The FIRM Cardio Step Mix - Thoughts




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 you are getting quite a bit of sculpting as well.

Many FIRM follower really love this workout. This has never been a favorite of mine. Mostly because it was one of the last compilations to come out (at that time) and by that time, I had already seen many of the segments used in other compilations. For instance, this workout resembles The FIRM's Tough Cardio Mix (TCM) quite a bit. TCM is a 45 minute workout, whereas Cardio Step Mix is a 62 minute workout. This workout does include an abdominal section.
The warm up, ab sections and final stretch segments do not use the step.

Along with dumbbells, and a step, a dowel is also used. The step in this workout is a square box step. So if you have a Fanny Lifter or a High Step, you can use either one.
3 stars

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Pro-Form 600 LT Treadmill - Thoughts

Image
The Pro-Form 600 LT Treadmill is HSN and Pro-Form 2011 model treadmill. Each year HSN brings out a new Pro-Form model to sale. On the HSN website the treadmill is called Pro-Form Step Up Personal Trainer Treadmill. The price of this treadmill is $699.95 and the Shipping & Handling is free. I have had this treadmill since May. Assembly is required. It took me and another about an hour, maybe a little less to put it together. The instructions are fairly detail and everything went together as it should. I had the 2007 model of this treadmill, but I like the advertised upgrades so much I decided to get this one. Pre-Program Work outs The 2011 model comes with 16 Pre-program workouts. Of the 16, 4 are distance, 5 are timed, and 7 are calorie burned workouts. The distance workouts are 1 mile, 5K, 10K, and 1/2 Marathon. The time workouts are 20 min, 25 min, 30 min, 45 min The calorie workouts that are broken down by time are 20 min, 25 min, 30 min, 40 min, 45 min, and two 60 min ...
Read more

Tony Horton P90X Plyometrics - Thoughts

Image
Plyometrics .  This means you are jumping. This means high impact. Although there were some none or low-impact exercises. The workout is about 59 minutes. The warm is about 9 minute and 30 seconds. Like the other P90X workouts that I have done, Plyometrics uses rounds as well. There are two rounds in which you are doing 4 exercises. The exercise are performed for either 30 or 60 seconds. After each round you get a water break. At the end of the workout, there is a bonus round that includes three exercises that were sports specific. The workout concludes with a 5 minute stretch and cool down. I am including a worksheet of the exercises. This is my least favorite of the P90X workouts that I have done thus far. Plyometrics just felt long.  Although I did think the soundtrack was very good and I burned a lot of calories. Equipment - towel, heart rate monitor 3 stars
Read more

Tony Horton P90X Legs & Back - Review

Image
This is my second week of P90X workouts and it starts with disc 5, Legs & Back . There are 22 exercises.  For every two leg exercises, there is one back exercise. So the pattern is - do two legs and then 1 back exercise. There are a variety of legs exercises but all the back exercises are pull up/chin up exercises. There is a cardio warm up followed by a stretch.  Then you move into the 22 exercises, each of which has a time associated with it. Sometimes you are doing as many reps as you can and at other times, Tony gives you an exact rep number he wants you to perform.  A stretch cool down concludes the workout. While I was sore after this workout and felt the challenge, I really didn't care for a lot of the exercises in this workout. The workout clocks in at around 59 minutes. Equipment used:  pull up bar,  bands, weights. 2 & 3/4 stars
Read more