With strength work, I am an intermediate exerciser, who doesn’t really want to move up to advanced work. Most of the time, I do traditional strength work with weight. However, I have enjoyed branching out into Pilates and workouts on the ball as well. As far as the Firm goes, I prefer the “middle age” Firms – the Cross Trainers, Maximum Body Shaping, Super Sculpting, etc. Most of the newer Firms, I just haven’t enjoyed as much. Complete Aerobics and Weight Training was a pleasant surprise and exception.

Emily Walsh is a pleasant and organized instructor. One of the things I really liked about this workout is that they managed to group exercises for which you used the same equipment, so there seemed to be a few less equipment changes than usual. Emily leads four background exercisers. One of them, Suzanne, is the designated modifier and they manage to keep her on the screen much of the time. The workout lasts 58 minutes.

The equipment you need for this workout is a tall step, a short step, various sets of dumbbells, a light bar. I don’t own any of the Firm equipment (Fanny lifter, sculpting stick) and I did fine. I did have equivalents for everything though.

Here is a breakdown of the workout:

Warm-up
Squats w/ one foot on step w/ overhead presses
Lunges off step w/ bicep curls
Lat rows
Push ups on step
Cardio combo – Steps with upper body moves and punches
Lunges onto tall step
Plie squats
Bent over lat rows w/ both arms
Tall box step ups
Lat rows
Hover squats
Squats with kicks
Cardio combo – Step glutes, L steps w/ leg lifts
Plie squats
Bicep curls
Step squats
Leg presses French presses
Tricep kickbacks
Cardio combo – Kickboxing kicks and punches and tri-star
Step squats
Lateral and front raises
(Go to floor work)
Tricep pushups
Chest flies
Rib cate pullovers and lying French presses
Chest presses
Abs – Combo of upper, oblique and lower abs crunches
Cooldown and stretch

Instructor Comments:
She has a pleasant, but straightforward manner. She gives lots of form pointers throughout the workout.

Laura S.