Saundra

September 2011 . I have morning and evening workouts planned. Morning will be cardio and the evening will be sculpt workouts. I am still training for my 10K at the end of October so I have two treadmill days. Morning schedule: Sunday - Treadmill Monday - Step (CIA Video & SeasunZ) Tuesday - Boxing (Michael O & Kelly Coffey Meyer) Wedneday - Treadmill (Cardio Coach) Thursday - Zumba Friday - Cathe Step Saturday - Rest Evening schedule: Sunday - I will be adding a stretch immediately after the run. Monday - Lower body Tuesday - Upper body Wednesday - Evening Rest Day Thursday - Weights/Kettlebells Friday - Evening Rest Day Saturday - Rest

It has been a gazillion years since I have done Cardio Step Mix and I remember it being much harder than it was today. Although, I only used a 6 inch step height, maybe next time, if there is one, I will go for an 8 inch step height. But at a 6 inch step height, I pretty much felt that it was a steady state workout with a few dips in intensity. This is a compilation workout that is comprised of various step segments from various FIRM workouts. This compilation is made up of Fat Blaster (Allie Del Rio, Nancy Tucker, Lisa Kay), FIRM Cardio (Heidi Tanner), Power Cardio, (Dale Brabham), Maximum Cardio (Carissa Foster), Cardio Burn (Tamela Hastie), The Tortoise and The Hare (Tracie Long), and Super Cardio (Jennifer Carman, Carissa Foster, Allie DelRio). The step segments are repetitive. Within each step sequence you are repeating the same 4 to 6 moves over and over. Many of the combos use light dumbbell for the FIRM's signature 4-limb movement. That is okay. Just noting that ...

Upper Body Split is another FIRM compilation workout that is 61 minutes in length. It features several FIRM instructors from various FIRM workouts. The segments and FIRM instructors are Pam Cauthen (FIRM Strength), Carissa Foster (Maximum Cardio), Jen Peluso (Better Body & Buns), Tracie Long (The Tortoise, Maximum Body Shaping), Stacey Millner Collins (Prime Power Fat Burning), Tamela Hastie (Cardio Burn), Dale Brabham (Power Cardio), Allie DelRio and Lisa Kay (Fat Blaster), and Heidi Tanner (FIRM Cardio). So this workout is upper body, abdominals, and cardio. I didn't mind the cardio so much but there are a lot of ab sets. Maybe as much as 5 or 6. Now you are not doing them all in a row. They all don't appear at the end of the workout but they are interspersed throughout the upper body sets. My main gripe about this workout is that for an upper body workout you are getting a lot of lower body work as well. This is mostly because many of the upper body moves are co...

Lower Body Split is a FIRM compilation workout. It is a 69 minute workout featuring the following FIRM instructors: Pam Cauthen, Taber Bruner, Carissa Foster, Jen Carman, Tracie Long, Tamela Hastie, Lisa Kay, and Dale Brabham. The workout features various segments from FIRM Strength, Better Body & Buns, Maximum Cardio, Maximum Body Shaping, The Hare, Cardio Burn, FIRM Cardio and Power Cardio. This is a long workouts. Within the 69 minutes, you are doing several sets of leg presses, lunges and squats. You work your lower body both in the standing position and on the floor. The floor work includes shoot outs, lying leg lifts, hamstring curl, table work, and bridge work. However, it is not all standing work and then all floor work. The floor work is interspersed throughout the workout and in between the standing sets. There is a long set of abs or rather 3 short sets at the end of the workout. The equipment list is long: dumbbells, fanny lifter, med ball, barbell, dowel, ankle...

Tight Buns & Killer Thighs is a 30 minute lower body workout lead by Kelsie Daniels. This workout came out as an add-on to the CardioWeight System. So it to features the FIRM adjustable pink hand weights. The exercises are layered. They start with a basic move and then add on for a multi-compound move. In between the weight exercises, there are cardio burst or plyo sets for added intensity. First group of exercises features a courtesy dip, into leg extension, into a single legged squat with a knee lift. Cardio Blast : Dip press into High Knee Runs, Second group of exercises: Side lunges, outer thigh lift, hip rotation, rear leg lift. Cardio Blast : Hopscotch. Third group: deadlifts, heel push, heel lift, front lunge, glute lift. Cardio Blast : Squat thrust into plank jumping jacks. Fourth group: Plies squats, inner thigh contraction, inner thigh lift. Cardio Blast : Squat jump into side kick. After the fourth group, you do a cool down. Then you go down to the floor for ...

Slim Without the Gym is one of those workouts that I never get or got around to doing because it is hard for me to find a spot for it in my rotations. The FIRM promotes the workout as a travel workout - One that you can take anywhere with you because the equipment that you will need or use for the workout is very easy to pack. The workout is a "kit" workout. Meaning it comes with a type of equipment, tool, accessory etc. The items that come with this workout are a jump rope, a tube (cord with handles) and a loop (band). The workouts contains 4 individual workouts that you can combine for one long workout. If you click the "play all" button, the order of the workout is: The Jump rope/Plyo section, (jump rope) Upper Body Workout (cord and loop) Lower Body Workout (cord and loop) Core workout (cord and loop) Each section is about 11 minutes or so, and each sections has its own warm up and cool down. You can select each of these workouts individually ...

A 65 minute workout, KB2 combines Kickboxing combos with Kettlebell Intervals. There are four combos and four intervals. These are surrounded by a warm up at the beginning and a cool down and stretch at the end. Kickboxing combo sections : The combos are more drill base than routine base.. Certainly, they are less intricate that many of Amy's other Kickboxing workout. I like the combos. Amy does include a couple of new moves that haven't been in her other workouts. In terms of content within each combo, the warm up and combo 1 probably has the most content. The others seem short on content but made up for it in repetition. There is lots of repetition. Also, the combos are super easy to follow. The Kettlebell Sections : In some intervals, Amy uses two kettlebells and in some intervals, she uses only one. Interval 1: High Pull, Snatch, Middle Get up (1 kettlebell) Interval 2: Dual Swings, Dual Cleans, Front Loaded Squats (2 kettlebells) Interval 3: Push ups, Renegade Row...

The FIRM's Hard Core Fusion is a 56 minute workout and it features Allie Del Rio as the lead. This workout was and I guess still is part of the FIRM's Cardio Weight Systems. I privately have dubbed this system as BSS5. This is the system that came with the pink adjustable hand weights. I have the hand weights. I never use the hand weights. Instead, I used my regular dumbbells. This workout follows the classic FIRM pattern of aerobics and toning intervals. It starts with a warm up and then goes into a series of alternating toning and aerobic segments. The final toning segment includes ab work before going to the final stretch. Now the FIRM has always tended to layer moves but in this series of workouts, they started giving the multi-joint/compound exercise moves names. The Dip and Scoop (working legs and chest) Power Press (squat and bicep curl) Butt and Back Burner (deadlift, double arm row, one arm sweep) Corkscrew (lunges front and back with a chop to the ...

So I reviewed (March 8, 2011) this workout when it was Released as Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn. Michelle re-filmed this workout as part of the Peak Fit Challenge System. And in my previous review - boy did I give it high praise - 5 stars. I still really like the workout, but before I read my previous review, I was thinking of giving it 4 1/2 stars. Either way, I think Cardio Interval Burn is still a top notch workout. I do wished that it was under an hour. The workout clocks in at over 65 minutes. I read where I said the Peak 10 DVD is chaptered very well. However, the Peak Fit Challenge version - not so much. You don't have the menu options to pick and choose the individual sections at will. Out of all the workouts that I have, and I have a lot of workouts, this workout here has probably been my best calorie burner. It is definitely in the top 10, if not top 5. So yeah, 4 1/2 - 5 stars.

Cardio Strength 2 is approximately 57 minutes in length. It features five blocks that are about 10 minutes each plus a cool down. The first block, the "Warm up" block doesn't do the Peak intensity level. I put warm up in quotes because I really don't think it is a warm up. It really goes straight into the Ascent Level using weights and then you go into the climb level. You repeat this cycle, leading with the other side. The rest of the block follows the pattern of Base camp, Ascent, Climb and the Peak. In each of the Ascent levels you are using weights. This is where the strength part comes in. This part moves. In each Ascent, you are probably doing anywhere from 5 to 7 different strength exercise. In each of the Climb levels you are or should be working aerobically. This is where the cardio part comes in. The Climbs are my favorite part of the workout. In each of the Peak levels, you are doing some type of jumping and trying to push yourself and your intens...

Dynamic Flexibility is the Peak Fit Challenge Systems active recovery workout. There are 5 segments and the segments are anywhere from 4 to 8 minutes. The whole workout is about 29 minutes. The first three segments are standing and done without the band. The last two segments are floor based and use the band. The workout can be done with shoes or without. I like all the segments with segment 3 being my least favorite but it was still okay. Segment three is Yoga based. You are doing a series of sun breaths, planks into downward dogs etc. Segment two and four are probably my favorite. I just love the dynamic stretching and fluid movements in two and I love the leg stretches using the band in four. Also, both segments has good tunes. Only complaint and I stated it before is that fact there is no menu breakdown of the segments. I can definitely see me using some segments more than others. 3 1/2 stars

Cardio Coach Volume Two is a downloadable mp3 workout that you can use with cardio workout equipment. I used it with my treadmill. The coach is Sean O'Malley and in Volume Two, Sean leads you through a 39 minute workout that takes you through various level and intensity. You decide your own level and your intensity based on how hard you work. There are four levels in the Cardio Coach program . Level 1, Blue Zone, Heart Rate 55 to 65% Level 2, Green Zone, Heart Rate 65 to 75% Level 3, Orange Zone, Heart Rate 75 to 85% Level 4, Red Zone, Above 85% To get the most out of this workout you really need a heart rate monitor. The workout breaks down as follows : Warm up (4:13) - Level 1 into Level 2 Challenge 1 (7:49) - Four Level 3 Hills, Each hill is 1 minute with a 1 minute recovery in between. Steady State 1 (1:50)- Level 2 Challenge 2 (6:30) 1 Level 3 Hill for 3 minutes, 30 Second recovery, 1 level 3 sprint for 3 minutes, Steady State 2 (3:18) - Level 2 Challenge 3...

Pure Strength 2 is approximately 50 minutes in length. It follows the same format as Pure Strength 1. Which is: Warm up Back Chest Back Chest Legs Arm/Shoulders Legs Arms/Shoulders Stretch During the warm up, Michelle first starts off without weights. After about 2 minutes, she grabs a set of light weights and takes you through a series of moves that show up later in the various sections. While the various sections target a specific muscle group, Michelle does end each section with some type of full body exercise move. Michelle coaches quite a bit - stopping to point out form. Also I notice that I need to pay attention to the television more, because along with coaching, Michelle chats a lot. Several times I thought she was still setting up the move and I look up at the TV and she had already started doing the exercise. I was waiting for a verbal start cue that did not come. You are moving from exercise to exercise at a quick but steady pace. So while I include...

Clocking in at about 42 minutes in length, is Anywhere Anytime, No Excuse Workout . This is the Peak Fit Challenge System's "Travel" Workout; and if you don't have a DVD player with you, Michelle includes a Take It With You guide of all the exercises she includes in the video. My problem with this workout being a traveling workouts is that if you are staying anywhere where you have people below you, you are going to annoy the heck out of them because there is quite a bit of jumping in the workout. So there workout starts with a 5 minute warm up. Then there are two 5 minute Ascent levels that are done back to back. This is followed by a series of "metabolic circuits" that consist of Base camp (level 1), Climb (Level 3) and Peak (Level 4). Now in the Climb sections, the first portion is plyo/power work (i.e. jacks or squats), this is followed by leg endurance strength (lunge variations), and then you go down to the floor for some type of push up/pl...

Pure Cardio from the Peak Fit Challenge system is a near perfect cardio workout - for me anyway. It is less than an hour - clocking in at just over 50 minutes; and that includes a warm up and cool down. It contains some of my favorite cardio elements - kickboxing, dance, and athletic hi lo. More importantly, it does not contain burpees, squat thrust, push ups (for the instructors who like to put push ups in a cardio workout) or the use of weights. What I like about this workout is that practically all the moves can be modified to a low impact version without loosing any of the choreography of the workout. Also the soundtrack is pretty good - with the moves fitting the music well. So within the Peak Fit Challenge System you have Interval Climbing. The first level is called Base camp. Used of recovery. The second level is Ascent. Used for strength and/or endurance. The third level is Climb. Higher intensity. Fat burning level. The fourth level is Peak. Metabolic stimulation. Very high i...

I reviewed (Thursday March 10, 2011) Cardio Strength 1 when it was just release as Peak 10 Cardio Strength. I don't really have a whole lot more to add. I will reiterate that I still don't like that there is no real warm up. Michelle re-shot this workout. So, there is a different cast than in the Peak 10 release. Also the Peak 10 release has menu options so you can select the different blocks you want if you didn't want to do the whole workout. As stated in the previous post, that option is not available with the Peak Fit Challenge release. Michelle does stop the exercise to coach quite a bit and thankfully that band is not used in this workout. In my previous review, I gave it 3 1/2 stars and I would still give it 3 1/2 stars.

Clocking in at just about 20 minutes is Core Dynamics . This is the Peak Fit Challenge workout that specifically targets the back, core, and abdominal region. Also there is a little glute work going on as well. The 20 minutes is broken down into 4 five minute blocks. Block 1 uses a single dumbbell and it is standing ab work - with a functional fitness twist. Block 2 is equipment free and is floor work. Plank work, side rolls, and ankle grabbers are some of the exercises perform in block 2. Block 3 uses the band and you are working off of one knee for much of the workout. There is also some side plank moves. Block 4 is equipment free as well and is more of a traditional floor ab set. My favorite section is Block 2. My least favorite is Block 3 and that is mostly because of the band. I actually chucked the band and replaced it with the FIRM's purple (strongest resistance) band for much of block 3. I really like this work. The 20 minutes moved quick. In Michelle's introduction she...

Pure Strength 1 clocks in at around 50 minutes. It consist of a warm up, 8 cycles or rounds and a cool down. Each round including the warm up and cool down are about 5 minutes each. Michelle uses light weight during the warm up and the warm up includes several of the exercises you will see in later rounds. Each round focuses on a particular body part or muscle group. At the end of each muscle group, Michelle includes a total body exercise to round out the 5 minutes. As with the Fit Test and all the workouts in this series, bells go off letting you know when the round is almost finish. The flow of the workout (the core part) goes like this: back, chest, back, chest, legs, arms/shoulders, legs and arms/shoulders. Now while Michelle is essentially performing the exact same exercise from one set to the next, she does vary the tempo and rep count. Also each plank pushup combination is different. Dumbbells (light and heavy) are used as well as the a band This band comes with the Peak Fit S...

Peak Fit Challenge is an 8 week program that was developed by Michelle and Phil Dozois. The program includes 10 workouts that come in a CD size DVD booklet. Also included: An 8 week training plan, an Anywhere Anytime Take it with you Guide, and a Nutrition Guide. The first DVD is Intro and Fit Test . In this DVD Michelle spends some time explaining to you the program and how the program works. The Introduction section is approximately 8 minutes in length. Also on this disc is the Fit Test. Michelle states that it should be done at the beginning of the 8 weeks and again at the end of the 8 weeks. The Fit Test consist of 10 exercises (please see the Exercise Test Chart for exact exercises - click on image for larger view). Michelle does include a warm up and a cool down with the Fit Test. The whole Fit Test is approximately 29 minutes in length and it is a nice little workout. During the test, there are bells that indicate when you start, when you are at the 1/2 way point, and the end o...