Customer Reviews

The Firm: Firm Parts - 5 Day Abs & Tough Tape 2

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you're like me and like to feel a bit sore after a tough work out, this is the one to get. I've tried numerous aerobic videos and they are either way too cheesy or way too easy for my level. Yes, a couple of the women on this video are a little too "cheerleaderish" for me but most aren't that distracting. And after you do it over and over like I have, you can fast forward through the brief sections with the annoying girls and get to the meat of the video and burn.

I've been using this video for a year now and yes, I've really seen the difference. I tried Taibo, Pilates, and othe workout videos but if you want a sculpted look, this is the video to get. I've always had strong legs but weak girly arms and wanted them to look a bit more toned--not GI Jane looking but more like Angela Bassett arms. My husband has noticed too and likes the new look. They've definitely firmed up finally and the butt/abs are firmer too.

The abs part is great...not too long but just long enough to feel it. Who cares if it's 80'sish...it's still a good workout and it's definitely not Richard Simmons.

This is a two pack DVD, and unlike some reviewers I have had absolutely no problems using the chapter selection on the DVD menu.I have never used earlier Firm workouts, so the compilation has never bothered me. Tough Tape 2 is aptly named. If you are new to aerobic workouts you will have to get used to it, and it will kick your butt for the first two weeks. After that you will no longer have to have a crash team standing by. I have to admit that the 5 Day Abs disc is my favorite Firm disc, and I have four. The segments are short, but very effective. If you can't find time in your day to work this into your schedule then you're just deluding yourself. The frosting on the cake would have to be the host for the ab DVD, who introduces and ends the individual segments. He is one fine looking man, and when he tells me to lie supine I happily comply. Seriously though, there is nothing wrong with eye candy if it helps to keep you motivated. I find that I enjoy doing this workout every day, and it often keeps me on track with my other Firm workouts because it seems so natural as a lead in to the next workout. Truthfully, these workouts are better than the aerobics I've tried at the gym. It's well worth the money. And contrary to what another reviewer has said, you do not need a mat, just the carpet you probably already have in front of your TV.

I love this DVD, ok maybe some of the tough tape intro segments with some of the instructors may be cheezy, but I don't care. I am happy with it, the abs workout is really tough, and the tough tape 2 is definitely tougher. If you want a workout that is more challenging and you don't mind compilations, then I definitely recommend this one.

The Firm is the best!!

OK, yes the tape is filled with obnoxious 80's music, but in all my years of exercising, it is still THE BEST abs workout I have ever done. It is hard. But it does the job. Combined with cardio, it will get your abs flat. I have owned the VHS tape for over a decade, and am now buying it on DVD, so I will never be without it.

These are the workouts for Barbie and Ken and the Stepford Wives.

5-Day Abs: Five different short abdominal workouts pasted together from other The Firm workouts; it is easy to go to the DVD menu and choose the one you want, contrary to what another reviewer said. Total time about 35 minutes. There is a shirtless guy acting as a master of ceremonies at the beginning and end of each segment. You need a mat, weights to put around your feet (optional), and a chair. The workouts are pretty good, with a variety of moves, and a variety of speeds (some fast crunches, some long holds, etc.) If you have other abdominal workouts already, don't expect this one to offer anything new.

Tough Tape 2: Several body sculpting segments cut and pasted from other The Firm tapes; easy to pick and choose from the DVD menu. Total time about 45 minutes. Considerable repetition between segments; quite traditional, standard exercises. You are better off with a workout that was planned all at the same time, like Kathy Smith's Lift Weights to Lose Weight, or anything by Karen Voight, or Reebok "Simply Strong" with Gin Miller. You need a variety of hand weights, a chair, a block, and a high stool to step up onto.

About the Tough Tape....

Now I know that the Firm are effective, and these workouts will get you in shape. But this is just a lot of old Firm workouts pasted together, and not very well either. You have to keep taking your ankle weights on and off (why couldn't they put the ankle weight workouts together?) and the scenes just jump around all over the place. If you want a good Firm workout, then buy a tape/DVD that isn't a compilation. You'll be a lot happier with your buy.

The 5-Day Abs workout does make the whole DVD worthwhile as they're great workouts, but since this is a DVD, I would have preferred if they had made each day's workout a separate scene, so that you could skip to the day you want without having to fast-forward through all the previous days. I might as well have bought the video!!

I bought this dvd to replace the well-worn vhs copy that I have of The Firm--5-Day Abs. It is by far the most effective home abs workout system I have come across. 2 weeks of doing this cycle and I see results, often moreso than I get using the incline bench at the gym for longer periods (and yes--I do them properly). Variety is the key here, and these workouts keep hitting your abs from different angles. In addition, a major benefit of this dvd is that you get a different workout for each day of the week--thus keeping your abs guessing and your interest up much more than all those other tapes that have you do the same thing every day. And yes, as mentioned, there are a couple of editing glitches, but they are minor and not worth avoiding this disk for. And if the cycle does start getting easy, you can ad weights as they recommend during the workout--thus keeping this disk useful for a pretty long period. I havent done the Tough Tape section, so I cant comment on that part, but I definitely recomend this dvd for the abs section. In fact, I am back here to purchase a copy as a gift for a friend I just started training at the gym.

The workouts on this tape are quick and to the point. Each of the 5 workouts really targets the abs. The instrucotrs are a little cheezy, but still worth the slight annoyance for the good, quick workout.

I have tried several others and this one has the best and toughest workouts on the market. I really like that there are 5 different workouts. Day 4 is killer. Try it and I think that you will agree.

I bought this DVD to replace the 5-Day Abs I had on VHS. If you do the 5-day Abs every day, you will feel/see a difference in a few weeks. There are very few workout DVDs I like in which I think the ab potion is worth anything, so I typically do this as my ab workout. You don't really need the Fanny Lifter for 5-day Abs. You can use a stool, a milk crate, a small wastebasket, or something about that height on which you will rest your feet. Can you spare 6 to 9 minutes a day to do some top-notch ab work? If you have the will, this is a pretty quick, yet effective way to do abs.

Tough Tape 2 was just a bonus for me, but it has become by FAR my favorite workout tape. Yes, it's old. Yes, one of the instructors is annoying and has laughable form when the camera shows her lifting weights. She only leads one segment anyway, and you will get past her very quickly. Most of the instructors are excellent, motivational, and easy to follow. I drip buckets of sweat whenever I do this workout. I began using very light weights, and I now use the 3 to 8 pound weights recommended. A few questions answered:
1. Q. Do I really need the dowel/stick for this?
A. No, you do not have to have one. It's only used in a few segments. I did find, however, that when I began using a mop handle for balance (especially for the dips/kicks segment) when the "dowel" was used, I got a far better workout. The dips and kicks are tough to do correctly!
2. Q. Do I really need the fanny lifter for this?
A. The answer to this one is yes. I already had an aerobic step, and I did try this workout. Once I got the fanny lifter...WOW, what a difference. The first time I did the workout with the fanny lifter, I could barely walk down the stairs the next day. A step is not as tall as the fanny lifter, and the height makes a tremendous difference.
3. Q. Is this really just segments from other videos?
A. Yes. But you know what? I really like that aspect. It's not boring, and I enjoy the switching and the variety. Once you have done the workout a few times, you will become accustomed to the transitions (move your box, get your weights, etc.)

This is a challenging, fun workout. If you are more of a beginner, I suggest you start slow, do what you can, and work your way up. I know someone who started with bottles of barbecue sauce instead of weights. Work your way up. They payoff is worth it.

p.s. One of the instructors really reminds me and my sister of Kendra from "The Girls Next Door." The voice, the look (though she's not blonde and has a very different body type), and the athleticism make us speculate...could this be Kendra's aunt or something? Hmmm. You decide. Also, if you are a fan of Jen Carman from some of the current Firm videos, you get to take a look at her when she was superbuff. I prefer her look now, but it's interesting to see.