Wed - Total Muscle Shaping (from BSS3)

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

Family room is still in shambles and I can't get to the TV w/ the VCR hooked up - so no FIRM Strength for today. I went with another 'tortoise' style workout though that I have on DVD. I did Huckabee's Total Muscle Shaping workout from the FIRM's Body Suclpting System 3 (BSS3). This one was the pre-cursor to the TransFIRMation series and included an incline box which was dubbed the "death box" by some - since I believe it wasn't as sturdy as the TransFIRMer and was also slippery. The idea is the same, though - it changes form an "aerobic" step, to an incline step to a tall step. I never had the death box - just the TransFIRMer (which is better in the sense that you can use it as a 6 or 8 inche step, a 14 inche step or an incline step, whereas the death box only had the option of a 6 inch step, 14 inch step or incline step).

ANYWAY - this was a very good/enjoyable workout. I know I have done it at least once before, but it has been YEARS. For some reason I never did the BSS3 workouts very often - not sure why, but my guess is a case of "too many workouts, too little time" (which is a case right there for limiting future purchases since I can't get to what I HAVE let alone new stuff!). This one is tortoise style so there was more emphasis on strength training than cardio. I think there were 3 cardio segments - one used the box as an aerobic step (6 inches), one was off the box (floor cardio) and one was done using the box on an incline. The cardio was pretty fast paced and pretty much cued as she moved, BUT, it was do-able for me. I may have missed a step here or there but it was repetitive enough that it wasn't too much of a problem. The strength stuff was your typical FIRM moves - lunges, squats, tall box

presses, sometimes compounded with upper body exercises as well. At the end you use the box in an incline position for chest flies, presses, push-ups, and abs. The last set of abs is done on the floor. The workout ends w/ a short stretch. overall, I liked this one a lot and need to pull it out again. I used mostly 5's, 8's and 10's. Back in the day, I would have gone heavier, but I'm just re-adjusting to these types of workouts so I'm sticking with a notch or two lighter to get form down and make sure I"m ready for more. My legs felt pretty fatigued form the start today - I think doing so much lower body intensive cardio yesterday (bike and TM) may have contributed to that.

After the workout, I added on the stretch segment from Core Fusion Pilates Plus, I like the stretch on this one a lot - gentle twists, etc.

Tomorrow, Fat Blaster is up - but I'm not sure what the state of my room will be - so I may have to sub another cardio/hare workout in. I can do one of the cardios from BSS3 or I can do 's cardio from teh TransFIRMation system. Was also thinking of Cardio Inferno (a PINK Firm that i did once) or maybe even Steamin' Cardio from the Kickbutt series. Not sure yet.

Take care!Donna

Hope