The Firm: Crosstrainers - The Hare
Tracie LongYear Released: 1995
Categories: Circuit Training (cardio and weights)
Now that I've made it through this tape (mostly) twice, I
feel competent enough to review it from the beginner's
point of view.
I agree with the tape's description that it is
appropriate for beginners in that it is not terribly
difficult to master all the moves - with the exception of
the infamous ballroom aerobics. This exception is due not
to the complexity of the steps, because once you get
them, they are easy to remember. They are only a problem
because Tracy does not bother to break them down *at
all*; she just assumes you know what "Tango Right
Close" means the first time she says it. :-) That
lack of breakdown, combined with the switching around of
different types of steps, means that by the time you've
figured out what she wants you to do, she's moved on to
something else. I finally gave up and started doing basic
marching and step-touch just to keep my heart rate up
until we moved on to something I could follow better.
The tall step moves are wonderful - easy to follow but
they work you hard. My Fanny Lifter substitute is the
Jane Fonda step I picked up for $20 a while back - it has
built-in extenders that jack it up all the way to
12" - and it filled in nicely for what they were
using.
I agree with the earlier review of this tape
that the floorwork at the end is more varied and
original. By the time my leg was ready to drop dead on
one set of reps, it was time to switch off to something
else. I like the idea of working through steadily
decreasing intensities of floorwork as a cooldown from
the aerobic moves. When we had finished the last rep on
the left leg (or was it the right leg? Tracy gets
confused sometimes!), my heart rate was right back down
to where it was supposed to be.
This tape really makes me want to get the Tortoise tape
I've heard so much about here. Of course, I got this one
at the used book store for $7, so I can only hope I'm so
lucky again. Otherwise, I'll wait until April like
everyone else who hates shipping costs!
Don't be afraid of the ballroom aerobics - do the ones
you want and modify away the rest of them. Maybe on my
next try I, too, will be able to do that "Tango
Right Close" the first time!
11/30/-0001