The Firm: Parts BootCamp 3 in 1 Mix

I am an intermediate exerciser who has a bum knee, so I have to modify a lot of tapes. The Firm are my favorites. This is aimed towards inter/advanced, though a beginner could modify. There really isnt 3 workouts in this tape. It has two workouts, the first one 42 minutes, the second 40. Both workouts can be performed together by doing workout 1 until you see the fast forward signal in the corner of the screen, then fast forwarding until you get to the signal again and it says "resume play". This makes for a 71 minute workout. They suggest you march in place during the fast foward so the blood doesnt pool in your legs so you won't faint. This workout is primarily body sculpting. I'm not sure why they call it Boot Camp. Maybe because its somewhat basic? Maybe because its supposed to kick your butt? I didnt get my butt kicked but I was challenged by it. I think an advanced exerciser would find it challenging. (I'm sure someone advanced will post, though, and speak for themselves). Equipment needed: oof ball, though I used a soccer ball, tall box, dowel, dumbbells, barbell (or you could substitute dumbbells), and a towel. Both sections have a short warm up, the second has one with wieghts which I found strange, then an abdominal section (which seems to be part of the warm up) then a short stretch. Both sections start with some aerobics, Jennifer called the segment she did Sports drills. Then some intense wieght work with all the Firms usual leg presses, biceps, triceps, ect. My fave part of the first one are all the parts Tracie teaches. The deepness of her squats and plies is inspirational and also I like the little easy cool down from the Basics series that she does before doing Pec flies, rib cage pullovers with triceps press. I wish the firm had these in more of their tapes. The abs in both sections have a different twist to them, I'm not sure the side crunches Carissa does with her leg in the air do anything different from the leg not being up. And Dale does some swiveling type moves for the abs in the second part which I really felt burning at the end. She also uses the ball between her legs when doing bridgework. I did feel a difference the exercise seemed more intense. I wish the stretch at the end of the second segment were as good as the first half, in the second you barely have time to get into position and its over. Overall I liked this video a lot and i will incorporate it into my video rotation (probably in 2 different workouts, since I don't have time to do 71 minutes doing the whole thing.)

Instructor Comments:
All The Firm instructors are well spoken and give good cuing, as usual.

Tammy

Nancy Tucker, Tracie Long, Heidi Tanner, Carissa Foster, Tamela Hastie, Jennifer Carmen, Pam Cauthen

Let's see, where do I begin. This video is a killer! It is "the" toughest Firm video to date. That is if you do the all out 70 minutes of Bootcamp.

This video is broken up into 2 total body workouts. Workout #1 is 42 minutes and workout #2 is 40 minutes. You can do each workout seperately because they both have a warmup and cooldown and abs. Or you can almost kill yourself and do the 71 minute workout. The way you combine both workouts is that the video show's a "Press Fast Forward" command near the end of workout #1. Kinda like Firm 5. You fast forward all the way through first cooldown/Stretch, first warmup/stretch and ball aerobics.

This video does have mostly parts from other video's "BUT" it does have new film too. The warmup is brand new for both workouts. Dale has a new warmup and abs-pushups and Nancy Tucker does a new warmup too. They are both excellent! The music is great. Both workouts have tall box in it. The first is the Tortoise squat/upright row-overhead press/Tall box exercises. The other tall box is from Firm Cardio/Heidi Tanner. Combining these 2 really burns the legs!

I like Bootcamp because it starts off with some ball aerobics to get you more warmed up. This is all the aerobics you will do but my heartrate stayed pretty high with all the weight work during the rest of the workout. Just when my heart was about to pound out of my chest from doing the tall box, you get some good seated upper body to rest your lower body. This Firm really fatigues all my muscles. Even my triceps which are really hard to fatigue. You will only need the 14 inch tall box in this workout. No other small Firm box. Other Firm toys you will need are the oof ball, dowel, barbell and various dumbbells.

I liked the second workout better because it has some of my favorite Firm sections. But I also love the military press section in workout #1 by Traci Long followed by the tricep work by Tamela. This really got my triceps cooking. This is the sequencing the workout:

1)Warm-up and abs/pushups Dale Brabham(new film footage)
2)Stretch :Allie Strickland (Super Cardio) Ball Prep:Allie Strickland (Super Cardio)
3)T-Bar rows/Biceps curls:Pam Cauthen (Strength)
4)Squat/military press/tall box:Traci Long (Tortoise/Tough Tape)
5)French Press/Kickbacks:Tamela Hastie (Cardio Burn/Bust and Butt)
6)Lunges and dips:Pam Cauthen (Strength,Tough Tape 2)
7)Tricep Dips/Lat Rows/Bicep Curls:Dale Brabham (Super Sculpt)
8)Squat/Upright row/tall box/plie squats:Traci Long (Tortoise/Tough Tape)
9)Cooldown aerobics:Traci Long(Basics Sculpting)
10)Chest flies/overhead pulleys/tricep skull crusher exercise:Traci Long(Maximum body Sculpting)
11)Pushups/back work:Dale Brabham(Power Cardio/Bust and Butt)
12)Abs:Carissa Foster(Maximum Cardio)
13)Cooldown/Stretch:Traci Long(Maximum Body Sculpting) Workout#2

1)Warmup Nancy Tucker(new Filming!) Great warmup using light dumbbells with lots of squats and nice side shuffle moves combined with upper body moves.
2)Stretch: Allie Strickland(new Filmage with peaceful music)
3)Ball prep:Jennifer Carmen(Super Cardio)
4)Squats/plies/glute squeezes with ankle weights:Nancy Tucker(Super Sculpt)
5)Lat row/Tricep Kickback/bicep curl:Traci Long(Tortoise,ToughTape,Upper Body Split)
6)Tall box/bicep curls:Heidi Tanner(Firm Cardio/Tough Tape 2
7)Upright row/Militarypress/front delt raises/side delt raises:Dale Brabham(Super Sculpt)
8)Tall Box/French Press:Heidi Tanner (Firm Cardio/Tough Tape 2)
9)Lat Row/tricep kickback/seated bicep curls:Traci Long(Tortoise,Tough Tape,Upper Body Split)
10)Squats/Lunges:Carissa Foster(Super Sculpt)
11)Deadlifts/Bent Rows/rear delt flies&rhomboid pinch/pushups:Dale Brabham(Super Sculpt)
12)Pushups:Jennifer Carmen(Better Buns)
13)Bridge work&oblique work with ball/Abs/Dale Brabham(Power Cardio)
14)Stretch:Tamela Hastie(Cardio Burn)

This video was spliced together very smoothly and even though most of the workout besides the warmup is from other "parts" video's, I really think it's a super tough sweat of a workout. I think it's even tougher than Tough Tape! I also think it's a super deal because you get 2 workout's in 1 video. The set is the Firm mansion and also Library Firm setting. The music is fabulous!

Instructor Comments:
If I commented on every instructor in this video(there are 9), it would become a short novel! I think Dale Brabham shines mostly throughout this video since she does the first warmup and abs. She teaches like Traci Long. Kinda serious and she is so muscular! Did you know she eats oatmeal and banana's for breakfast? Carissa is only in one squat lunge section and an abs section. Jennifer does only one ball warmup aerobics and a pushup section and Allie does the second warmup stretch and first ball aerobic tune. I like the constant change of instructors. It gives the video a nice variety.

Mandy Lee

This tape says that there are 2 separate workouts, but that you can fast forward near the cooldown of the 1st workout to after the warmup of the 2nd workout, to make 3 workouts total on this tape (hence the name 3-in-1 mix). I'm not thrilled about fast forwarding for 12 minutes to combine workouts, so I just do each workout separately.

Workout 1 is approximately 41 minutes with warmup and cooldown. The core workout is 37 minutes.

Workout 2 is approximately 39 minutes with warmup and cooldown. The core workout is 32 minutes.

Lots of equipment needed for this tape: tallbox, mat, oof ball, barbell, various dumbbells, and a dowel (for 1 short segment). I use my green genie ball for the oof ball and a mop handle for the dowel.

The usual Firm fare: leg presses, lat rows, biceps, triceps, squats, dips, and lunges. Some pretty tough ab work as well.

This is probably not the Firm's best parts tape, but it's certainly not bad. It's a little choppy going between the different segments. I have to wonder how many times the Firm is going to continue to use the Tortoise/Hare tapes in their Parts tapes. This tape must be at least the 3rd time I've seen the Tortoise/Hare in a Parts tape.

I was, to say the least, not thrilled with the warmup of the 1st workout. I don't like warming up with weights, and I especially don't enjoy short warmups. The warmup on the 1st workout was approximately 1 minute (!) before going down on the mat for ab work.

I must also say that I was totally unprepared for the one cardio segment in each of the two workouts. I was standing there in my pajamas expecting a 100% strength work tape, and up pops a fairly high impact cardio segment...and me without my sports bra!

I wish that the Firm would go back to the olden days, when a warmup lasted five minutes (or more) and so much equipment wasn't used, but oh well.

Overall, this tape is a keeper. I can combine these short workouts with LBS for floorwork, which is lacking in the Boot Camp tape.

Patti S.

This is a parts tape from the Firm compiled from various Firms from the library set days. Its a great strength workout with a bunch of leads. The dvd has 3 options- 2 40ish minute workouts or 1 killer 75 minute w/o (they omit 1 set of w/u's & c/d's in the premix version). You will need a FL or step/tall step and a variety of dumbbells for this one.

There is no liaison in this one like some of the parts tapes-the transitions are smooth IMO and it flows together well. You will see a lot of the typical Firm type strength work in this one: leg press, lunges, dips, clean and press, lat rows, and a bit of floor work like pushups, ab work, bridge, and pec flys. Not a lot of LB floor work though.

SO much of this strength work really gets my heart rate up so I know Im burning a lot of calories-especially for a strenght workout. One of the many reasons I love my Firms! The pace is nice-they move right along but I didnt feel rushed at all. I was able to heavy up nicely for a Firm.

This is a great versatile w/o that I would highly recommend for any lover of the old time Firms. Its challenging and offers a lot of variety and time options. I would rate this a higher intermediate if you heavy up on it. All the leads to a great job and the cueing is good all around.

lindseylu8