The FIRM: A Review

It's hard to believe The FIRM exercise videos from a few decades ago are still one of the most highly sought-after workouts in the country. The straight-forward, no-nonsense exercise videos and DVD's have evolved and include more than 60 at-home workouts.

Here's the skinny: It all began a few decades ago when The FIRM studio opened its doors in South Carolina. Their experts combined cardio and weight training to create a cardio-plus-body-sculpting training fitness hybrid, which they dubbed Synergy Training. Since then, they've sold more than 10 million workout DVDs!

Intensity levels and the exercise sequences vary, making The FIRM different from other home workouts -- moving the participants between upper-body and lower-body moves. They add variable resistance for sculpting, too. For instance, the video "Tight Buns and Killer Legs" includes challenging cardio bursts plus lower-body sculpting.

After doing 10 workouts at least three times each week, the video promises results. Keep in mind each workout has a different goal. While "Core Solutions" focuses on the core and abs, "Cardio Party" is a heart-pumping fat-burning workout.

As If the videos aren't enough of a workout to get your heart pumping, The FIRM Believers Club offers more opportunities to get fit, including personal coaching from master instructors and diet and weight loss advice from The FIRM nutritionists. Additionally, you'll receive information on fat-blasting meals and recipes and can participate in an online support group via chat rooms and bulletin boards.