The Firm: Basics - Sculpting With Weights

Tracie Long
Year Released: 1997

Categories: Circuit Training (cardio and weights)


I have had, used, and loved the BBH Firm workouts for several years, but have never picked up the Firm Basics series, which is intended for beginner exercisers. But lately I’ve decided to get off my high horse and diversify my workout collection (which is mostly high intermediate-low advanced) to include more low intermediate and even some beginner workouts, to encourage me to vary my intensity, and not push myself super hard every day in an “all or nothing” approach. Sculpting with Weights was a no brainer purchase because I love Tracie and the Firm, especially in unison! I particularly like Maximum Body Shaping (aka Maximum Body Sculpting) and found Sculpting with Weights to be similar, but certainly different enough to not be redundant. Of course you have the classic mansion background with several (maybe 20?) background instructors, vibrant workout clothes, and great music. Actually I think the outfits look somewhat more modern here and the music is more mainstream (less exotic) than what is usually used for a BBH Firm. I think those adverse to the retro/dated look and feel of classic Firms might appreciate this workout more. Equipment needed is a range of dumbbells and the tall step.

The workout clocks in at 45 minutes and despite the title, is not 100% strengthening, as I had assumed it would be. Instead, it is primarily strengthening (maybe 65-70%) with several low impact floor aerobic intervals. Your usual Firm AWT, a tried and true formula! Actually for a more beginners workout, I thought the gentle aerobic intervals provided welcome breathers between strength sets. Strength work included several lunges (unweighted, or with light weight, always with a dowel for balance), squats (unweighted with dowel for balance), biceps curls, French press, triceps kickbacks, lateral raises, one arm bent rows, and double arm seated rows. Floor work included abdominals, bridge work with pelvic squeezes, and inner thigh lifts (all unweighted). There were NO leg presses and the tall step was only used for seated upper body or to lean on for the bent rows. There were no aerobic tall box climbs either, and there was no usage of a short step at all. The aerobic work was very basic (referring to choreography, quickness of moves, and the low impact) and included grapevines, step touches, some squats, and heel digs. Very basic stuff but Tracie spices it up just enough to keep it engaging.

For those who are seasoned exercisers, this could easily be modified up (upwards to high intermediate but no higher) and can be modified even further down by just not using weights. It seemed intuitive where to make the workout more challenging (as desired): using heavy weights and losing the dowel during squats and lunges, adding some triple steps and plyos to the aerobic work, adding ankle weights or a handheld weight to the floor work. Or, it can be kept low for a gentle but still efficient day. The Firm rated this workout as beginner-intermediate and I agree with that assessment. Tracie’s form pointers (she demonstrates the “do’s” and “don’ts” on many moves, executes moves at a slow-moderate pace, and reminds you where exactly you should be feeling the exercise, also the easy to follow aerobics and all low impact) would make this good for beginners, and seasoned exercisers can easily spice it up for a lighter day. For my purposes, it was both enjoyable and efficient for a lighter day – I felt worked out and I worked up a great sweat, but I didn’t kill myself like I do with more intense workouts. This was a very well thought out, high quality production. Grade A!

Instructor Comments:
Tracie Long is very talented, she gives thorough form pointers, is down to business but encouraging as well.

Emily B.

01/04/2011