Note: This review was based on just a preview of the tape, I have not done the actual workout yet. I know a lot of people have been curious about this series, so these are my initial impressions.

This video is part of the new Firm Body Sculpting System kit, which includes three videos: Cardio Sculpt, Body Sculpt, and Ab Sculpt, along with a 3-in-1 step called the Fanny Lifter. All three videos have the same 5 cast members, who are introduced as master instructors: Jen Carman, Allie Del Rio, Lisa Kay, Christa Suggs, and Libby Heath. Libby always shows the modifications for beginners.

There have been concerns about the tape quality for this series, but it is excellent. All the tapes I received were recorded in SP mode (best quality). The picture was clear and well-lit. The music was clear and had good volume and instructions were clear as well. No problems at all.

The set is new, wooden floors, white walls and large fans. Each tape has a different theme color. I miss the Greek sculptures, but this set is pleasant too. I was surprised they had no mats or rugs of any kind. Any floor work was done right on the wood floor, ouch! I think the cast was longing for their oriental rugs as well.

The box is always referred to as the Fanny Lifter, and the one in the tape has a different surface than the one in the kit. In the tape the tops on both sections are black, and appear to be a black ribbed rubbery mat. The steps I got are solid plastic with integrated molded dots. I think the rubber mat surface would have been more comfortable for some of the moves. The bottom section is blue and 8 ½ inches tall, the top section is purple and 5 ½ inches tall by itself. Together they are 14 inches tall. Top dimensions are 14 by 14 for the blue step, 13 by 13 for the purple step. The boxes are very sturdy, they don't flex at all when I stand on either of them. They have reinforced the underside with a heavy grid of plastic that's part of the mold. They fit together very nicely, no gaps or play, and the corner grooves the top box fits into are deep enough that you wouldn't flip it off if you bumped the top edge by accident. The textured dots are very flat and the texture is fairly smooth to the touch. You wouldn't feel it sitting on them, but they will probably leave a small mark on your hands during pushups. I don't think they will be painful, but the original rubber mat top would probably have been more comfortable, although it appeared to have ridges. If you have the Rubbermaid toolbox, the surface is very similar and the Firm box dots are actually lower (less pronounced). I usually keep a towel handy to throw over my toolbox for tablework, which should work fine for this box too. When flipped over, the purple box rests completely inside the blue box for compact storage.


I decided to preview the Firm Cardio Sculpt first. It's the longest of the three new tapes, listed at 55 minutes, but it actually was nearly 59 minutes according to my VCR. In this tape the cast wears blue tops and black bottoms, but in different styles. The set has blue highlights, and the big fans are lit blue. Allie led this tape and was pleasant but no-nonsense. Her demeanor reminded me of Tracie Long instead of her smiling cheeriness in Fat Blaster. She gave lots of cueing and form pointers, including some "this is wrong" demo's like Tracie used to do. The other cast members worked hard and smiled a lot like in the other Firms. Jen looked as great as always, always smiling and so trim! She seems slimmer than before, while Allie was maybe a bit more muscular. Lisa Kay is blonde now and looks great too.

I only watched this tape, but I think it is very comparable to the Firm Classics in the cardio/weights ratio. The choreography is typical Firm in that it is not complicated but it looks like it would get your heart rate up there. Here is the breakdown:

Warm-up (6 minutes) - lots of marching and stretching and simple movements.

Weights section:
Pushups with hands on box
Hover squats sequence with weights on box (hover-sit, hover-stand, hover-pulse, etc)
Lat rows with one hand on box followed by leg presses with weights, then repeated for other side (long)
Bicep curls (sitting on box)

Cardio section:
Low impact - marches, step-hamstring, double step-touch, "take it from the top". A blurb appears here and in the other cardio sections telling beginners not to over-exert, "feel free to return to marching"

Weights section: French press (sitting on box)
Hover squats sequence again
Double lat row (sitting on box and leaning forward)
Lunges with bicep curls, stepping forward onto purple section of box (she has you remove it from the top of the box)
Overhead press
Plies with weights, straddling the purple box (legs are to either side)
Plies adding delt lifts (tough set, lots of quick-quick-slow sequences)
Plies adding hammer curls
Stretch

Cardio section:
Fun "sambo" step aerobics using just purple section of box. Lots of knee repeaters, big arm movements, hip swinging sambo moves.

Weights section:
Dips with weights, squats - repeat for other leg
Pulsing dips and squats - repeat for other leg
Triceps kickbacks sitting and leaning forward on reassembled tall box, stretch
Leg presses with weights
Sitting French press
Leg presses with weights-other leg
Stretch for legs and arms

Cardio section:
light dumbbells and purple box for four-limbed aerobics - fun music

Weights section:
Isolated bicep curls sitting on reassembled tall box
Seated side bends
New move: hands behind head, twist elbow to meet opposite knee while seated on box and leaning slightly back.
Repeat entire sequence for other side
Pec flies lying on floor with feet on tall box
Stretch for chest
Kneel on floor and lay chest over tall box - delt lifts to front
Stretch
Tablework sequence for glutes and outer thighs:
Still kneeling over tall box, dumbbell behind knee, bent leg lifts to ceiling
Leg up and cross down behind other leg
Lie on floor on side, dumbbell on outer thigh, outer thigh leg lifts
Leg shoot-outs
Leg shoot-out then up and down
Pulsing shoot-outs
Stretches
Repeat tablework sequence for other leg

Abs work:
Crunch sequence using various arm positions and leg positions. Allie shows different arms positions for varying intensity.

Cooldown (6 minutes) - leg and hamstring stretches lying on back, quad stretches lying on side, sitting straddle stretch, roll up to standing position for shoulder rolls, arm and neck stretches.

Allie ends with "You've just completed Firm Cardio Sculpt...you've done a great job". Fade to black (no clapping or cartwheels).

The closing credits mention: "Based on the original Firm videos created by Cynthia Benson, Anna Benson and Mark Henrikson."

The music was generally good, some latin-influence, some techno-rock, some jazzy. I've enjoyed other soundtracks better but it was okay. There was one spot where the music seemed to switch too early. At the end of the long leg sequence, a hard-driving song came on before the last leg shoot-out section. The abs section started next and the song continued through the end. It just sounded mis-cued to me, or maybe the leg sequence took longer than they thought. I'm sure when I'm sweaty and doing it I won't even notice. For those curious about soundtracks, the music was credited to Rich McHugh, Power Productions, and Music Flex.

I was very pleased with the thoroughness of the workout. It looks like it hits all the major body parts. I can't wait to try it.

Marie B