Wmart Firm Calorie Explosion

After a couple disappointing workouts from The Firm, this one is a breath of fresh air!! It is a toughie. I absolutely loved the intensity of this workout. My HR (which runs a bit on the high side) stayed between 165 - 185 bpm! You will need weights, anywhere from 3-10 lbs. I began with 5 lbs., but ended up having to alternate between 3 lb. and 5 lb. throughout the workout.

Alison Davis-McLain is the lead instructor for every workout. Rebekah Sturkie & Emily Welsh are also in the workouts. Emily modifies for those looking to lighten it up a tad. I was hoping that the instructors would alternate since Rebekah & Emily are my favorites, plus changing instructors feeds my exercise add. Alison's cueing is right on, and she clearly explains what movements she is executing. She does a great job talking through each segment considering the intensity of this workout. I was absolutely breathless.

You have the option to customize your workout. If you choose just one, the warm up is featured before every segment. Here are the segments:

* 12-minute Kick-Butt Athletic Drills
* 12-minute Explosive Power Moves
* 12-minute Cardio Kickboxing
* 12-minute High-Intensity Moves

The warm up and cool down are about 4 minutes each. The warm up definitely gets your body warm....I was ready to stop after the warm up ; ) The cool down has some nice stretching - incorporating some yoga.

I've done my best to break down each segment. Alison adds onto the movements & repeats combos; I just am letting you know the basic movements in the combos. A lot of the movements are quick! Alison is good about giving a little time for recovery.

KICK-BUTT ATHLETIC DRILLS

Pick up weights
Step squat right and left, when stopping in middle - press weights overhead to work biceps and shoulders.
Tight Squat with basketball toss - feet together squat down, bring arms up while standing and press up to toes. Arms will be extended over head with palms facing out.
Put weights down to do basketball jump alternating between slow jumps and fast jumps

Sprint (progressive movements) - step touch to side, then bring knee up, finally to ski jump (side to side)

Pick up weights
Squat then lunge one leg back while punching arm out, repeat on opposite side. Next, hold for 3 single lunges and 3 plyo lunges. Squat/dip with arm punch then hold other side for 3 single lunges and 3 plyo lunges.

Weights down for football shuffle. Slow, then fast. Alison adds rotation to right & left to mix it up =)

Pick up weights
Shift right & left (side lunge position). Next, drop right weight down, then left weight and step between the weights. Lunge again to pick up right weight and left weight. Then change step between into 2 hops. Power Blast doing only hops.

Put both weights in right hand. Tap right leg behind you while holding arm out in front of you. Next, tap leg back, bring knee up & pull elbow back. These movements are fast! Put both weights in left hand & repeat.
End with what this combo began with-dropping weights while shifting side to side.....

Put one weight down to do a wood chop. Holding weight with both hands at chest, begins with legs in staggered position bend knees, then stand and twist. Next continue the movement except extend the arm out like a lever.
Kettlebell swing while holding one weight. Plie and swing arms down in middle, and then thrust up. Progress to bringing one knee up while you are thrusting weight up. Begin wood chop/kettlebell combo. on opposite side.

EXPLOSIVE POWER MOVES

Pick up weights
Lunge side the lunge back - twist waist when doing side lunge, reach down to toes when lunging back, run in place. Repeat.
Power Blast - Run with knees up
Squat down, place down weights, bring hands together (still in squat position)and 4 squat jumps. Pick weights up, repeat.
Begin lunge side-lunge back sequence on opposite leg

Place weights down. Get into plie position. Plies with heel slide, take it up a notch to plie plyos with heel clicks.

Begin in a stagger stance. Walk legs out to side (side plank) & walk legs back in to standing position with arms above head. Change the walk into a thrust to do the side planks.
One Arm Snatch - Put both weights into one hand, with flat back hinge at hips, bring weights across to toes, hop to bring arm up above head, and then straighten up body.
Repeat Side Plank Thrust/One Arm Snatch combo on other side

Put weights down.
Little squat, little tuck jump (touch thighs with hands), little squat, and stand. Yes, this turns into tuck jumps!

Down on floor to plank - bring right leg to right elbow, then left leg to left elbow. Take it up a notch by doing a spider press, lowering chest down when leg reaches elbow.
Back to Plank - alternate lifting arms up out in front of you, then walk your legs in to stand. Walk legs back to plank, lift arms up, and walk in to stand. Walk changes into a hop, so hop in to stand and back out to plank.

CARDIO KICKBOXING

Combo 1
Jab - Cross, bring knee in 3x (add power with knee hops).
Power Blast - only pull in knee with hop
Bob & Weave forward, hop back. Change hop to speed bag arms and squat back.
Power Blast - speed bag and squat only
Repeat on left side, then start from top combining both sides.

Combo 2
Kick right leg 3x, third kick the highest. Kick left leg back & jump rope.
Power Blast - jump rope side to side.
Crescent kick right leg around to squat position, kick left leg to side, plie squat with punches
Power Blast - only punches. Repeat kicks starting with left leg.
Power Blast - jump rope forward & backward. Crescent kick left leg & kick right leg to side. All together from the top =)

Combo 3
Knee Chambers - alternate knees, next chamber right knee & kick left leg forward, two jumping jacks. Alison brings the intensity up by changing to hitch kicks. Three hitch kicks, two jacks. Repeat on opposite side.

Combo 4
Tap leg to side, bring opposite heel toward glute, for a round house chamber. Add a big reach down, the pull heel to glute. Repeat on opposite side.

HIGH INTENSITY MOVES

The moves in this workout will be done in 3 sets. Short bursts of HIM, followed by quick recovery.
The 1st set, focuses on form.
The 2nd set is about speed.
The 3rd set is the Power Set, or will be as fast, if not faster than the 2nd set.

Use weights for this HIM.
Set 1 - squats with over head press
Set 2 - Increase reps
Set 3 - Squat jumps with overhead press

Keep weights
Set 1 - lunge back, alternating legs & add bicep curls
Set 2 - increase reps
Set 3 - plyo lunges with bicep curls

Down to the floor in plank position (knees or toes)
Set 1- Pushups with one arm pulls
Set 2 - increase reps
Set 3 - as many reps as set 2 or more

Grab one weight
Set 1 - Lunge forward, alternating legs then dip the weight down when lunge
Set 2 - increase reps
Set 3 - plyo lunges with rotation

Both weights
Set 1 - lunge side to side, arms by side for tricep extensions
Set 2 & 3 - increase reps

Set 1 - Fencing Lunge, then row arm up
Set 2 & 3 - Increase reps

Put weights down to do Jumping Jack variations -Normal jacks, Criss-cross jacks, Fly Jacks (power jacks)& Forward Jacks (switch feet front and back while raising both arms up in front of you)

MUCH NEEDED COOL DOWN!!

I highly recommend this workout if you have enjoyed any of the better Firm workouts (like Get Chisl'd). It is definately for intermediate level exercisers and up. It may be a little hard on the knees for those with knee problems, although with Emily's modifications there shouldn't be much of an issue. Love it!! Please leave a comment if you have any questions!

I have done many firm workouts. Alison Davis-McLain is one of my favorite instructors because I like her routines, no nonsense approach, and accurate cueing. I was looking forward to this DVD and was not disappointed. You definitely create a calorie explosion! You will need weights (about 3-10 lbs) to get the most from the video. There are 4 12-minute sections that you can do separately or combine into one long routine:

Kick-Butt Athletic Drills
Explosive Power Moves
Cardio Kickboxing
High-Intensity Moves

Another reviewer has gone into great detail about the routines, so I will just add that they are typical Firm routines (lots of lunges, squats, and compound moves with weights) with a few new moves thrown in for variety. If you like the Firm, you will definitely like this DVD, or it is a great introuction to the series for newbies.

I loved this video! I was very surprised that the intensity was so high, after experiencing some pretty uninspiring videos from the Firm lately. I love Allison, she is my favorite instructor. She cued well, her energy was not over the top annoying, and she produced a very effective tough workout! My heart was racing the whole time, I want more videos from the Firm like this! Thumbs up!