Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Workout for Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Tonight I did The FIRM Prime Power Fat Burning Workout.

Hmm...where to begin.  This is a lesser-known Firm and one that makes you scratch your head and go "hmmm..."  Just check out the cover...LOL!  I don't think this is the cover it was actually released with though.  I got mine many moons ago in a plain, white cover.

Anna Benson, one of the Firm Founders, was the creative force behind The Firm.  Sadly, she passed away around this time last year.  I have to say that she got really creative with this one.

Let's start with the set.  Half jungle, half beach.  A couple of statues of cheetahs with glowing eyes (see cover!).  A big fake sun up top.  A statue of a man's face lying somewhere in the background (see cover!).  Zebra-striped rugs.  And the music?  Marching bands, some Christmas-y sounding stuff, some Star-Wars kind of thing, something with a telephone in it (I actually almost paused to listen to see if my phone was ringing), and a Chariots of Fire-type stretch song.

This one was led by Stacy Millner-Collins, and she was a little better in this one.  A little.  Her timing was still off on some parts, and she tends to forget to tell you to get your weights or step or whatever.  Once she told you to put your stool away so that you can do abs, but you needed it to do them.  Nice thing to do after you already laid down.

The workout is about 45 minutes long, and although you would think that given the name it would be more cardio-based, the cardio is very easy.  What isn't easy is some of the arm work.  There is a seated segment that almost made me cry.  And I was only using five pound dumbbells.  They should have named this one Upper Body, as a cross-trainer to the other Prime Power which targets the lower body.

Firm Workout Listing

So how many FIRM workouts are there?  Well, according to my count there are currently 131.  I highlighted Express Yoga as that is one workout I do not have.  I'm sure I'll acquire it before this Challenge is over!  The FIRM is also taking pre-orders for a new workout led by Allie.  Yes, of course I pre-ordered it!  It's not coming to retail until the end of 2012.


Volume 1 - Body Sculpting BasicsSusan Harris
Volume 2 - Low Impact AerobicsJanet Jones-Gretzky
Volume 3 - Aerobic Weight TrainingSandahl Bergman
Volume 4 - Time CrunchSusan Harris/Kai Soremekun
Volume 5 - Abs, Hips & Thighs SculptingLaReine Chabut
Volume 6 - BoomersJayne Poteet
Not-So-Tough AerobicsVarious
Tough Aerobic MixVarious
Upper BodyVarious
Standing LegsVarious
Lower Body SculptingVarious
5-Day AbsVarious
5-Day StretchVarious
The TortoiseTracie Long
The HareTracie Long
Firm StrengthPam Cauthen
Firm CardioHeidi Tanner
All Cardio (Fat Blaster)Various
All Weights (Maximum Body Shaping)Tracie Long
Better Buns and BodyVarious
Tough Cardio MixVarious
Ballroom AerobicsTracie Long
More 5-Day AbsVarious
Sculpted Buns, Hips, & ThighsTracie Long
Tough TapeTracie Long
Tough Tape 2Various
Sculpting with WeightsTracie Long
Fat Burning WorkoutJen Carmen/Stacey Millner-Collins
Abs, Buns & Thighs WorkoutStacey Millner-Collins
Lower Body SculptingKim Bartlett
Fat BurningStacey Millner-Collins
Cardio BurnTamela Hastie
Power Cardio (aka Calorie Killer 2)Dale Brabham
Maximum CardioCarissa Foster
Core Cardio 1Various
Core Cardio 2Various
Bust & ButtVarious
Upper Body SplitVarious
Lower Body SplitVarious
Super SculptingVarious
Super CardioVarious
Cardio Split 1Various
Cardio Step MixVarious
Total Body Shaping MixVarious
Boot Camp 3-in-1 MixVarious
Cardio SculptAllie Del-Rio
Body SculptJen Carmen
Ab SculptLisa Kay
Super Body SculptStephanie Corley-Huckabee
Body Sculpt BlasterNancy Tucker
Super Cardio SculptNancy Tucker
Cardio Sculpt BlasterLisa Kay
Lower Body Sculpt ILisa Kay
Lower Body Sculpt IILibby Heath
Complete Aerobics & Weight TrainingEmily Welsh
Total Sculpt Plus AbsJen Carmen
Maximum Cardio Burn Plus AbsAllie Del-Rio
Upper Body SculptJanet Brooks
Calorie KillerNancy Tucker
Firm AbsNancy Tucker
Complete Body SculptingChrista Riley
Total Muscle ShapingStephanie Corley-Huckabee
Fat Blasting CardioLisa Kay
Advanced Cardio BlastLisa Kay
Cardio ExpressStephanie Corley-Huckabee
Express Total Body ShapingPam Cauthen
Hips, Thighs and AbsPam Cauthen
Firm Power YogaKirsten Strohecker
Aerobic Body ShapingAllie Del-Rio
Ultimate Calorie BlasterStephanie Corley-Huckabee
Supercharged SculptingPam Cauthen
Jiggle Free BunsPam Cauthen
Jiggle Free ArmsStephanie Corley-Huckabee
Jiggle Free AbsAllie Del-Rio
Speed Slimming SculptAllie Del-Rio
Rock it Off!Alison Davis-McLain
Rock Solid BunsAlison Davis-McLain
Rock Solid CardioKelsie Daniels
Rock Solid AbsAllie Del-Rio
Express AbsEmily Welsh
Hi-Def SculptAnnie Lee
Cardio OverdriveAlison Davis
Hard Core FusionAllie Del-Rio
Cardio PartyVarious
Cardio Dance FusionAlison Davis
Burn & ShapeEmily Welsh
Cardio Sculpt Fusion aka Total Body LiteEmily Welsh
Skills, Drills & Thrills (Balance Trainer)Tina Smalley
TransFIRM Your Trouble Zones (Kettlebell)Kelsie Daniels
Cardio InfernoSue Mi Powell
Pump, Jump 'n JabKelsie Daniels
Sculpt-ilatesRobyn Johnson
Target Toning Zero-in-TenRebekah Sturkie
Emily Welsh
Tight Buns & Killer LegsKelsie Daniels
Total Body TonerAllie Del-Rio
Total Body Time-CrunchRebekah Sturkie
Core SolutionsAlison Davis
Get Chisel'dRebekah Sturkie
The 500 Calorie WorkoutKelsie Daniels
Dangerous Curves AheadAlison Davis-McLain
Fat Burning Cardio Toning (Firm Cords)Tina Smalley
Bootcamp Maximum Calorie BurnAlison Davis
Cardio Dance Slim DownAllie Del-Rio
Ultimate Fat Burning WorkoutAlison Davis
Fat-Burning Sculpting Ball WorkoutTina Smalley
Sculpt & Tone PilatesAlison Davis
Slim & Sculpt Stability Ball WorkoutAllie Del-Rio
Cardio Core Fusion (Sculpting Balls) - with
Cardio Absession
Burn, Shape & Tone
Rebekah Sturkie
Weighted Cardio Gloves WorkoutRebekah Sturkie
Power Sculpt Workout (w/Sculpting Stick)Allie Del-Rio
Express YogaAlison Davis
Calorie ExplosionVarious
Power Half HourEmily Welsh
Slim Solutions Yoga WorkoutAllie Del-Rio
Slim Without the Gym (Cardio To-Go Kit)Annie Lee
Slim & Trim (Power Ball Kit)Tina Smalley
Core Toner PlusEmily Welsh
Cycle 1 - Ignite: Cardio+SculptEmily Welsh
Cycle 1 - Ignite: CardioEmily Welsh
Cycle 1 - Ignite: SculptEmily Welsh
Cycle 2 - Accelerate:  Cardio+SculptRebekah Sturkie
Cycle 2 - Accelerate:  CardioRebekah Sturkie
Cycle 2 - Accelerate:  SculptRebekah Sturkie
Cycle 3 - Turbocharge:  Cardio+SculptAlison Davis-McLain
Cycle 3 - Turbocharge:  Cardio Alison Davis-McLain
Cycle 3 - Turbocharge:  SculptAlison Davis-McLain
Cycle 4 - Overdrive:  Cardio+SculptKelsie Daniels
Cycle 4 - Overdrive:  Cardio Kelsie Daniels
Cycle 4 - Overdrive:  SculptKelsie Daniels
Kickstart Your Metabolism: Pump it Up!Jennifer Ray
Kickstart Your Metabolism: Shortcut to Flat AbsJennifer Ray

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Jez's Workout Room

In 2005, my DH and I built our dream home.  One of our requirements was that we would eventually have a large workout area.  Until last October (2010), I worked out in an empty upstairs bedroom.  It was adequate, but a lot smaller than I would have liked. Over four years, DH painstakingly worked on the finishing the basement in his spare time.  He did a ton of work, and now it is almost completed.  There is a living/family room, spare bedroom, full bath, office/man-cave, storage room as well as the our new workout room which is 80% done.  The only thing left is that we will be buying a corner sauna this year, and installing a large wall mirror.  I'm not positive of the exact measurements of the room, but I believe it is 28' x 15'.  Here are pictures of what is done so far.  You can click on the pictures to see larger versions.

Entrance:


Looking in from entrance



This is the corner the sauna will be going in.  Of course Pickle needs to get in the picture.  Every time she sees us with the camera, she starts positioning herself.  She's the ultimate photo bomber...except cute!


Entrance door and storage closet:

Storage closet:


Rebounder and DH's BioForce:


Treadmill, balls, Personal Trainer Pickle:

Weight rack, storage, TransFirmer


This is the large wall the mirror will go on.

Videos galore...







I guess she's doing a new yoga pose or something.



The shrine of Firms and Cathe's....

Workout for Tuesday, November 29

Tonight I did Firm Basics Abs, Buns and Thighs Workout.  Out of the three Basics, this is my least favorite.  Stacy Millner-Collins leads this one, and she's very, very stepford-wifeish in it.  Also, she's often a little late with her cuing and some of the equipment changes are really rushed.  Still, it's a decent workout, and the 45 minutes seem to fly by.  I was able to modify some of the moves to make them harder and pull out heavier weights for some of the moves.

I'm trying to finish the Basics and Prime Powers this week as they are more or less The Firm's beginner workouts.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Workout for Monday, November 28, 2011

Tonight I did The FIRM Cardio Inferno with Sue Mi Powell.  This is the only Firm workout that Sue Mi leads.  It clocks in around 30 minutes and I would consider it intermediate.  I needed something quick tonight since I had a book club after work and didn't get started until 8:45 p.m.  This was just right.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Starting my Firm Challenge Today!

I started my Firm Challenge today by doing The FIRM Basics Sculpting With Weights with Tracie Long.  It's definitely an easier (basic!) workout, but you can use heavier weights and do advanced modifications to make it more challenging.  I ended up having a good, enjoyable workout.  Tracie Long's cuing is impeccable in this workout.

Workout time: 45 minutes