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The Firm Total Sculpt Plus Abs

Studio: Gaiam Americas Release Date: 05/18/2004 Rating: Nr

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars One of my favorite Firm workouts….
Total Sculpt is led by Jennifer Carman, who always does a great job, this video is no exception. She is with 4 of her fellow master instructors, one who shows beginner modifications. For this workout you will need dumbells, they recommend 3 sets such as 3, 5, and 8 pounders. You will also need the fanny lifter (or a step and a stool)and the Sculpting Stick is used, but a broom or mop handle will work too.

This workout alternates strength and cardio segments. For strength all the muscle groups are covered. The sculpting stick is used for most of the lower body work, usually holding the stick in one hand while holding a heavy dumbell with the other. The lower body exercises include, squats, dips, plie squats, leg press, hover squats and an interesting variation of the lunge where you put your back leg on the fanny lifter and lower up and down, while it’s a relatively short set you really feel the burn when it’s over. The upper body is covered well also, you will see biceps curls, double arm rows, french presses, triceps kickbacks, chest work and single arm shoulder presses using just one heavy dumbell.

The cardio segments are a lot of fun and a good variety. The is one section of hi-lo impact with optional plyometric jumps that I usually skip, one really fun step aerobic segment and a 4 limb section using the “twigs” from the Sculpting Stick though light or no weights could be substituted. A short ab section follows and then it’s on to the cooldown.

I really like the music in this workout, keeps me going through

to the end. The workout itself is great, one of my all time

favorites from The Firm. Highly recommended.

4 Stars Pretty good but you can make it tougher
This is overall a pretty good workout. However, if you are an intermediate/advanced exerciser, you’ll need to toughen it up a bit. Basically, she isn’t as hard core in certain parts as she could be. For example, there is no reason to just stand there while you are lifting weights to strengthen your shoulders. You can just add a squat while you are lifting. Also, you really need to ratchet up the weight if you want results on the arm sections. She says pick up medium dumbells, but that’s not going to give you the results you want for biceps. Finally, she wastes a bit of time having you do 3-part side leg lifts while you are on the top of the Fanny Lifter. You are better off just continuing to do leg presses and lifting your leg once–this will work you harder. Overall though, this is a good workout tape and at about 45 minutes long, it’s a good length. Just toughen it up for yourself as you get stronger. Oh, and one final thing, the stretching part at the end is a bit long (I did not include this in the 45-minute estimate above). Emily Walsh’s stretching routine on the other Body Sculpting II video is more appropriate for those of us who are always running against the clock. Anyway, this review actually sounds a bit negative, but I really do like this workout–it just needs to be modified a bit as you gain strength. Enjoy!

3 Stars THE FIRM: Total Sculpt Plus Abs
Firm believer for 14 years, I really like Jennifer Carmen. She uses an interesting step up routine on the tall box which is a little awkward but probably works another muscle group adding more muscle “confusion” a technique recommended for advancing your fitness level. She uses the stick and while I bought one, it is not the same one she uses in this video which annoyed me since my stick is not quite as tall as her’s and deosn’t work well on the tall box move. Easy enough for advanced users to eliminate the stick and balance without it, beginners might want the stick for balance. Good video to add to my collection and it can be done without the abs for a good 45 minute workout. Add the abs for 60 minutes.

3 Stars Not my favorite but a good workout
I have the Firm’s Body Sculpting Systems I, II, and IV. Out of the sculpting oriented tapes of those systems (Body Sculpt, Super Body Sculpt, Total Sculpt Plus Abs, and Supercharged Sculpting), here’s what I like and don’t like.

Like: the length, the choice of moves

Don’t like: the lunges using the Fanny Lifter (who can do that?), the ab work using the sculpting stick, how slowly Jen breaks down each move, Jen’s aerobic choreography (it just seems old-ladyish and not very effective to me)

Since Body Sculpt in BSS1 I’ve felt like Jen tried too hard to use the gadget of the month to do moves. We end up doing moves, especially stretches, awkwardly that we could do easily without the Fanny Lifter, Sculpting Stick, or Transfirmer. It seems like she feels this obligation to use the equipment as much as possible which other instructors don’t.

5 Stars Won’t hurt your body!
It was great to finally find a workout that wont hurt my back or anything else for that matter. I went down from a size 14 to a 10 thanks to Jen. The key is doing this tape every other day or every day if possible. If you are not in shape, you will find this tape leaving you sore for the first few times you do it. Just keep doing it until you actually start to feel that your body needs to do this all the time. Jen, the instructor is working at the expert level but has another instructor (Susanne) do the beginner level so that you start slowly and eventually move on the the harder exercises. I get easily bored with tapes but not with this one because:

1) It helped me lose the weight,

2) As you get better, you can increase the weights or do the expert level so you feel challenged

3) It has helped me begin to do harder exercises and increase my energy.

This tape is amazing and Jen makes it fun and motivating. The physical difference shows in my arms which are no longer fat but firm and thinner – my lower body looks incredible with my legs looking perfect and my buttocks much firmer.

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Technorati Tags: Aerobic Segment, Arm Shoulder, Biceps Curls, Cooldown, Double Arm, Dumbell, Fanny Lifter, Fellow Master, French Presses, Gaiam, Leg Press, Lower Body Exercises, Master Instructors, Muscle Groups, Plie Squats, Plyometric Jumps, Pounders, Sculpt, Shoulder Presses, Time Favorites

ABS for Life The No 1 Solution on How to Get Six Pack Abs

When you think of abs you most likely think of magazine models with abs so tight you could grate cheese on them! Your pessimistic side may also think of bland diets and endless hours in the gym. Therefore, you assume abs are reserved only for models, bodybuilders or Hollywood celebrities. Not true! This book is going to take your average body and turn it into something you never thought possible. Finally separating the facts from the fiction, the Abs for Life System is your complete body makeover manual to lose that unwanted fat and uncover those abs you never knew you had. The book features the Lean for Life Nutrition System which combines a unique carb rotation method, proven to get lean and stay lean. The book also incorporates The Lean Muscle Plan, which is a Weight Training System to build, sculpt and tone your entire physique. No stone is left unturned with the Abs for Life System, it is without doubt the most comprehensive Body Makeover System to date!

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars This is THE solution to your six pack!
Right On! This book really reveals the secret of getting in rock-hard shape. I love the sections about carb rotation, and the author is not afraid to mention supplements that will help you get to your goal… whereas so many other books never do that. The work-out routines might be very similar to others you have seen, but the information about nutrition is very detailed… all you need to do is follow the guidelines and flab will be flying off. Another great section is about how models/bodybuilders prepare for competition. I always wondered about how they got those deep ridges between their abdominals. It’s all in this book. Finally someone that covers it all.

5 Stars A Great Investment!
I have just started following the Abs for Life System for about 3 weeks now and I’ve lost 9 pounds and an inch off my waist so far. I have trained on and off for about ten years now and this is no word of a lie, I’ve actually learned more from reading this book than I have in those ten years of reading all the fitness mags. I like the fact that although the book emphasizes on getting abs, it also provides a plan for building muscle all over your body. Myself and a few buddies at my gym have all been following the muscle building plan contained in the book.

Nutrition is covered extensively. As the author points out, forget sculpting great abs and a great body if you cannot nail your diet. I have learned so much about food I could write my own book on the topic! The meal suggestions were great and especially liked the guilt free desserts that were listed.

I like the approach of this system as it is maintainable not just short term, but I can see myself sticking to this for years to come. I will update this review in 12 weeks, but wanted to write something now as I am soo pleased with the results.

Please read this book, for under $16, it really is a sound investment. Bravo!

2 Stars Why did other people give this 5 stars?
This book stinks. And is inaccurate. I disagree with about 20 things he said in this book. I suppose its acceptable for beginners and first timers, it will point you in the right direction, but if you are even the slightest bit experienced or have read other fitness books you will realize this book stinks.

I recommend the Body Sculpting Bible for Men, its not a ab-specific book, but no book really is including Abs for Life. The bible’s section on diet and nutrition is much better than Abs for Life.

5 Stars Great buy for the money…
I thought the book was very straight and to the point in that you can do crunches till you can’t do anymore, but just adominal work won’t get you that dream set of abs you desire. He tells you that in this book and how the key to a chisled stomach is mainly your diet.

Great read for anyone starting out and not fully understanding why you can’t see that flat stomach as of yet.

5 Stars If you want abs buy this book
I used to often buy all the workout magazines you see in the stores. Abs in 4 weeks! Eat the junk and still get a six pack! All these cover stories get you to buy the magazine, but in reality these are unrealistic goals. Sure if you run 15 miles a days and were to eat just grapes and prune juice you would lose weight, but hardly anyone has the time to do these plans or would want to eat such boring food for any protracted period of time. I have brought many workout books over the years and they tend to concentrate on the exercises and when it comes to diet its eat more protein, eat less junk, thanks for the cash, see you later.

This book is different. Unlike the recycled articles in the magazines written by pot-bellied journalists, this book is written by Neil Frost a man not scared to show a picture of himself and the results he has achieved following his own program. Achieving a six pack is within your grasp if you have the discipline to stick to the principles laid down in this book.

The program takes about 12 weeks and if you check out his website then you can see before and after pictures together with testimonials of people that have succeeded with this lifestyle program. I say lifestyle, as exercise will account for very little of your time. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym. The biggest part of the program is learning what you should be eating and when and this is fully covered in the book together with recipe ideas.

The exercise section is well thought out and easy to follow, the diet section is in depth but straightforward.

If you have the willpower to stick to this program, you will see impressive results. I know i have.

There is also a DVD for this program which is also worth a look.

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Technorati Tags: Abdominals, Bland Diets, Bodybuilders, Complete Body, Endless Hours, Flab, Grate Cheese, Hollywood Celebrities, How To Get Six Pack Abs, Lean For Life, Lean Muscle, Life Nutrition, Magazine Models, Nutrition System, Pessimistic Side, Physique, Rotation Method, Sculpt, Weight Training, Work Out Routines