The Firm: Parts: More 5 Day Abs

Lisa Kay, Tracie Long, Jennifer Peluso, Pam Meriwether, Heidi Tanner
Year Released: 1998

Categories: Abs/Core


More 5 Day Abs was a compiliation of ab segments from Better Body & Buns (Jennifer Peluso), Fat Blaster (Lisa Kay), Maximum Body Shaping (Tracie Long), Firm Strength (Pam Cauthen), and Firm Cardio (Heidi Tanner).

I rather like the video and regularly rotate it with the original 5 Day Abs as well as Tracie Long's Sculpted Hips, Buns, and Thighs workout. While I think that the original 5 Day Abs was harder, this video provided newer and more varied moves, and as such worked the abs just as much. Since nobody has broken down the video yet, I thought I would provide a description of each part.

Section 1 with Jennifer Peluso incorporated "breathwork" which was just Pilate's The Hundred but made easier because your feet were on the floor. I straightened my legs and held them at a 45 degree angle to intensify the move. She rotates between breathwork and "rock and lift" ab work (this is rotating upper crunches with lower crunches) before moving on to side oblique work (think Volume 4 with Susan Harris with both legs to one side).

Section 2 with Lisa Kay was my favorite. I think the moves were most intense, and the music was the best. She starts with a brief set of crunches using a hand weight on the chest, then goes into the second segment, primarily focused on the "rock and lift" movement. She adds a twist while your legs are up to add oblique work here.

Section 3 with Tracie Long was easier, but it was so much fun that I really enjoy it. You start out on your tall box, and do oblique work by bending side to side, then twisting side to side. This is really fun, and if you mind your muscles, it is challenging. You really have to keep your form though, otherwise it won't work at all. Then she goes to the floor and does 2-count upper then lower abs, which I actually didn't find as challenging. Then she goes into upper and lower body crunch combinations, and does an upper crunch while pushing your heel out with each leg (think Volume 3). She says "that feels good!" at the end which always makes me laugh.

Section 4 is with Pam Cauthen from Firm Strengh, and starts out with weights on the chest while doing upper crunches, then overhead crunches with reverse curls. These are challenging. Then she goes into a series of combined upper and lower body crunches (same old same old) then long lever lower body reverse curls. This section is ok and will fatigue your abs if you do all of the sections in a row.

Section 5 with Heidi Tanner is my least favorite. She uses the tall box to rest your feet on, while you alternate bringing your knees to your chest while upper crunching (think Volume 6) then goes into oblique work by extending your arms on each side. Finally she removes the box and does some reverse curls and extends the leg on the curl. The music was dull, and while the exercises were creative, they were not intense and even after 4 other segments, I did not feel any burn. I usually skip this part.

Form was excellent and the moves were MUCH more creative than the original 5 day abs. I love the original but am so glad that I decided to shake it up with the newer video. Impact level is not as high, but it is much more engaging and the music is really good! It made me want to get the videos which it was compiled of. As for me, I'm 24 and have been doing exercise videos for 2 years and love them SO MUCH!!! I especially love the FIRM. They have a wonderful comination of being both fun and effective.

Instructor Comments:
The instructors were all quite good - my favorite was Lisa Kay from Fat Blaster. They all had excellent cueing.

Emily B.

06/29/2007