The Firm: Crosstrainers - The Tortoise

Susan Harris, Tracie Long
Year Released: 1995

Categories: Circuit Training (cardio and weights)


I was pleasantly surprised by this video. As a Firm Believer, I was greatly disappointed with The Hare and thought I would never buy the Tortoise. However, due to a sale and the positive reviews I read on VF, I decided to give it a try. Unlike the Hare, Tortoise is heavy on the weight work and light on the ballroom aerobics. As I said in my reveiw of the Hare, these ballroom step sequences fail to get my heart rate up and they're silly to boot! However, with the Tortoise, there's enough weight work (leg presses, lunges, squats, upright rows, etc.) to raise my heart rate and challenge my muscles. This video also sold me on Tracie Long. She's a great instructor - her cueing is precise and motivating. Susan Harris has always been a favorite of mine and I was glad to see her in this video as well. Although the Tortoise doesn't come close to replacing the Firm's Strong Heart and Strong Body, it's a challenging tape and a vast improvement over The Hare.

Anne B.

08/04/1997