Wednesday, April 28, 2010

The FIRM Cardio Sculpt Review

The FIRM Cardio Sculpt
Allie Del Rio, 2002

This is a 60 minutes AWT (though mostly strength work) workout led by Allie with 4 background exercisers. Libby provides the beginner modifications. The set is the bright white BSS1 set with blue-ish accents in the background. You will need your Fanny Lifter or another step and a variety of dumbbells for this one.

First off I have to say-I DO NOT do this one enough! Though not as challenging as the Classic Firms-it is really reminiscent of them. It has a weighted step segment like Vol 4 & Vol 6 and ends with floor work-pec fly & leg lifts and donkey kicks. She also goes slow enough to allow for heavy dumbbells. I was pleasantly surprised!

After a warmup up Allie goes into a strength set starting with hover squats and lat row. You do some leg press and other dumbbell work and then she moves into a cardio segment. She alternates the strength segments with cardio, but the strength work also gets your heartrate up with dips, lunges, leg press, and squats. The cardio is straightforward and athletic without being boring or repetitive. The cardio includes floor, step, and 4 limb step work.

She thouroughly works all the muscles though I did find the shoulder work a bit lacking. After the lying floor work you do an ab sequence that is comprised of crunch & crunch variations and then move into the stretch.

I would rate this workout a solid or maybe even high (?) intermediate if you use heavy weights. You can also up the intensity- I really heavied up on #age, used the 8" portion of the FL and added some plyos and jumps to my workout and felt I got a great strength AND cardio workout today. I must use this one more often (I know I say that all the time).

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for the recipe and the tip about the almonds. Hope your DOMS goes away soon. That must be some leg workout. I want to win.

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  2. I want inner thigh DOMS so I want to win! LOL
    too bad this is my last entry cuz I will not have puter access again till late Saturday.

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  3. I want to win Jen's workout - would love to have sore inner thighs! Great review of Cardio Sculpt - I have been neglecting my Firm workouts lately and you are inspiring me to do them again! I'm going to try the almond tip too - thanks!

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  4. Lindsey, I am in awe of your Hello Kitty gym. How did you get started with your Hello Kitty collection? Sometime could you please post close-up pics of all the Hello Kitty stuff in your gym.

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  5. Inner thigh DOMS? Count me in! I want to win Ballet Body!

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  6. FYI....another great protein powder is the BSN LEAN DESSERT line. I have had the Chocolate Pudding, and Vanilla Cream.....mixed with the right ingredients, these two are awesome!!!!!!!! I got mine at Vitamin Shoppe, but I have heard that GNC has a better deal on them! :)

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