The Firm: Cardio (aka Variety: Strong Heart)

Heidi Tanner
Year Released: 1995

Categories: Circuit Training (cardio and weights)


Here's an alternative opinion on this tape: I have had this video for over a year, and I have tried so hard to like it, probably because of all of the positive comments about it on this site. I bought it because I love FIRM Strength so much. It's funny. I think Heidi Tanner is an excellent instructor. I like her personality, and the way she doesn't sound scripted like many of the other FIRM instructors. It's just the *routine* I don't like. There are many times when an exercise will be performed on one side of the body, then there will be some other exercise for a while, and finally you'll get around to finishing up on the other side. I don't know why, but this bugs me. I feel sort of off-balance whenever that happens. Also, the problem of switching from a tall box leg press to military press is annoying because they act like you can use the same size weights. I have pretty proportionately weak shoulders so this doesn't work well for me. In fact, there are several times when I have to pause the tape to set up for the next exercise - something that doesn't happen in FIRM Strength. I try and try to like FIRM step choreography, but I just think it's silly. I don't really enjoy stepping in this one. It's so white bread. I'd much prefer somthing more funky. The floor work at the end for the butt and hamstrings does a number on my supporting knee. It actually hurts a lot. I don't know if I could get through this segment or not because the knee that *isn't* working always gives out sooner than my working leg. Lastly, the audio on my tape is starting to fade in and out. I think someone else on this site mentioned that when they changed the packaging of these tapes from StongBody and StrongHeart to FIRM Strength and FIRM Cardio, they used a lower quality of tape. I never thought so, but now I'm beginning to wonder. Heidi Tanner is so excellent, and I really hope they use her again sometime, but I think the time has come for me to face the music and admit that I really don't like this tape very much.

Abby

03/07/1998