The Firm? Benefits?

L

lis1

Cathlete
Hi,
I found a few Firm tapes I got years ago and did one tonight (Time Crunch workout??). I basically did it because I didn't have the energy for a Cathe tape and wanted a change.

I'm now doing 2-3 other tough cardio workouts a week and figured it's ok to do an easier workout if I feel like it on the weekends. Plus, I want to add a bit more toning work when I have the chance.

Anyway, my questions are:
1. I'm not sure if the Firm tapes are still like this, but they did some really fast reps so I had to go all the way down to 3 lbs for some arm reps. I definately felt a "good" burn in my arms, but is this safe? Beneficial???

2.These tapes aren't that advanced (I did feel my HR get up, but not super high, plus the tape wasn't that long), but am I getting any calorie-burning or toning benefits from these tapes?

Thanks for any input!!!
 
I have been doing the Firm for a long time (6 years) and I believe with the Firm in general you can really get the benefit of endurance. Take Time Crunch Workout for example: I use 5 lbs for the step segments and for the lunge, squat, overhead press combo 20 lbs dumbells. The lightest weights for this workout are 15 lbs for me and believe me, the heartrate stays up there. It's not impossible to go heavy with the Firms. I am glad I did not know before that in Vol.1 Suzan only used 10 lbs db as heavy weights, it took me forever to get up to 15 lbs db. I have the endurance of a horse because of using heavier weights with fast reps (and I really go as fast as they tell me to).

My recommendation: Heavy up!
 
It's not impossible to
>go heavy with the Firms.
>I am glad I did
>not know before that in
>Vol.1 Suzan only used 10
>lbs db as heavy weights,
>it took me forever to
>get up to 15 lbs
>db. I have the endurance
>of a horse because of
>using heavier weights with fast
>reps (and I really go
>as fast as they tell
>me to).
>
>My recommendation: Heavy up!

I agree with this 100%!! I also heavy up with the Firm and my results have been fantastic. I use basically the same poundage in Vol 1 .... 15 lbs for heavy and on the floorwork I use 5 lb ankle weights with a 12 lb dumbell on my thigh. It's killer, but it WORKS!!
Jeanne
 
Once you get proficient with the Firm tapes it's very easy to go up in weight size for the faster/aerobic segments. I use 6 or 7 lb weights for the aerobic/step portions and have no problem moving my arms fast with them. You really feel your heart rate go up with heavier weights. I started out, a long time ago, with no weights thinking 3 lbs was a lot!
Vol 4 is a great workout if done with the heaviest weight possible. I use 2- 20 or 25 lb weights for the lunges and dips and overhead presses. I use one 30 lb for french press and lat rows. I go a little heavier than normal b/c so few reps are done. I also use 5lb ankle weights and add them to the ab work.
You can basically make any Firm tape more advanced (or beginner) just by increasing (decreasing) the weight size they recommend.
 
Hi,
I have been doing Cathe workouts since November and found that most of my other videos have become too easy by comparison. Today though, I did the FIRM Vol.1 and it killed me. The segment where she tells you to sit through ( right before the floor work after about 25 minutes of standing work )I flopped down on my bum. I also stopped several times during the floor work.
This is the tape i use to lose weight and if you only need one firm video this is it.
 
The Firm is great, I used them for 6 years, no cardio really, only the toning, I did get results, however, the Cathe MIS and PH are a lot more challenging and make the Firm seem easy, now I used both and mix them up depending on how strong I feel on that particular day. My legs and arms never looked more defined. Weight has not been an issue for me, so I tend to do only the toning exercises.

Monica
 
I'm thinking about trying out a firm endurance type workout. I was going to try the Cathe PS series, but I'm scared it will bulk me up too much. I tend to bulk with heavy lifting so I just want something that will tone me. I have Powerhour and love it, but that is really the only endurance type workout that I own. I don't want a video with a bunch of funky aerobics mixed in, I just want one with alot of compound exercises(like in Circuit Max) to keep your heart rate up a little while you lift your weights. I also don't want one that goes slow for heavy lifting. And I want it to be very tough and challenging. Which would you recommend and why?

thanks,
Kristie Schultz
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Apr-28-02 AT 06:18PM (Est)[/font][p]Kristie,
I recommend Volume 1 with Susan Harris. Why?
1. Minimal equipment required
2. 1 hour in length
3. Thorough balance among aerobic, strength, balance, and stretching
4. Simple choreography
5. Easy to modify
6. IMHO, has the best floorwork segment on video and worth keeping for that alone

Now that I wrote that,I think I'll pop it into my rotation this week! I have been avoiding Firm tapes because they remind me of their new owner, "Goodtimes" (Badtimes)
-Connie
 
Just chiming in with my two cents. I did the firm 90-day rotation recently and although I didn't see huge strength gains, I saw remarkable endurance gains, and my resting HR went way down. Only thing I found with doing so much lifting, even if it's light weights, every day, is that I was really hungry. So I didn't lose weight (this wasn't my goal anyway) and I didn't see the kind of stregnth gains I've seen with Cathe in just 4 weeks, but cardio endurance-wow.

Christine
 
Glad to see this post regarding Firm workouts. I just ordered Tough Tape and Super Sculpting. I want to increase my endurance and get in some toning at the same time but I wanted workouts with less impact. Do you think these two tapes are good choices? I plan to do an 8-12 rotation. Will definitely place a cardio workoiut in between each Firm workout! What do you think?

Thanks in advance for any advice shared.

Angie
 
Tough Tape and Super Cardio are really great workouts. Good choice. The sequencing of the exercises keeps the heart rate up - so your endurance will improve.
 
Angie, you have made excellent choices. I have all of the Firm tapes except for the Basic series, Prime Powers, Tort/Hare and the Splits, and I think that Super Sculpting and Tough Tape are the best strength oriented tapes they have produced. I always get results from these two, and if I want to alternate with Firm cardio (which I really rarely do), I use Super Cardio and Cardio Step Mix (a low impact, more intermediate workout, but leaves me sweating buckets for some reason - it's a good, long, steady pace tape to alternate with Cathe on occasion).
 
Hi Katerchen, Kristina36 and cyberfit!!

Thank you so much for the thumbs up on my choices. I've had Tough Tape in the past (a couple of years ago and silly me traded it away), so I knew I was making a wise decision there but was unsure about the Super Sculpting purchase and whether or not it would complement Tough Tape.

I was excited to look here today and see a response. I was out sick yesterday and plan to take it easy until the weekend (which I have been down about) but this has certainly brightened my day! :)

Thanks again for your help and I look forward to previewing SS! I'm visualizing those leg presses in Tough Tape and can almost feel the Jello legs I'll certainly have once I've tackled that first workout!! :)
 
My favorite Firm tapes are Tough Tape 1 & 2 and Super Sculpting. They get your heart rate up, make you break a good sweat, and if you use heavy enough weights they are challenging and I have had visible toning result with them, I think the Cathe tapes help further the results along.

Monica
 
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