Customer Reviews

Firm: Upper Body [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the first video I've used that has really worked my arms. Being short yet thin, my arms have always tended to be flabby. This is the first time I've been able to notice muscle definition and I am really enjoying looking good. I can now wear tank tops without feeling self conscious. I feel like I get a good workout and I still enjoy doing it. It's not boring. I don't do the aerobics, etc. at the beginning. I skip that part and get right down to business. Just the arms. I feel great!

This video is a compilation of several other Firm videos, so there are different segments taught by different instructors. The overall effect is somewhat choppy, but they have added a separate instructor to cue the transitions, which helps a little. On the plus side, the different instructors means less chance of boredom--ie, it's more interesting to do several sets of the same exercise when each exercise is with a different instructor. Another advantage of the compilation is that the tape is relatively short, so you get a wide variety of upper body work packed into a time-saving video.

The Firm's philosophy is to combine aerobic activity with strength training. Although this tape is more focused on the toning aspect, frequently you are moving your lower body while working out your upper body--eg, toe touches while doing military presses. I found this to be difficult at times but expect that it will become easier with practice. However, I would recommend that beginners view the tape before participating. Another caution for beginners is the frequent admonitions by the instructors to use heavier weights. At the start of the tape, they do emphasize that the workout is for EVERYONE and that beginners should stick with light weights, but throughout the actual workouts, you get almost a feeling of peer pressure to use heavier weights.

The exercises themselves are all very traditional--flies, military presses, bicep curls, tricep extensions, etc.--although they are often done in unique combinations and timings. Several sets of dumbells are recommended, and a few segments used either a tall or short "box", but you can substitute a bench, chair, or step. Other reviewers have mentioned that few biceps exercises are included, which is true, but I did not find this to be a problem since biceps are covered so thoroughly in other videos (and are worked out naturally throughout the day as well).

The date on this tape is 1994, but the workout clothing worn appers like it's from the late 80s. The jazz-type music was upbeat and encouraging if a little loud. I found the instructors to be slightly patronizing at times (eg, "It's hard, isn't it?") but also inspiring--it was obvious that they were really working and pushing themselves, which you don't often see on exercise videos. And the workout IS tough--all those pushups are a killer--but the instructors make it through, which made me feel like I can too. Overall, this was a good tape that I'm looking forward to using more often.

This tape is assembled from all of the upper body exercises from the "FIRM Classics" series. Basically, it boils down to a series of bicep exercises, french presses, push-ups, and lat rows. I think it might be a bit too short (30 minutes without the stretches) to really pound your upper body into shape the way you might want, though I suppose you could really boost the weight levels to maximize the benefits. If nothing else, it pairs up nicely with a more aerobics-based workout, allowing you to give your legs a break for about half of your workout session.

Although I agree with other reviewers that this tape lacks in biceps work, I would still recommend it. I think the leg movement is a nice distraction from the burning in my arms, just be sure to be coordinated enough to do both and not hurt yourself. I have many other firm videos, and this is a great complimentary video for the longer total body workouts.

I like this video because you dont get sick of watching the instructor/s explain the same thing every single time you play the video, which is not too great since you can't fforward like DVD. The warm up is cheesy, so I don't do it, but the workout is relatively upbeat without too much talking. The first time I tried it, I didn't get through it because I thought it was too hard and I didn't have various weights. But after a couple of months I started up and now I can do the whole video. But it's mostly shoulders and back, with very little bicep work that doesn't even burn. The bicep part was more like a cool down in between a set. So, if you want nice or big biceps, look elsewhere. Other than that, this is a good "upper body" workout.

I am fairly new to the world of The Firm video series and don't own and have never tried their early tapes. This tape is a compilation of upper body work from the early tapes and usually, I am not a fan of video exercise compilations because I feel like I'm being shortchanged but my opinion is slowly turning, due in part to this tape.

You can tell just how old the clips are, from the 80's bright, single-piece leotards to the music - while the moves are effective and classic, the look is very outdated. While I feel that the tape definitely worked my upper body to it's limit (I'm an intermediate), I found myself getting bored quickly and in the end, I didn't sweat as much as I thought I would. I knew it was a predominately strength training tape but based on my experience with other Firm tapes, I thought they might incorporate just a little aerobics... And some of the moves put a strain on my neck - that might be a product of it's age and outdatedness (?). I often paused the tape to modify the moves so that they would be less stressful to my neck and to catch up with the instructor because unlike later and current Firm tapes, the instructor seems to move a little quicker. In the end, my arms felt tighter, but not sore; I just wished my heart rate was challenged more.

And a word about the whole 80's look: The beginning warm-up and accompanying music is pretty corny so those of you who pay attention to music might not like it. And what's with the instructors wearing jewelry back then? Who needs jewelry when you're working out? And at the very end, the instructor does some really cheesy 80's moves... I can't explain it but all I can say is that I laughed out loud....

And one last thing: The woman on the cover does NOT instruct any of the clips. I think she's there merely as eye-candy or a motivational tool, and also a "transitional" instructor; in between each clip, she preps you by telling you what weights to have on hand,etc, before it goes on to the next clip. I actually liked this because I don't like having to scramble to get this or that... But I think the cover may be misleading to some who may think she's actually in any of the clips.

Great workout for the arms and shoulders. There are three sets of everything, so by the time you finish this your arms will be pretty useless! But it's a great challenge. Covers every muscle. I just got this one last week. I know it will give me GREAT arms!

I love the upper body work in this compilation video (compiled from the Firm Classics series). However, since I usually do a Firm total body workout first, I don't care for all the dance moves added in to the workout. If you have already done a full body workout you may want to ignore the leg work and just do the upper body exercises. I found the leg moves distracting so I took pen in hand and wrote down the upper body exercises and amount of sets on paper and just do them without the video. I found the instruction good, but Sandahl Bergman is somewhat cloying and Janet Jones-Gretsky's warmups may be too difficult for beginners. I've noticed all the Firm classics "guest instructors" tend to use dancers moves that are too difficult or too "choreographed" for people who want a workout, not a jazz dancing lesson and these two instructors are the worst about that. Rent it first to be sure you like it. Better yet, rent it, write down the exercises and don't bother buying it.

This is a 35 minute upper body workout that is a compilation made up of parts of the original Firm workouts #1-6. Equipment needed to perform the workout are dumbbells of increasing weight, a stool or the infamous fanny lifter and a floor mat.

While I won't argue that this is a good, tough upper body workout, I found it rather disjointed and boring. There was very little bicep work, but an (over) abundance lat rows, pushups and even tricep work. There were very little pointers on form.

For an upper body Firm workout, I prefer Upper Body Sculpt with Janet Brooks, which is a 40 minute workout that I find more balanced.

For other Firm junkies, if you look at the "class" in some of the workouts, you'll see a young Tracie Long (dark magenta leotard) and I believe Pam Cauthers (yellow).

This was the very first Firm video I ever bought. I wanted to strengthen my upper body and develop nice arms and shoulders, so when I picked it up, I thought, why not. Whoa, were my arms burning for days after!
Ok, I will admit, the leotards are cheesy, so is the music sometimes, but the bottom line is that the Firm delivers when it guarantees results in 10 workouts. Worth every dollar, and you will be sweating!