The Firm Bootcamp - Maximum Calorie Burn

This is another keeper by the firm. This starts with a 9 minute warm up then progresses to a plyometric section, then a cardio and repeats the pattern to the end. This workout increased my heart rate and I burned calories throughout this entire workout. You move from one segment to another keeping your heart rate elevated through out the workout. I found this to be more cardio based but the weight work you do helps to elevate your heart rate and keep it pumped through the entire workout. I found the moves easy to follow the first time through, not for beginners just starting out, you would want to do the beginner segment for the first few runs through to get your moves down. I found the instructor fun and very motivating. This workout lasts 52 minutes and was a real sweaty experience. You can use a simple set of hand weights for this workout, 3 - 10 # weights are used for this one. I can tell I will feel the ab work at the end of the workout tomorrow as a reminder. Another great firm experience.

This one is a very good mix between cardio and weight training. If you like the concept of David Kirsch but find his DVD a little bit boring (or you don't have all the recommanded equipment), so this is the one for you. This workout alternates three sections of plyometric moves (weight training plus some power moves without weights like jumped scissors or jumps combined with push-ups) and three cardio units. The cardio units are mostly typical aerobic moves with some nice modifications (hooks, kicks and in the last one a jump called "shooting the basket"). Before the last cardio section you're almost ready to give up, but the music is so motivating and funny, that you put all your energy you have at this moment into it for this last part. The cool down (with core training) is very good choreographed and is one flow. No hurry, no standing up, lying down and so on, just one flow. The cuing is very good, but sometimes they're showing the beginner exercises a little bit to often. The total length is about 50 minutes. As equipment, you need three pairs of dumbbells. This DVD has no indication about the region code, but works for me in my DVD player and in a Playstation 2 for Europe.

I consider myself an intermediate-level exerciser, and I found this work-out to be very tough. In fact, I followed Sue-Mi doing the lower level during the last cardio segment. I thought the instructor provides good direction, and the moves are easy to follow. All the plyometric moves made me sweat and my muscles burn. The one thing I found annoying is that on several different occasions the camera is zoomed in on Sue-Mi when a new move is introduced, so if you're trying to do the advanced moves, you have to wait until the camera goes back onto Alison. I like that fact that you can get a great work-out without a lot of equipment. All you need are 2 sets of dumbbells. I highly recommend this DVD.

I absolutely love this workout. It was nice to have a high-energy workout that does not incorporate the Fanny Lifter or the TransFirmer. Don't get me wrong. I love doing leg presses since they really work, but there are times when I've been working out all week, and I want to get a total body workout but don't want to do the leg presses that day. This is the video for all those who love sports drills, power moves and breaking a good sweat. I also like that the beginner moves will still get a beginner a good workout. I am crazy about the Firm, but there are some videos that I would never introduce to a beginner, even with the beginner modifications like Total Aerobic Body Shaping or Advanced Cardio Blast. They are just too much for someone who has never worked out before or who has not worked out in a long time. This video is completely doable by people of all fitness levels and is quickly going to become one of my favorites. I can't wait for the other one that is supposed to be coming out soon, Power Sculpt Workout Kit, but I can't find any information on it on the net at all!!! So we will see.

This workout is fun to do. It is a mixture of cardio, plyometrics, and sculpting. It moves quickly and hits most of the major muscle groups. The workout is targeted for intermediates. Sue Mi shows beginner modifications but there really is not enough instruction given for a beginner to execute the exercises properly. The only equipment that is required is hand weights (light, medium, and heavy). The cardio was relatively easy to pick up and follow. This is not a dance style cardio workout and the moves are not very complex. That said, the routines do raise the heart rate. The plyometrics was pretty disappointing. The instructor slowly builds up to the full move. This is really unecessary because, really, how difficult is it to learn mountain climbers? That time spent building up to the real move is time that could have been spent burning more calories. Once I did the routine once, I just did the full move from the beginning. A major problem with this video is that the camera work is pretty terrible. The instructor will explain a new leg exercise but the camera will remain focused on the upper body. Or the instructor will explain a beginners or advanced modification and the camera will not be focused on the appropriate person. This happens many many times during the video. Another problem I had with this video is a lack of instruction on proper form or sufficient camera angling to show the move from different sides. In my opinion, this renders this video inappropriate for beginners. I really wish I could give this video a higher rating because it is a lot of fun to do but unfortunately, there are too many major short comings.

I've been doing the Firm since the late 90's, and I love the original tapes as well as most of the permutations in between. I think this new series with Allison (and the ones with Allie!) is just terrific, giving a great cardio workout in about 50 minutes. I especially love the "diagonal" moves, across the body, which none of the early Firm workouts really has. If you want "jelly" muscles, you probably need to do Tough Tape, Tough Tape Two, Total Body Workout, Aerobic Body Shaping or Cardio Sculpt with Allie, and/or Body Sculpt with Jen Carmen or Stephanie. But for an all-over fast workout that will tap some new muscles, increase your flexibility, wring out a nice sweat, and won't make your downstairs neighbors want to kill you, this workout is excellent. Ultimate Fat Burning Workout has a slightly different emphasis (and even more across the body moves) and is also a great workout. On days when I don't want any weights, I adore Cardio Dance Fusion, but beware, it's exactly the same as Cardio Dance Express, so don't waste your money, and write the Firm a nasty note about that.

It's a lot more difficult following moves in a video than in a live class. A good video addresses this issue by either offering an introductory segment outlining the moves that will be used during the exercise or showing the moves slowly before launching into the exercise. With "The Firm Bootcamp", it would be best to offer a section that goes through the various arm and leg movements in slow motion so we can get those down first rather than try to learn them while keeping our heart rate up...which I find impossible. I am not the most coordinated person in the world, especially when it comes to doing different things with my arms and legs at the same time and I know there are a lot of folks like me out there. It is extremely frustrating when the instructor (Alison Davis) is going through the moves at a lightning pace and just as I get one batch down, she adds more and more. I do not understand why such a large number of combinations need to be used at once when simple power moves would work just as well if not better because the person isn't stumbling trying to figure out what to do next. This is the third The firm video I've tried and I'm quite disgusted. I thought perhaps it was the step in the trans-firmer series that was tripping me up (literally), but I've found I'm stumbling around even without the step. They simply add way too many moves at too quick of a pace for someone new to this type of work-out to learn and follow properly. I find the Tae Bo and Get Ripped videos to be much easier to follow and I get just as good of a workout if not more so. If I put Billy Blanks on mute and turn my own music on, I have no problems because the moves are SIMPLE and straight forward. I've never owned a video that played good music in the background and every instructor's voice gets old to listen to after awhile, so it is nice to be able to mute it and put on my own workout music. I can't do this with The Firm, because the moves change too much and I'm forced to listen to that god awful excuse for electronica in the background. One thing I love about the Ripped and Tae Bo videos is they drop the cliche girly aerobic moves and add some real "punch" to the workout. The Firm chooses to use overly complex boring combinations that I do not find motivating or empowering. Not all females want to be dancers. Also, there is a lot of emphasis on squats and lunges (the lower body), but not enough on the upper body or the abs. The abs section was decent, but I really didn't feel the burn. I gave it 2 stars because it is a decent workout if you are familiar with the moves and can follow along.

I just finished this workout for the first time and I LOVED IT! The moves might be a little advanced for beginners, but I have no doubt anyone can work up to it. Some other reviewers complained that they wanted more "sculpting." If you read the back of the DVD, the purpose of this workout is to burn fat with bootcamp training and cardio drills, and that's exactly what it is. I wanted a good hour long workout to get my heart rate up and burn some serious calories, and this DVD delivered! Alison is one of the BEST instructors as far as cuing and counting out the moves precisely. The plyometrics can be intense, but the modifications are great if you have bad knees or hips! I highly recommend this DVD! I also purchased the 500 Calorie Burn DVD, and didn't really like it. The cuing was WAY off to the beat of the music and hard to follow. This DVD, however, is a great calorie burning workout!!!

I have about 40 workout DVDs, a lot of them from The Firm, and this is one of my top fave ones. It works every part of your body in just under one hour, you can mabe call it high-impact but at the same time so easy to follow. I find myself picking up this DVD to work out at least once a week, amongst all the others.

ダンベルを使った筋トレとカーディオパートを交互に行います。 内容はしっかり考えられていて、ベーシックのトレーニングと それを応用したものや、カーディオパートも飽きないように 工夫されています。 ジャンプ系の動きも入っているので、運動強度は高いです。 体力があって、思い切り体を動かしたい人にオススメです。

Bon DVD de cardio, exercices pas exceptionnels mais on suit son rythme et perte de poids assuré si on s'accroche ! J'aime bien les DVD "the firm" ils sont attrayants, et à la portée de tous et toutes, que l'on soit champion ou simple débutant. J'apprécie dans ce DVD qu'il y ait trois niveaux, faits par trois filles différentes, une pour les débutants qui fait des mouvements simples, une pour plus chevronnés, et une pour les experts.

THE EXERCISES: Watched this through first time and was initially disappointed as the moves looked very easy, HOWEVER...actually doing the DVD completely changed my mind. The reasons? Well, it starts off with a few minutes warm up that is not overly strenous but does get you warm. It then consists of segments - Cardio 1, plyometric 1, going up to 3 of each, folowed by a cool down. For those who don't know what plyometric is, think Davina's DVD's and the interval training...basically short physical exertion moving on to a short weights section. Each segment is around 8 mins long, so this means the time flies. The 'cool down' is the Abs sesction and is deceptively effective...and TOUGH! Don't be fooled by the title! The instructor is excellent at telling you what to do in advance and the camera work is good so you can clearly see all of the moves. There is also a beginner's modification. I personally did not like the Cardio 3 section as I found it a little too "two-left feet" for my taste, but I just repeated the Cardio 2 section as a replacement. EQUIPMENT NEEDED: You will need weights, they define these as light to medium, and medium to heavy. I've been doing these with 1kg weights (or use filled water bottles)as I put on muscle easily and being only 5 foot, am paranoid about this. However, I am purchasing 2 kg weights to add a little more difficulty to the moves. RESULTS: The DVD's claim to show visible results after 10 sessions, so the real issue is, does it? Well, for me, I have muscly thighs and after 6 sessions, I have lost 3 quarters of an inch from each, so the instructor's claim that it will give you lean thighs IS correct. (The alternating squat lunges with a hop to each is an ABSOLUTE killer!) I have also seen that where my back used to bulge around my bra, this is also disappearing. I am personally highly impressed with the cool down abs section as especially around my sides, I can feel the firmness that wasn't there previously. OVERALL: This is my first Firm DVD and I am impressed. I previously really liked the Billy Blanks Tae-Bo workouts (and still do!), however, I am now a fan and have purchased the Firm's Core workout DVD on the basis that Alison Davies is the instructor (will post a review on that once tried). However, as I am only really interested in results with the minimum amount of effort required (yes, I am essentially lazy)I have to say that this blows Davina's DVD's out of the water on the basis I find it motivating, and actually works. I am not a fitness freak and struggle to a. exercise at all (especially being an unfit smoker, and b. I get very demotivated if I cannot see any results quickly. For the superadvanced fitness junkie, this is probably not the right DVD but for the average joe, regardless of fitness level or actual size, my view is that this is a very good way to kick start the weight loss for summer. I imagine that combining this with pilates sessions would probably be the perfect way to really lose weight and streamline the body. Seriously, I've tried a LOT of exercise DVD's and I really do recommend this. If you have a multi-region DVD player, just buy it. You won't look that attractive sweating away while doing it ~(and yes, I DO sweat every d*mn time)but just buy it. Enjoy!

Looking at the description I htought I might have made a mistake, I don't do a lot of excercise and I thought it might be out of my league. However trying it, it is great because if you join in lightly without weight it is a great begginners workout, and if you join in with the really high impact stuff, it really gets you working! The only reason it isn't 5 star is because the camera doesn't always focus on the main presenter, which would be fine if it didn't 'look away' whilst she was explaining what you had to do. I am an unco-ordinated teen, and some of the fast excersices were explained very quickly and I had trouble keeping up. eg. You had to do a kind of wide four step thing (front, side, back middle) with one foot at a time, and as I started to go into this, they added a complicated arm routine to it - I just got in a muddle! It is also an hour long, so I had to stop between sections for a drink etc. All in all, it is fun, and you get out of it what you put in, which works well. It's also nice to see the girl doing the workout getting out of breath and slightly sweaty too - unlike PE teachers who just yell at you to run faster whilest doing no work themselves! =D