Customer Reviews

The FIRM DVD Classic 'Vol 2 Low Impact Aerobics' by Anna Benson with Janet Jones

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've owned almost every single Firm video workout--from the Classics--to the WAVE.

LET ME TELL YOU...out of ALL of them--THIS one is FAR more effective then the newest ones. Although I do love the new ones...I cannot for some reason find ANY other workout on the market as effective as the FIRM classics!

I also use CATHE FREDRICHS (she is GOOD and for advanced people only)..but I find I keep coming back to the wonderful beloved Firm classics..

This one--is a GREAT upper body..

In my opinion, all you need for a perfect body is these videos/dvds:

-FIRM Classic #2 (this one)

-FIRM Classic #1--we all know how wonderful Susan Harris is!!! :)

-FIRM Classic #3 (great interval training)

-FIRM Cardio -Maximum Cardio (WITH CARISSA FOSTER ONLY!!)--that one is hard to find on DVD!! Simply another BEST!!

-FIRM-Tough Tape--with Tracy Long--the BEST.

-Any Cathe Fredrich Step/Drill dvd workout--she is the best for Cardio--she will work your butt off!!

Anyhow, THIS workout is just "immortal"..and I don't give a hoot about the 80's style, music..etc..(well the music IS a bit cheesy.lol)..BUT..DO NOT BE FOOLED...this workout is HARD and EFFECTIVE..will give you AMAZING results!

The floor runtine is tough--but as most FIRM lovers all know--Classic #1 with Susan Harris is probably THE most toughest floor workout on video..and THAT one is superb as well!

Listen..all you need to do is alternate this video with classic #1 and 3, and PLEASE do find Maximum Cardio with Carissa Foster, and you will just ADORE that one too!! Very fun, good music and NEVER BORING(like most FIRMS ARE), along with Tracy Long's Tough Tape, and a few Cathe step aerobics..and I promiss you--you will have that bikini body..

Of course we cannot forget that eating right (and clean) is 70% of your results..so DO eat healthy..and you will be sooooo happy you invested in this oldie--but VERY GOOD GOODIE!!

I'll say a few words about the DVD itself, but first, the workout...

My mom did the classic Firm workouts when they first came out, I remember volumes 1-3 specifically getting heavy rotation. This volume was always my favorite. A good amount of time is spent on the warm-up, and beginning and ending stretches. I've always liked the pace of this workout, as well. Beware, those of weak knees, in this, and any classic Firm workout, you will be doing lunges, and lots of them. If your knees are a problem spot for you, this might not be your cup of tea. Also, you'll notice on the video that when doing squats, lots of knees are going out past the toes. We know better now, so this doesn't really bother me, I correct the form without even thinking about it. That's the only real adjustment I make in form when doing the workout. As always, watch the workout first before trying to perform it, so you get a feel for the flow and proper execution of the moves.

Low impact... no. It's not low impact. During the cardio sections of the workout you will be bouncing and jumping and taking both feet off the floor at the same time. Be prepared for this. You will be moving. Ladies, I highly recommend a sports bra with proper support!!

A lot of people complain about how 80's the classic Firm workouts are. Well, yes. They were made in the 80's. I find it rather amusing, the hair, the massive amounts of make-up, the pastel and neon colored workout clothes... but it doesn't bother me. The music, in my opinion, isn't any worse than the music on the other workout videos I own. This may be because I am so familiar with this video from my younger days that it makes me feel nostalgic. Either way, it's not distracting or ridiculous so I'm okay with it.

I like Janet Jones as the instructor on this video. She looks great and she's got great execution. You can see the sheen of sweat on her, and hear her getting out of breath when giving instruction, so you know she's working just as hard as you are. Some people complain about breathiness in an instructor's voice, but doesn't that mean they're doing it properly? If they're not out of breath, then something's wrong with either the workout, their execution of it, or both. I personally like the instructor to be as out of breath as I am.

Unless you're in great shape, don't expect to keep up completely and use the full weight regimen when first doing this workout. Ease into it. I remember being in high school and this thing completely kicking my @ss. Trust me, you'll feel like a god the first time you complete the whole thing, using all the proper weight. It is a true rush.

I love the classic Firm workouts because you don't need any special equipment that costs an arm and a leg. All you need is floor space, weights, and motivation. There are some exercises on this workout that have a 2x4 under the heels of the feet, but I go without because I can keep on the balls of my feet during those routines without needing a prop.

Now, on to the DVD specifically. It has a menu which breaks down the workout to its individual sections, and tells you on the menu how long each section is. The picture quality is pretty good, considering how old the original recording is. However, when I put on the DVD, during the opening credits, it randomly jumps to a mid-sentence clip from '20 Questions about Fitness', plays that for a few minutes, then goes back to the credits just in time for the workout to start. That got me thinking, where is 20 Questions? Guess what- it's not on the DVD. That is what kept me from giving it five stars. It really is a rip-off that they didn't include it. I wish they had, it was most informative. It would have been a great bonus feature on the DVD. For those who never had the VHS, 20 Questions was an informational segment at the end of the tapes on the classic Firm workouts that gave great information and did some myth-busting on things commonly misconstrued about aerobics and weight-training.

Overall, I highly recommend this to anyone who seriously wants to get fit. Even without 20 Questions, it is still worth the money. Ten workouts will give results!

This workout is excellent for those who are either advanced and enjoy a challenge, and for those who do not like a lot of complicatd choreography. Janet Jones is an awesome and charming instructor who makes working out with weights a pleasureable experience instead of a burdensome one! The mixture of weight work with aerobics and floor work really does produce visible results quickly just as The Firm claims! I tried this workout once a day for a week and had 5 small fat-reduced meals each of those days and man, I lost a pant size(from size 16 to size 14)!! Believe me, this workout is certainly worth trying!!

I first started using this video in 1995. I had 40 pounds to lose and started out just walking an hour a day but I eventually started using the FIRM videos. This one quickly became my favorite and soon was the only video I was using. I used it daily. At first I wasn't able to do the full workout or use all of the weights but my strength and stamina built up quickly and in 4 months I lost that 40 pounds and achieved the best body I've ever had in my life. I was 31 and looked better than I had in high school (and I was a cheerleader!) Now I'm 45 and have 25 pounds to lose so where am I going to turn? Back to Janet Jones and her FIRM workout, of course! I've tried dozens of other video workouts, including several by the FIRM but none of them get me going or keep me going like this one. I realize it's going to be a bit tougher at 45 than it was at 31 but I've no doubt that the results will still be amazing.

I purchased this workout on VHS when it first came out, back in 1988, based on a positive review I read in PEOPLE magazine. I had just given birth to my second child. It whipped my figure back into shape, and tightened up every square inch of my body. Fantastic workout! I have babied that VHS along through the years, doing my best to maintain its usability, because I could not find it again for purchase (VHS or DVD) until a few years ago. How thrilling it was to find it on DVD on Amazon! What a relief! I purchased one DVD, and am about to purchase another copy just to be safe, in case something should happen to the first - that is how amazing this workout is - once you try it, you don't want to lose it! I use it three times per week, and alternate it every other day with cardio-based workouts 3X per week as well (1 day of rest per week) like the elliptical, the treadmill, etc. Honestly, it firms every section of your body up. Of course the outfits are dated, and the music is old-school, but that is superficial - what counts in what this workout does to your body. I personally find the music inspiring and motivating.

For beginners, I recommend watching it once through, then starting with no weights the first 3 workouts; then use 1 lb. dumbbells for the next 3 workouts, then move up to 2 lbs. for the next three workouts, then 3 lbs., etc. until you reach whatever weight levels you are comfortable with. You will see some results after 5 workouts, but if not, do your body and self-esteem a favor and try it for 10 full workouts and then decide if you don't like it. I have 4 children and was able to get back to a size 6, even after the 4th pregnancy. Yes, some parts are hard on the knees, but you can modify the moves without losing fitness benefits. This is THE "Go-To" workout to feel good about your health and figure!

Just finished this workout for the first time in probably 15 years, and I feel completely energized. None of the newer Firm workouts remotely compare. This workout is incredibly tough even without weights, and as you get stronger you can add bigger dumbbells and ankle weights and the pounds and inches just melt off. I wish Janet Jones had made more full-length workout tapes.

Believe it or not I use to do The Firm Workout by Janet Jones every single day when I was 9 and 10 years old...funny huh? But it was fun for me..I loved the music, the challenge and most of all I loved Janet! She's great! Very graceful and doesnt make you feel like you're being yelled at during the workout. Well Im 23 now and of course alot has changed including my weight and all I can seem to think about is getting this workout on DVD. If you are really trying to FIRM up and get into shape this is it! You will fall in love with this workout just dont give up and complete the entire 65 mins of it...you will feel very proud of yourself. Eventually it will grow on you and you wont feel right going a day without doing The Firm. 10 workouts...65 min. a day is all it takes to a have a FIRM body, this is truly the best workout of all times.

I used these videos back in the 90s to get in rockin' good shape. They were dated even then -- the workout wear is hilarious, all bubblegum colors and the men are in SHORTY shorts and muscle tees, but this workout is just incredibly effective. The synthesizer music, while funny at first, gets to be catchy and soon you'll find it circling around in your head at the oddest times.

I was so excited to see these Firm classics come out on DVD because my VHS copies finally bit the dust a year or so ago. I've been doing the workout now for a few weeks, I can already tell a difference. Buyer beware, this workout contains one segment of decidedly high impact aerobics (considering it's called "Low Impact Aerobics"). It will prove quite challenging for beginners, but keep at it and you'll soon be able to do all the moves with low weights. Even when I was in fantastic shape, however, I never got to the point where I was using more than 3 or 5 lb. weights for most of it (10 pound weights only for just a tiny section of the workout at the end). And TWO sets of ankle weights really aren't necessary. Work your way up to one set and you'll be good. The breakdown is thus: 1 minute talking about equipment, 3 minutes "hot warmup," 4 minutes stretching, 25 minutes aerobics (most of it with weights), 28 minutes of hips, abs, and chest work (most with weights, also mostly on the floor), 8 minutes of stretching (my favorite part). If you do the whole workout, it's 65 mins total.

I also have the "Boomers" workout, which is also quite challenging and not really for old folks, as advertised. There's lots of squats and work on the Firm "box" in that one.

this is a fast paced never boring workout.I am a big firm fan and for the other firm fans ,you will not be disappointed. I would buy from this seller again.I recieved my dvd even before it was expected to arrive and it was exactly as described

I have had the VHS version for years and years(since 1993), and I bought the DVD in the event the tape breaks. I am SO glad the old FIRM workouts are on DVD. This one is fantastic if you want quick results. It is a very challenging workout and you have to grow into it, but you will see results after doing it 10 times, even if you don't do the whole thing in the beginning. I use 3,5,and 10lb. dumbells, just like they recommend. In the beginning, I couldn't do most of it because it was too much. I did what I could, and eventually I got to where I did everything. By that time, I had lost a lot of weight, and was getting complements about my body left and right. It is worth the money. I like the music, and I really like the fact that it is very 80's. Looking at the hairstyles is so hilarious. Did I really look like that?:0) The beginning and ending stretches are the best I have ever seen, period. Don't skip them- they reduce soreness. If they still have the "20 questions about fitness" at the end, then you get a lot of value for the 28 bucks. It packs a lot of fitness and nutrition info in 30 min. I learned a LOT from it. The free weights you need are at any sports store and they are cheap. The gloves are cheap too, and you need them to keep from getting calluses. Give this workout 3 months, and you won't recognize your body.