Review: The Firm Super Cardio

The Firm Super Cardio is a rarity in the world of Firm videos, it is a pure cardio workout from the BBH-era Firms. It is lead by four Firm instructors: Jen Carman, Carissa Foster, Allie Strickland, and Dale Brabham.

Allie opens the workout with a 3 min warmup using no equipment. Shoulder rolls, squats, steto taps, etc. This is followed by a brief (1 min) standing stretch. Allie also leads the first cardio 'grouping':

Allie:
Four-limb step work (the DVD participants use the Firm short box, I used an 8" high step-worked perfectly!!) this segment felt longer than it was, but I think it's a good way to open the program – 3 min
'Oof ball' aerobics – 3 min
Plyometrics, jumps, bunny hops – 2 ½ min

Carissa

Low impact aerobics (squats, lunges, kick-ball-changes) – 2 ½ min

Step – 2 min

Mixed impact aerobics (toe taps, kicks side to side) – 2 min (love this section!)

Dale

4-limb aerobics – 2 ½ min

Mixed impact aerobics – 2 ½ min

Low impact aerobics with hop steps, skips, etc – 2 ½ min

4-limb aerobics (weighted plyo jumps) – 2 min

Jen

'Oof ball’ aerobics – 2 min

Low impact aerobics – 4 ½ min

Step – 2 ½ min

4-limb aerobics – 3 ½ min

Mixed impact aerobics – 3 ½ min (this section makes me feel like a cheerleader!)

4-limb aerobics – 3 min

Step – 2 ½ min

Short post aerobic stretch using step – 1 ½ min
Super short abs – 2 ½ min

Carissa
Stretch with some yoga-flavored moods (I do NOT like this stretch) – 3 ½ min

Before I get into the review I would like to ask/mention something.  Jen's last step segment and cool down, as well as Carissa's final stretch are clearly from different workouts than Super Cardio. What workouts are they from???  I would really like to know.  Not only do Carissa's clothes change for the final stretch, but the walls go from pink to green!!

I like this Firm workout.  Parts of it are high impact and challenging, but they are tempered with slower, lower impact moves.  Another nice thing about this workout is that it is totally adaptable to your fitness level or energy level on any given day. You can add plyos when the do wide marches or do wide marches when they add plyos. You can use 2 lb dumbbells during the 4-limb movements or 5 lb dumbbells (or no dumbbells for that matter)!  This workout is much easier now than I thought it was when it first came out (at that time, this was by far the longest cardio workout I owned), but it still gives my heart a good pump.  The music in this workout is some of the best in the latter-day BBH Firm workouts.  All four leads do a good job. In this particular workout, Jen and Allie are my personal favorites but Carissa and Dale are fit and worthy of a leading role.

Sweat factor: 7.5/10

Fun factor: 7.5/10