The Firm: Core Cardio

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

Categories: Floor Aerobics/Hi-Lo/Dance


Well, it's the same super-intense format as CC2, the same instructors as CC2 and B&B, the same beautiful production values, similar great music, but, darn it all, I just don't like Core Cardio 1. Considering how much I like the other two tapes in the Blast series, it would be a "puzzlement" except in my heart I know the reasons. High impact, high impact, high impact! Oh, and a work-out that seems to go at warp speed 10! ("She's breaking up, Captain! I canna hold her together at this speed") This tape is just too much for my 46 year old bones. I felt like I was coming apart at the seams. Too many plyos, moves that go too fast, plus cuing that is much worse than I am used to from the Firm. Not to mention my pet peeves from CC2- weights used in the warm-up followed by going down to the floor for abs. I tried to modify, but had to give up on this tape the two times I attempted it.

Others have already given a good description of the work-out, so I won't do that here. I did enjoy the low-box work. I wish the Firm would come up with more routines for the 10" low box and forget the high-impact. One of my favorite Firm "Cardio Combos" is the first 20 minutes of Vol 5 followed by Not-So-Tough-Aerobics on the 10" box. Lots of low box work with that one and I get a very decent aerobic workout! So to the Firm I say, "Go back to the lower impact format of Strength, Cardio, Tortise and Hare, Vol 4, Vol 5, and Vol 6. That format was safer and gave a very good weight workout, with aerobic benefits as well. So what if some people complained that these did not have enough Cardio. Some people are not happy unless they get 40 minutes of cardio. There are plenty of tapes for that. The Firm does not have to "be-all and end-all" for every one."

Oh, just a reminder for those who need a reference. I consider myself to be a mid-level advanced exerciser. I regularly do Cathe F on a 6" step (for my knees' sake) as well as other tapes labeled advanced by Collage. I am also a Firm Believer who generally likes their "minimal" cuing style, so my feelings on this tape were a real shock to me. I can't wait for the Split tapes. From what I can gather, those are sure to be lower impact tapes that really work your upper and lower body! Right up my alley!

Instructor Comments:
I still like them all, but their combined cuing was terrible on this tape. Though I imagine it is tough to cue when moving at the speed of light! JEEZ!

Clare

04/14/1999