My favorite FIRM workouts all fall in the Tortoise category (OK, I guess they are now referring to them as "Cardio+Sculpt"), so I went in expecting to like this tape.

While definitely not the most intense Firm workout ever made, it's still very good. I'd rate Cardio Sculpt similarly to the Cross Trainers, Firm Cardio or Tortoise.

In terms of the set, the producers have clearly been viewing both Cathe Friedrich and Crunch videos, because that's what the set looks like. Take a Crunch set complete with gigantic fans, white-wash it and add blue lights in the background to give it that airy feeling like Cathe's latest set. Dress the cast like in a Cathe video--the same colors but slightly different tops and bottoms, and use Crunch music (*literally*, the Crunch end credits music was used for the floor section at the end.) This bummed me out just a little because I liked the rock music in some of the more recent Firms, but it wasn't bad.

The new tall box (I refuse to call it a Fanny Lifter!) worked well, although when separated for box aerobics, the short 6" segment did scoot around a little bit. The full height was great for table work. And that extra inch and a half (I used to use a Rubbermaid Tool Chest) made the leg presses (3 sets!) extra challenging.

And, after doing Cardio Step Mix and TBSM last week, it was a welcome relief to not have to do *any* plyos!

Final Verdict--I liked it!

Instructor Comments:
Allie does a good job of cueing, is nice without being too perky, and straightforward without being robotic.

Renee Drellishak