Body Sculpting System 1 . . . 2002
25 Ab Sculpt (ASc) Abs
47 Body Sculpt (BSc) S
57 Cardio Sculpt (CSc) T

Firm New Super Set . . . 2002
31 Body Sculpt Blaster (BScB) S
30 Cardio Sculpt Blaster (CScB) C
30 Lower Body Sculpt Vol 1 (LBSc1) S-L
32 Lower Body Sculpt Vol 2 (LBSc2) S-L
42 Super Body Sculpt (SBSc) S
40 Super Cardio Sculpt (SCSc) C

Firm Body Sculpting System 2 . . . 2003
58 Complete Aerobics & Weight Training (CAWT) Cl
51 Maximum Cardio Burn (MCB) H
55 Total Sculpt plus Abs (TSc) T

Firm Body Sculpting System 2 - add-ons . . . 2003
39 Calorie Killer 1 (CK1) C
10 FIRM Abs (FA) Abs
40 Upper Body Sculpt (UBSc) U

Firm Body Sculpting System 3 . . . 2004
46 FIRM - Complete Body Sculpting (CBSc) Cl
30 FIRM - Fat Blasting Cardio (FBC) C
46 FIRM - Total Muscle Shaping (TMSh) Cl

Firm Body Sculpting System 3 - add-ons . . . 2004
30 FIRM - Advanced Cardio Express (ACX) C
30 FIRM - Express Cardio (XC) C
31 FIRM - Express Total Body Sculpting (XTBSc) T
32 FIRM - Hips, Thighs & Abs (HTA) S
33 FIRM - Power Yoga (PY) Str

TransFIRMer Series . . . 2005
55 Aerobic Body Shaping Cl
35 Supercharged Sculpting S
45 Ultimate Calorie Blaster C

Jiggle Free Series . . . 2005
25 Jiggle Free Abs S-A
30 Jiggle Free Arms Cl-U
30 Jiggle Free Buns Cl-L

Wave Series . . . 2006
40 Rock It Off C+S
30 Speed Slimming Sculpt S
10 Express Abs S-A
30 Rock Solid Buns S-L
30 Rock Solid Cardio C
30 Rock Solid Abs S-A

Retail Releases - 2006
40 Cardio Dance Slim Down C
30 Fat Burning Sculpting Ball C+S
40 Ultimate Fat Burning Workout C
30 Slim and Sculpt Stability Ball S
30 Sculpt and Tone Pilates S
30 Fat Burning Cardio Toning S
15 Express Yoga STR
30 Slim Solutions Yoga STR

Retail Releases - 2007
50 Bootcamp Max Calorie Burn C+S
20 Power Sculpt w/ Sculpting Stick S

TransFIRMation System/CardioWeights - 2007
45 Cardio Overdrive Ex = 25 C C
40 Cardio Party Ex = 30 Min C C
55 Hard Core Fusion Ex = 35 Min C+S
45 Hi Def Sculpt Ex = 25 S S

TransFIRMation System/CardioWeights (Deluxe) - 2007
10 Core Solutions S-A
30 Tight Buns and Killer Legs S-L

TransFIRMation System - add-ons - 2007
30 Cardio Inferno C
40 Burn & Shape C+S
45 Cardio Sculpt Fusion (TBL) C+S
45 Total Body Time Crunch Ex = 25 Min S C+S
40 Total Body Toner S

45 Skills, Thrills, Drills w/ Balance Trainer C+S
55 Cardio Core Fusion C+S
45 Cardio Dance Fusion C

40 Cardio to Go & Slim w/o the Gym C+S
45 Transfirm Your Trouble Zones w/ Kettlebell C+S
40 Power Ball with Slim & Trim C+S
45 Pump, Jump, & Jab C+S
55 Dangerous Curves (Cardio 35, Sculpt 30, CardioCore 25) C+S
50 Sculpt-ilates S

2008
40 Get Chisel'd S
30 Power Half Hour C+S
60 500 Calorie Workout C+S

2009
Ultimate Fat Burning Collection (PJ&J,CSF,CO,B&S) C+S
Total Body Makeover (Express:TBTC,SCPL,HCF,CP)


2010
51 Target Toning Zero in Ten C+S
57 Calorie Explosion C
21 Weighted Gloves Kit C
20 Coretoner Plus S
PowerBurn 45 (CDSD, CI, UFB)

The Firm Express Series
3x20 Ignite C,S,C+S
3x20 Accelerate C,S,C+S
3x20 Turbocharge C,S,C+S
3x20 Overdrive C,S,C+S

FE re-issue
2x20 Ignite (C1CS/C2CS)
2x20 Turbocharge (C3C/C1S)

2012
3x20 Time Crunch Cardio C+S/C+S/C
3x20 Cardio Dance Club C/C/C
mult Flat Abs Solutions 10, 10, 10, 10, 20 S/S/C+S/S/C+S

2013
44 Transfirm Your Body C

The Firm Zip Trainer Series
50 Peak C+S
50 Rev C+S
15 Barefoot Abs S-A
30 Firm & Cardio Upper Cl-U
30 Firm & Cardio Lower Cl-L

http://forum.videofitness.com/showthread.php?t=198056

These resources were also linked to in the same thread:
http://www.videofitness.com/instructors/firm.php
http://www.videofitness.com/instructors/firmnames.php

[angie_nrs]

WOW!!! Thanks for that!

I had no idea there were so many Firm workouts.

[kat999]

Have fun! You're in for a real treat by just now getting into the FIRM. The classics and later ("pink") workouts are all great. I used to only like the older ones but in doing a Breast Cancer Awareness Month challenge last fall that involved doing one pink FIRM a day, I found a greater appreciation for the later ones (almost none of which use a step). You might also want to seek out the Wave system if you can find it, because that uses a rainbow-shaped step that you can set up in several different ways. There are about five workouts to use with it, and they're all between 20-45 minutes, which is great if you need to squeeze in a short workout. I am also partial to the FIRM Express system, because all the workouts are only 20 minutes and you can do just one or string several together if you want a longer workout. The cuing is frequently not great, as you mention, but patience and repetition will get you there.

[TinaT]

I can't speak to post Benson FIRMs, but have owned every FIRM Anna ever created at some time in my fitness journey. I still own just about every one with just a few exceptions. That being said, my encouragement to you, is to do what motivates you to push play.

For me, it's all the vintage clothes, music etc. It's also the sequencing of the workouts. I burn more calories with the FIRM than any other workout I've done. So that's part of my motivation. Sometimes I can't do a full hr. so I break a Classic Firm into 2 workouts and do them on consecutive days. I don't go by a rotation, (never had), I just know to do a cardio based or weighted based every other day.

I also love Anna's Fitprime and Kickbutt Series. Kind of like Firm 2.0. to me. She has some great beginner workouts that can ease you into the tougher ones. Good luck and remember, move to workouts that motivate you.

[bzar]

Originally Posted by angie_nrs

I just recently started getting Firm tapes and I'm trying to get it all figured out.

if you can provide the titles that you own, we could make some suggestions. depending on the "era", some of the workouts use certain equipment and can be as long as 80 min. of course, we wouldn't suggest working out 80 min, but more along the lines of how best to use what you have if you're new to the firm.

for me personally, i prefer the "classic" workouts, but use the BSS1 equipment a lot. i also like the BSS1 workouts & add-ons and some of the BSS4 workouts

i have also found great use with the Firm Wave "step" but haven't tried the workouts that go with it.

[Carol K]

I have 106 FIRM Workouts and I do all of them. But I'm awfully glad I started in 1989 when there were only three and purchased them as they were released.

[Kathy G]

Here’s a link to the original Firm 90 Day Rotation. I actually still have the printed version somewhere! I did the entire rotation in 1999 or 2000.

http://yeprs.ogjyk.servertrust.com/v...cf90daycal.pdf

[kat999]

Originally Posted by Carol K

I have 106 FIRM Workouts and I do all of them. But I'm awfully glad I started in 1989 when there were only three and purchased them as they were released.

WOO HOO! That is quite the collection! I'm not sure I'm there yet, but I'm getting close!

[Carol K]

And that isn't all of them either. I never bought most of the compilations, basics, or the retail kits.