The Firm: Body Sculpt Blaster

Nancy Tucker
Year Released: 2002

Categories: Total Body Workouts


This is one of the add on “Six Pack” workouts to the first Body Sculpt System (BSS1) set from The Firm when it was owned by Goodtimes. It was the first set to use the Fanny Lifter, the square dark blue (8”)/dark purple (6”) box that can be used at either of those heights or assembled at 14” for moves like leg press or to sit on like a mini bench. This workout clocks in at just under 34 minutes and is all strength – no cardio intervals. However the strength training is often upper+lower body at once and keeps your heart rate up anyway! Nancy leads with the usual BSS1 background instructors Stephanie, Lisa, Libby, etc.

The video might be a quickie but Nancy accomplishes a lot in the short amount of time. The warm up is about 5 minutes long and incorporates the short 6” step; includes standard Firm fare like step touches, knee lifts, marches in place, heel digs on box, then short hamstring and hip flexor stretches before the workout.

The strength set uses three sets of dumbbells; Nancy recommends 3, 5, and 8 pound bells for beginners. As a mid-high intermediate exerciser, I used 10, 12, and 15 pound bells because there are not very many reps of each move (there is after all a time crunch) and it really got my heart rate up fast. There is a squat with overhead press segment which uses heavy weights, two sets of pushups on knees or toes, leg press with bicep curls with medium weights, lunge onto medium 8” step with biceps with medium weights, leg press with pulses with heavy weights (no upper body), two long sets of French press with heavy weights, plie squat with biceps curls, one arm rows with heavy weight as well as a seated set of double arm rows, a waist segment while sitting on the fully assembled 14” box (no weights), and a final curtsey lunge and outer thigh lift while using the short 6” step (great bun burner!). There is no ab section which is appropriate with the short length of the video. There is a final cool down with athletic stretches. The time flies by because of the varied moves, and I feel very evenly worked: the legs get plenty of attention – inner thigh, outer thigh, glutes, hamstrings and quads, as do the shoulders, back, chest, biceps, triceps, and waist. That’s a lot that was sufficiently covered in 35 minutes!

In comparison with the other Goodtimes Firms, the BSS1 is in my opinion on par or slightly less challenging than BSS2 and BSS4; BSS3 is more challenging. The Anna Benson Firms are more challenging than any of the BSS series, and the Pink Firms are easier than any of the BSS series. This workout can be high beginner through mid-high intermediate, depending on poundage used. I especially enjoy the “Six Pack” add on to BSS1, they are short, fun, and efficient. I liked that Nancy used the step in all three heights, along with a wide range of poundage, to keep from boredom. Highly recommended for anybody that enjoys the Firm and/or AWT workouts. High production quality, upbeat music and great instructor cuing. Grade A!

Instructor Comments:
I really like Nancy and have almost, if not all, of her Firm videos, from the Anna Benson through Goodtimes eras. She is direct, speaks clearly, and is down to business, but is encouraging and smiles a lot. It is truly a shame that she hasn’t produced any videos with or without the Firm since the BSS series; if she did I would definitely buy her workouts again.

Emily B.

07/21/2010