The Lower-Body and Upper-Body Split Tapes are the best FIRM tapes I've seen in a long time. Actually, since the Cross Trainers series. I had become very disenchanted with the FIRM, but now I'm starting to think more favorably of them again.

This is a review of the Lower Body tape only, but the Upper Body is just as good. You do three "giant sets" of leg work, including squats, lunges, leg presses, and floorwork. There is ab work, too. Also, each "giant set" (FIRM terminology) is separated by a short aerobics section. The aerobics aren't too bad -- while I'll never really ENJOY Firm aerobics, the routines here serve as a nice break from all the leg work. In fact, the first aerobic segment helps warm up your legs for the upcoming strength work, which, for me, is necessary to avoid muscle cramping. However, you can skip some of the aerobics sections with no loss in the workout. I skip the later ones sometimes.

The one drawback to the tape is that when you're doing the third "giant set," which is mostly lunges, it just seems SO LONG. By that time, you've already spent about 45-50 minutes working your legs. Then they do I-don't-know-how-many sets of lunges. It's probably not REALLY so many, but by then I'm getting tired, and I think they could have cut some lunge routines out. The total length of the workout is 70 minutes, so it's not like you haven't worked out long enough.

Now that I think about it, I guess there is one other drawback. This is not a tape you can easily do in segments if you're short on time. There are several instances where you do an exercise on one side, and then maybe 20 minutes later, you do it on the other side. So you pretty much have to do all or most of it if you want to be balanced.

This tape is made up of routines from previous Firm tapes, including the Cross-Trainers, Tri-Trainers, and the Blast series. I like all the instructors, especially Carissa Foster, but I think Tamela Hastie is the most un-convincing instructor ever! This is not meant in a mean-spirited way; I find it kind of amusing. It's like her words don't match her facial expressions. But her instruction is fine.

Overall, I'm happy with this video and it's upper-body companion. Grade A.

Instructor Comments:
All the instructors are fine, but I'd really like to go back to the old format where there's a single instructor for the whole tape. I can't give a good reason why I prefer that, I just do!

Annie S.