I like this video, but I prefer Core Cardio I. I found this one to be lower impact (at least some of it was), and a bit less intense. As with CC1, I would have preferred to have a longer warm up. I question the safety of using weights so early in the warm up. The ab section is short, but I like the oblique work. I wish The Firm would have combined the abs from CC1 & CC2 on to one tape and maybe left abs off one of the cardio tapes. Maybe they will come out with another Parts tape titled, "Still More 5 Day Abs!" Carissa's box segment (the one with the hop turns) is fun, but her cueing is poor during her segments. After several times doing the video, it shouldn't be as much of an issue. My favorite sections of this tape are the 4 limb aerobics led by Dale. Many of the segments ranged from low to moderate intensity to high intensity, and it has been mentioned on the Forum that some are using this as an interval workout of sorts. I did find that my heart rate went from the low end of my target HR zone to the high end (I wore my heart rate monitor).

The aerobic cooldown is nonexistent--you go straight from 4 limb aerobics to a seated dowel stretch. I think the Firm shortened the warm ups, the ab sections, the final stretches, and left the aerobic cool downs off the Blast tapes in order to fit the workout into 45 minutes and still preserve the high intensity of the workout. I would like these tapes a lot better if they had adequate warm ups, cool downs, and ab sections. For Firm fans (I am one), I give this tape a B-. For everyone else, I give it a C-.

Instructor Comments:
In this video, as compared to the other two in the Firm Blast series, I found the cueing a bit more confusing. I found myself on the wrong foot much of the time during Carissa's box segment (the one with the hop turns), and usually I am able to pick up choreography pretty easily. Even after doing the video a couple of times, I still found the cueing lacking in clarity. I did enjoy the energy of the instructors. Dale is my favorite in this one. All of them show different, healthy body types. You can tell that they all are working hard during the workout.

Kristin Aziz