Customer Reviews

The Firm: Cardio Sculpt Blaster

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I rented this video at the library over a year ago and absolutely hated it, I thought I would give it another try, glad I did. Lisa Kay leads your through a 30 minute cardio workout along with 4 fellow Firm Master Instructors including Libby who shows beginner modifications. You will use the Firm Fanny Lifter for this one, but a normal step will do if you don't have it. Light weights are also used in some sections.

You will start out with a simple warmup then you go into your first cardio segment which is low impact. You will see marches, heel digs, step squats, calf pumps, lunges, knee lifts, all with simple arm movements. Some of the moves are performed with hops or jumps but you can leave those out if you prefer.

The next segment is step aerobics with light dumbells, I used 3 pounders for this. You will do heel digs and heel rocks with bicep curls, straddles with modified upright rows, lunges with tricep kickbacks, lunges off the back of the step with rhomboid pinches, all on the step. Squats with hammer curls on the floor finish out this set.

More step follows, this time without weights. This segment includes basic steps, A-steps, hamstring curls, knee lifts, L-steps, over the tops, and some jacks off the step.

For the next segment you will fully assemble the Fanny Lifter and do some power moves with light weights. You will do overhead presses while tapping your foot on top of the platform, then you will move into squats with variations, step squats, alternating side to side, pulsing, etc. Surprisingly I was quite winded by the end of this segment.

The next segment is more step aerobics, this routine includes straddles, side leg lifts, over the tops into squats, lunges off the back, and press steps into tap overs. I liked this segment.

The final part is more 4 limb aerobics with light weights using the step for part of the routine, though most of it is done on the floor. You will see grapevines with rhomboid pinches, step touches with bicep curls, knee lifts first on the floor, then the option to move to the step if you want.

Time to start cooling down, in this segment you will see simple moves such as marches, step touches, hamstring curls, tri-stars, sambas and side lunges.

Overall, I really liked this workout, it might take a few tries to get it all down but once you do it is a nice routine with variety. Lisa Kay is a pleasant instructor who seems to be having fun herself. It is better suited for beginner/intermediate levels, advanced won't get much of a workout with this one. I think it's a keeper.

I just love this video!! I have all of the Firm videos, the fanny lifter, the stick..etc. I love this one because it is perfect for when you don't have a lot of time but you want to get in a good workout that isn't boring. I have been easing back into exercising after having a baby and after doing this routine just once, BOY! I could really feel it in my thighs, my buns, and my arms. The routine is easy to follow and it is safe. ALot of attention given to your butt and thighs with all of the squats. The music is ok, but hardly noticeable because the routine is so much fun!! I rarely say that about exercising but I have found the Firm series to be truly fun and I look forward to doing them. Get this one for sure! For those days when you only have 40 minutes to work out (the routine is 30 min. I am giving time to dress, undress..etc.) And, it is REALLY TRUE what they claim in their ads, You WILL See a noticeable difference in 10 workouts --- after 10 workouts, my family and friends were commenting about my appearance -- especially my butt and legs -- and I didn't think I could see any difference!! Anyway, get this one, you won't be disappointed!!

If you are pressed for time, this is the workout for you! Lisa is an amazing instructor, her cues are perfectly timed, and the choreography is ideal for a non-dancer such as me. I use this workout when I really need to burn some calories but don't have an hour to do so. The Firm has really updated this program and I am very impressed with my results!!

I bougth this tape because I love the Firm tapes I own, the older ones.
This tape was a major disappointment for me. I did not get a sweat out of this tape but, at the same time I could not follow through with them. They go from one step to another, as if you rehearsed each step with them for six weeks before the shot the tape.
I was totally uncoordinated. They were doing one step, then another, and another, and I was still trying to figure out the first step. Doing this workout I felt like a chicken with my head cut off.
I will just stick with their streingth training tapes. Those are awesome, and they really do tone you!
For cardio, I would recommend the one hour Tae-Bo's. They are easier to follow. You work out a heavy sweat and he actually explaines each step before going to another.

I love this workout. The steps are somewhat complex, but I don't get bored. Lisa Kay is great in her cueing and enthusiam. This is the 4th, post-2001 Firm workout that I've purchased, and I love them all...because I get results. In just a few months, my dress size has gone from 8 to 6 or 4, without modifying my diet. I'm an upper, intermediate level 40-something exerciser who does strength training and aerobics 3/4 times a week. When I used 5 lb. weights instead of 3 lb., this video gave me a challenging workout in a short amount of time. Most of The Firm videos have more sculpting/toning, which is good because you get cadio as well. However, if you want cardio only, this is a must-have! Recently, I bought the Body Sculpting System 1, which is mostly toning, so this one is a nice change, and I am definitely adding it to my Firm video rotation.

I bought the Firm Cardio Sculpt Blaster about 9 months ago and I love it! I have since bought The Firm System with the Fanny Lifter and Sculpting Stick. After about a week I was hooked. At first I thought that I would fall off the step and kill myself, but I was amazed that I could do it without any problem.

In this DVD there is plenty of weight training, and on the days I don't feel like doing weights (or I am sore from a hard workout) I just leave them out. Then I feel like I have had a good cardio workout and not strained to much. I am more of a cardio gal, but the more I do the Firm the more I see results with weight training.

The instructors for The Firm workouts are great. The other thing that I like is that they use the same instructors in most all of the videos. It makes it easier to follow when you are begining to follow the same person throughout the different video's.

The routines are great too. You will find from one Firm workout to another you will see some of the same moves. This helps when you are learning a new routine.

The thing that I like the most about this workout is that it is full of cardio and sculpting all in about 30 minutes. I do the other Firm DVD's when I have more time, but when 30 minutes is all I have to spare Cardio Sculpt Blaster is perfect.

This Firm video's main focus is on cardio unlike most of their other videos, but it still uses light weights (3 to 5 lb) for about half of the time. I always hated cardio workouts until I found this one. It's only 30 minutes long (including the warmup, cooldown and all the stretches) but that time just flies by with the high-energy music and the variety of exercises (floor, step work, four-limb moves, etc...), it makes it feel more like dancing. You don't need more space than what's required for a grapevine and these steps are mostly classic aerobic moves: grapevine, jacks, etc, and a little samba thrown in. Using the weights adds to the intensity, and I don't feel burned out afterwards... a problem I have with other cardio workouts (mostly boredom, sometimes exhaustion). I normally dislike step routines but I actually enjoyed this one. The choreography (particularly the step segment) took some getting used to but it's nothing a klutz can't handle... eventually. Since the weight work is very light, this is something I could do every day. I've actually lost fat supplementing my other Firm videos with this one three or four times a week and without having to modify my diet. In general, I still hate cardio but I'll always be reaching for this one.

This is an early 2000s Firm video from the series that uses the Fanny Lifter, a tall, square step which is adjustable to three heights. This unique piece of equipment is effectively used here to provide a short, fun, intense cardio workout. In addition to the Fanny Lifter (FL), light weights are occasionally added for 4-limbed work, but this is a pure cardio routine with no toning intervals.

Instructor Lisa Kay, who leads a class of 4 other Firm instructors, begins with a basic 4-minute warm-up which combines aerobic moves with dynamic stretches. The first aerobics segment is performed without the step. It moves somewhat slowly, with heel digs and back rocks, but my heart rate still got up, especially with the addition of small optional hops. The first step aerobics portion with weights was a lot of fun, combining heel digs and rocks on and off the short portion of the FL with bicep curls. Other combos included straddles with upright rows and rear dips. There was some take it from the top here, but not so much that I found it annoying or overly repetitive. Squats with hammer curls on the floor conclude this segment.

More step work follows, this time without the weights. This segment was also fun and included A-steps, hamstring curls, knee lifts, L-steps, and floor jacks. The next segment is mostly on the floor, but you add taps onto the fully assembled FL. Here you get a bit more toning work with squats and overhead presses, but you are still moving at an aerobic pace. Another fun aerobic step series follows, this time with straddles, side leg lifts, squats with 1 leg on the step, and presses onto the step. This section was also a bit easier to follow than the first step tune. The final aerobics segment consists of more 4-limb work, with grapevines/rhomboid pinch, step touch/bicep curls, and step knee (adding in a step onto the FL). The almost 6-minute cool down consisted of many typical Firm moves, including marches, step-touch, hamstring curls, sambas, tri-star, and arm sweeps; a brief stretch series using the FL concludes the workout.

Overall, I enjoyed this short cardio workout, which comes in at just under 30 minutes total. I found that my HR stayed in my target zone for a good portion of the time (22-23 minutes), plus I enjoyed the moves and was generally able to follow along. Although this is a cardio-only workout, which is what I wanted, I still would've liked to have seen a set or two of the Firm's signature leg press move; it seems a shame not to use the FL for this. Still, this is a very solid, enjoyable intermediate-level cardio workout that I'd definitely recommend, particularly for when you are short on time.

Note: this same Firm workout was released with at least three different covers, so be careful that you don't already own it when ordering!

This is an early 2000s Firm video from the series that uses the Fanny Lifter, a tall, square step which is adjustable to three heights. This unique piece of equipment is effectively used here to provide a short, fun, intense cardio workout. In addition to the Fanny Lifter (FL), light weights are occasionally added for 4-limbed work, but this is a pure cardio routine with no toning intervals.

Instructor Lisa Kay, who leads a class of 4 other Firm instructors, begins with a basic 4-minute warm-up which combines aerobic moves with dynamic stretches. The first aerobics segment is performed without the step. It moves somewhat slowly, with heel digs and back rocks, but my heart rate still got up, especially with the addition of small optional hops. The first step aerobics portion with weights was a lot of fun, combining heel digs and rocks on and off the short portion of the FL with bicep curls. Other combos included straddles with upright rows and rear dips. There was some take it from the top here, but not so much that I found it annoying or overly repetitive. Squats with hammer curls on the floor conclude this segment.

More step work follows, this time without the weights. This segment was also fun and included A-steps, hamstring curls, knee lifts, L-steps, and floor jacks. The next segment is mostly on the floor, but you add taps onto the fully assembled FL. Here you get a bit more toning work with squats and overhead presses, but you are still moving at an aerobic pace. Another fun aerobic step series follows, this time with straddles, side leg lifts, squats with 1 leg on the step, and presses onto the step. This section was also a bit easier to follow than the first step tune. The final aerobics segment consists of more 4-limb work, with grapevines/rhomboid pinch, step touch/bicep curls, and step knee (adding in a step onto the FL). The almost 6-minute cool down consisted of many typical Firm moves, including marches, step-touch, hamstring curls, sambas, tri-star, and arm sweeps; a brief stretch series using the FL concludes the workout.

Overall, I enjoyed this short cardio workout, which comes in at just under 30 minutes total. I found that my HR stayed in my target zone for a good portion of the time (22-23 minutes), plus I enjoyed the moves and was generally able to follow along. Although this is a cardio-only workout, which is what I wanted, I still would've liked to have seen a set or two of the Firm's signature leg press move; it seems a shame not to use the FL for this. Still, this is a very solid, enjoyable intermediate-level cardio workout that I'd definitely recommend, particularly for when you are short on time.

Note: this same Firm workout was released with at least three different covers, so be careful that you don't already own it when ordering!

I am glad that Amazon lists this as a 2003 release, but if you see it in the stores the back cover shows a 2006 release date. It has a new cover and Lisa Kay's hair is longer, but it is the same 2003 video. I think it is a little deceptive to display it with other Firm new releases. I contacted customer service at the FIRM and was told that this was the first they have heard of it.