The Firm: Body Sculpting System
Review by Dindrane
Film:
DVD:

Directed by Dragonfly Productions
Exercise Led by Allie Del Rio, Lisa Kay, and Jennifer Carman

Features:

• Three workouts across as many discs; see below
  

Released by: GT Brands
Rating: NR
Region: 1
Anamorphic: N/A; appears in its original 1.33:1 format

My Advice: Rent it first

The Firm is well-known in the exercise video community; their system is based upon combining weight training with aerobics, using lighter weights but more reps to burn fat without bulking up.

This set provides three different workouts, each with a unique focus. “Cardio Sculpt” focuses upon cardiovascular exercise with some body-shaping, intended to burn fat and help you tone your body. This program is 55 minutes long. The slightly shorter “Body Sculpt” focuses first on the lower body and then on the upper body; together they provide a solid total-body workout or can be used separately for days when you’re stressed for time. The final workout, “Ab Sculpt,” focuses upon toning and sculpting the abdominal area. This shorter workout is 25 minutes long.

There are three different instructors in this set, one for each disc. They all seem quite competent and are similarly good with giving good cues.

The choreography here is rather tricky for newbies. The instructors all seem to assume a certain familiarity with the names of moves, so if you aren’t sure what certain moves are, you’ll find yourself behind or tripping to keep up. Most viewers will want to watch the routine at least once before doing these routines to get used to the moves. At times, all three women are just a bit too perky, but at least they are motivational.

Another quibble is that the background woman designated as doing the “beginner’s” version of the workouts is not always visible. So if you’re new to the names of the moves and to workouts like this in general, you’ll be out of luck here and there. It is good to have the option of seeing a more beginner-friendly routine, but when you can’t always see what that person is doing, it gets frustrating. There are people who want to do these discs who are seriously overweight and need the tempered routine, as well as people with physical impairments of various sorts. It isn’t fair to them if they can’t see “their” version to do it.

To do these routines, you will need to have a set of dumbbells and a step for the step aerobics portions. Such items can be bought from the Firm’s website or at most any sporting goods store.

In short, these are good enough exercises programs, and the variety in this one set should keep you in shape for some time. However, if you already have a couple of aerobics discs, like any of the Karen Voight discs, then there’s really nothing new here to recommend this set over what you already have. Beginners should be warned that there is a learning curve here, as the choreography is rather tricky and not explained very well.