Customer Reviews

The Firm - Firm Parts: Upper Body [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Confession time: I own 13 FIRM tapes and I love almost all of them, but that doesn't mean I can't write an objective review!!This video is 34 minutes long, including warm-up and cool-down. It combines segments of past videos, so if you don't like that approach, this could be annoying for you (I don't mind it). A few of the instructors are cheesy (like Sandhal Bergman and Janet Jones-Gretsky), but others (like Susan Harris and Jayne Poteet) are really good. I've been doing this video at least twice per week for about three months and it's still tough for me (mostly because it allows you to move up in weight, which I do). Great shoulder work - which can be hard to find in videos. Definitely START WITH LIGHT WEIGHTS, especially if you are a beginner. This will very quickly tone your triceps, biceps, delts, back and chest. *** If you want a good laugh, watch the very, very end of the video where Sandahl Bergman makes herself look very silly with a really cheesy cartwheel move!!*** Cheesy, indeed, but sometimes a good laugh is just what you need after a hard workout!! By the end of this week, I will have worked out with a FIRM tape 6 days/wk for the last 6 months. I have shed three dress sizes and gained lots of sleek muscle. These tapes are truly excellent and will build strength you never thought you'd have and RESHAPE your body!

I enjoy working out, and if I am not seeing results I will quit. With this workout you will see immediate results. I like 2 get my [bottom] kicked when I do a workout & this definitely
does the job. My body became toned. I love the results. You will see results.
If you eat a good diet, you will defiantly expedite your results. I guarantee that if you eliminate sugar, & eat healthy and incorporate this workout along with The Firm Buns,
Hips and Thighs, You will see results!
This workout will tone your arms, back, chest. They start you out with a warm up, then go to stretching. You then do your work out, and believe me it will kick your ..., they
move from one exercise to the other to get an aerobic workout. You then go to a cooldown. You will see your upper body's transformation to a tone one.
My exercise program consists of One day Pilates, Next day Upper Body Firm, Following day Pilates, next day Firm Buns, Hips and Thighs, next day Pilates. I do it six days a
week, and love the results.

I have many of The Firm videos - each one I find very good and challenging. This is a very good (thorough) upper body exercise video. It does not have anything but upper body unlike many of the other Firm videos that include upper and lower, and at times, abs. If you are big fitness enthusiast and like to work with weights, this is a good video to add to your library!

Honestly and truly, this is what I said in the title. I am a FIRM believer, and have been doing the "older" and "newer" FIRM tapes for over 2 years now. This thing nearly killed me the first time I did it. I was sore for two days afterward, and I thought I was in good shape! Now that I have done it a bit more, I do better, and I have some of the nicest triceps! However, if you are a new exerciser, do it without any weights the first few times times to avoid feeling like you need to drag your arms on the floor for a few days!

This workout is a nice compilation from classic Firm videos which provides a targeted upper body workout in just under 40 minutes. It begins with a warm-up led by Janet Jones-Gretzky and then moves on to the arms work. In the traditional Firm style, many of the moves are designed to raise your heartrate while toning, so you will frequently perform simple lower body movements while working your upper body with weights. The instructors offer suggestions for the amount of weight to use and often pyramid to a heavier weight between sets. To make the transitions between the various instructors a bit easier, the workout also contains brief new segments with DePrise Brescia, who provides instructions on setting up for the next move. Some of the exercises are performed for more than one set by different instructors--namely lat rows and push-ups. Overall, this is a solid upper body workout that I continue to use as part of my regular rotation.

I bought The Firm - Firm Parts four pack about 4 months ago and love every video - this one being my favorite. I feel that for a lot of women it is very hard to get defined, but still womanly, arms. This video helps resolve that myth. A lot of The Firm videos focus on the entire body, including arm workouts that just didn't leave me hurting afterward. This one is different. For those who like to work out and feel "the burn", this arm workout is for you. Also, they throw in lower body stretches at the beginning and end, so if you do a leg workout in combo with this (i.e. running, stepping, other Firm videos), you're ready to go right after the video is over. Make sure to pay careful attention to the weight changes the first time through because you'll want to know which weights to use the next time (the video is fairly fast paced).

This is a compilation video of the upper body exercises from the Firm classics (Volumes 1-6). I really like Deprise as the host. She has a low voice but she's warm and friendly. She wears a metallic dark green one-piece leotard (it looks like a swimsuit).

Those Firm classic ladies are all tall and have balletic bodies. I suppose The Firm wanted to make exercising look graceful and beautiful, hence hiring ladies with ballet backgrounds. Anyway, they can be a hoot sometimes. Many speak with breathy voices, which some people have described as sounding almost porn-ish. When I think about that during the workout, it actually makes me laugh. I'm not bothered by it at all.

I love the Firm classics. The production of those videos are excellent; the moves actually go with the music and the videos have so much character and personality (unlike the modern Goodtimes Video ones) and their workouts are hard.

This workout is high rep. There are TONS of shoulder and back exercises - the overhead presses and lat rows seem endless. There aren't as many tricep exercises but they're there - French presses and tricep kickbacks. There are some chest exercises - pushups and pec flys.

The only downside is that the biceps are unfortunately severely neglected; there are a mere two exercises for biceps while tons of shoulder and back exercises. Therefore, the workout is a bit lopsided, favoring shoulders and back while giving medium attention to triceps and almost no attention to biceps.

This is a pretty good upper body workout. It doesn't wipe me out completely but the shoulder exercises are especially tiring, especially if I'm using heavy weights. Too bad there aren't enough bicep exercises.

I am a Firm Believer. I usually lift weights for upper body three times a week, once with a new tape from the library, and twice with Firm Upper Body. If you are new to exercise, use the lighest set of dumbells advised or no weights at all. This has totally reshaped my upper body when combined with either Firm Standing Legs or Firm Sculpted Abs, Hips and Thighs. I have gone from size 22 and 260 pounds down to a loose size 18 and 204 pounds while using this tape regularly. It is intense if you are new to exercise. Once you are used to proper form and the reps no longer fatigue your upper muscles, up the poundage on the weights, and it's like doing an entirely new tape all over again. Great results guaranteed!

This was the first ever Firm workout video I bought, and I was amazed. It's a really great work out, the instruction is dead on and the moves actually do work! You're sore for days afterword (at least I was), and this tape also guarantees visible results within 10 workouts. No one else can make that kind of claim and actually deliver. Still the best, in my opinion.

My Mother had bought this tape for me a little bit ago.I was not sure what I was going to think about it.I was used to doing the Firm total body series,cardio videos.I gave it a try and wow it was a killer.My whole upper body burned a couple days after doing the workout.It one of my favorite workouts know.It is compiled from the six original Firm workouts.It has some great upper body routines.It includes push-ups,bent over rows,french press,pec flys,overhead press,delt flys,bicep curls,tricep kick backs ans a few others.I feel the burn through my whole upper body.If you do not feel it in the biceps and triceps,you must get heavier on the weights.Great for the back and shoulders,you will definately feel the burn.If you go through this tape without stopping you will start to sweat.I know, I start sweating when I do this tuff workout.If you do not sweat or fell the burn in the whole upper body you should definately heavy up on the weights,especially if you are intermediate or advanced.Beginner should definately use light weights to start out with ans progress to heavier pounds.I find this tape to be very enjoyable.It is not one bit boring.If you really love weight training,you will love this workout.I alternate this tape with other Firm workouts and other cardio or toning videos that I own.The instructer that host is pleasant and cues well before the parts begin from the the original workouts come on,so you have more time to pick up the weights.It is also a great workout to do when I am short on time and want a great workout.It is about 40 minutes tops including the warm up and cool down.You have to try this one,your arms and back will thank you.