The Firm: Bust & Butt

Tamela Hastie, Carissa Foster, Dale Brabham
Year Released: 1999

Categories: Circuit Training (cardio and weights)


I like this tape even better than I like Maximum Body Sculpting, and I like that one a lot, too! It is a very thorough total body workout in 45 minutes. It does a great job of working the upper and the lower body.

The only "weakness," so to speak, is the ab section. It is OK, but not great. I wish it were a little longer and more interesting. But then, I guess The Firm has to make it on the shorter side in order to fit the workout into 45 minutes.

I really liked the FAST pace of this workout; as other reviewers have mentioned, it keeps me in my THR, and it makes the time fly! You do have to have all of your equipment out and ready, since the workout does move so quickly between sets. I especially liked all of the bicep work, the tricep work (WOW!), and the pushup variations. I enjoyed using the short box for the lunges in dips. It was a great change of pace. I felt like using the step allowed me to really target my hamstrings and glutes.

Unlike some other reviewers, I used the same barbell for the lower and the upper body work. I used 25 lbs. (total weight), and I felt that I could really focus on range of motion and form for the lower body exercises. Some of the lunges and dips were a bit fast to use really heavy weight. I also really liked the plie squats and knee pulses (goodbye inner thigh jiggling). Hover squats--ouch (in a good way)! The bridgework with the ball squeezed between the knees was good but short (I used a 2 lb. dumbbell held sideways the wide way during this part and for all of the ball work and it worked just fine). I liked the tablework (thank you for bringing back the ankle weights!). The bunny lunges kind of confused me, but I'm sure after doing the tape more that won't be a problem. It was great of The Firm to include spinal erector work as well.

I did question the safety of one part of the workout, though. I have heard and read that when shoulder presses are being done, one should never lower the bar behind the neck, that the bar should always be lowered to the front (or it could cause/aggravate shoulder problems). I just brought the bar to the front each time. All in all, a great workout in a short time--this one packs about as much punch as possible in 45 minutes! Oh, and I think the music is great!

Instructor Comments:
The cueing on this video is similar to that of Firm Cardio, Firm Strength, Fat Blaster, and Better Body & Buns. It is adequate, with some form pointers but not that many. It isn't as thorough as Tracie Long's videos, but it's more thorough than the Classics. I like all three instructors--I think they all seem "real world." Carissa, especially, doesn't hide the fact that she is working hard! Tamela is very friendly and encouraging, and Dale is in GREAT shape!

Kristin Aziz

04/06/1999