the Firm classics

[Taramisu]

Originally Posted by Rose Ohio

I love the Prime Powers! Thanks for letting me know about the CrossTrainers. I will be watching for these. Collage no longer has the Strength DVD. I will just have to be patient. I have plenty to keep me busy!

Oh...I thought they still did. Sorry about that! I wouldn't worry, they should be coming out eventually. There is a poll over at Fitness Faves where you can vote on which ones want to be released next. I put in my vote!

[kariev34]

Originally Posted by Taramisu

I have only tried 3 of the classics, Vol 1, 2 and 5. They are really good workouts, I don't have any issues with the dated outfits and music. I have a lot of old workouts from the 80's and 90's so that's not a big deal for me.

However...I have owned Vol 1 since 1996 and out of all the Firms I own, it's the one I reach for the least. I only acquired 2 and 5 last year and just traded 5 away. I don't like the high impact aerobics, of course they are easy to modify, the floor work is really good but moves very fast. I almost like Vol 2 a little better to be honest but I don't reach for either one all that much. It's partly the length...I don't have the attention span to exercise for an hour anymore.

But if I did I am more apt to reach for the Crosstrainer Cardio and Strength pair, I am really anxious for these remasters to come out. In my opinion these are the all time best Firms. I am older too and seem to migrate more towards workouts that are slower paced.

Again...not dissing the Classics, they are really good and no doubt effective. They are just not my personal favorite Firms. The Crosstrainers are more my speed.

I am probably one of the few that feels this way, I will be interested to see what the other responses are!

This may be a stupid question but what are the Crosstrainer dvds?

[Taramisu]

Originally Posted by kariev34

This may be a stupid question but what are the Crosstrainer dvds?

There were a few Crosstrainer sets that the Firm put out...

Firm Strength/Firm Cardio (has the famous library setting)
Firm Tortoise/Firm Hare (both led by Tracie Long, Tough Tape is the one compiled of parts from each one)
Firm Upper Body Split/Firm Lower Body Split

Each pair is designed to work together. The first two sets, one is a fast & light workout (Hare/Firm Cardio) and the other being a heavier weight workout (Tortoise/Strength). Upper and Lower Body Split are really long, over an hour each, if I recall correctly there are three giant sets for each one. For Firm Cardio I would call that more of a moderate weight workout rather than light.

I never clicked with the Hare/Tortoise pair, I much prefer the Cardio/Strength pair. I had Upper and Lower Split for a while but they are simply too long for me so I got rid of them.

I have tried a lot of Firms over the years, the Cardio/Strength pair are in my opinion the best Firms ever released.

[lrb04]

I never stopped doing the Firms since I started in 1997 but the classics I do only once a year since I had done them to death years ago. I don't use ankle weights because it puts too much stress on my legs & hips. I do everything low impact & if you can get past the dated look, the music is still good & the moves still fun to do.

[Rose Ohio]

This is such a timely thread for me. I just started to reaquire and do the old Firms.

My rotation this past week was the FitPrime/KickButt workouts. I really enjoyed these, hadn't done them in ages.

I didn't care for the Cross Trainer Upper/Lower Body Splits, they were too long, seemed to just go on forever.

I am going to go over to FF and vote.

[Carol K]

Firm Cardio and Firm Strength are both actually slow and heavy workouts, but they complement each other in other ways: Firm Cardio alternates between upper and lower body and Firm Strength has super-sets for upper and lower. They also have some complementary exercises: Firm Cardio has posterior flies and Firm Strength has anterior raises; Firm Cardio has table work and Firm Strength has inner thigh work, etc.

I also still do the older workouts, but less frequently than the newer workouts. I've never gotten rid of any of my Firms.

[cdayley]

I still do the Classics, usually one per week because I also have all of the other Firms and do them regularly. I won't get rid of the classics until I stop seeing results from doing them, and that hasn't happened in the 17 years I've been doing them!
Chrys Dayley

[wellnesswife]

I'm 30 so I didn't do the Classics when they came out either. I have tried a few & I really like them! Fun moves & the music is good. U just have to get past the outfits! I would suggest try one & see how you like it!

[bzar]

Originally Posted by kariev34

Ok, i'm 31 so I never did the firm when I was younger as I didn't workout then.

i did my first firm video in 1996 (tough tape 1, issued in 1994). later on, i acquired others, like Volume 2, released in 1988. i had to laugh at the leg warmers, which harkened to the early 80s ala Flashdance. it didn't deter me.

i think you'll find that they grow on you after a while. the workouts are pretty solid and have stood the test of time. and as old as these may seem, they are done in a very "elegant" way in terms of presentation.

it's also one of the few series that featured a lot of men in the cast who didn't scoff at the "light" weights, and willingly participated for a good workout.

you might also look into Anna's FitPrime and KickButt series, filmed later, and more updated in terms of "the look" (i.e., minus the leg warmers and unitards...).

Originally Posted by Joni O

For example, so many instructors today say not to use ankle weights.

there was a VF thread about this, and someone suggested putting the weight around your thigh). when i do those workouts that call for ankle weights, i usually don't wear them because i have plenty of resistance w/o them.

[firmaniac]

...I still enjoy Vol. 1-6. My monthly goal this year has been to do them on days 1-6 of each new month. Now that I have the chaptered versions, I "part" them up (drop the warm up/ stretch or just do floor work for instance) and it has made them fresh & new. A Firm friend posted a screen cap in one of the groups showing a beautiful mature Firmie wearing her ankle weights strapped above her knee (on her thigh)while most of the cast had theirs around the ankle! In all these years of performing these workouts, I had never caught that variation! I am going to be trying it next time, but sure wish my mind wasn't a blank right now on which volume it is! argh...