Stephanie conley the firm body sculpt

Body Sculpt is part of The Firm‘s Body Sculpting System 1 and is led by Jennifer Carman. I did not remember this workout until I did it this morning–and then wow! I definitely remembered it! I hated this workout back in the day–I remember finding it too hard and struggling to get through it! Even though my fitness level has declined due to cancer treatment I am apparently in much better shape than I was back then. I was able to get through the entire workout without a problem this morning but it really challenged me! I was soaked in sweat and breathing hard like it was a cardio workout! According to my FitBit I was even in my peak heart rate zone a few times! But instead of hating it I loved it! I was working hard and feeling great. It is a total body strength workout. This workout is unique in the BSS collections in that it has premixes: Upper Body (26:30 minutes) and Lower Body (29 minutes, includes 1:30 minute intro), and then of course total body. The premixes are broken down at the end of the review.

Jennifer’s voice still irritated me but this workout is worth a bit of irritation. She works every muscle in your body. Like most Firm workouts she used lots of tempo changes to burn the muscles out and she fried out nearly every one of my muscles at some point! Another impressive Firm workout.

You need the Fanny Lifter or a square high step for this workout. The Fanny Lifter is a square step with two levels (6 inch and 8 inch) that fit together so that you also have a 14 inch square step.

Body Sculpt is 49 minutes; 1:30 minute intro, 6 minute warm up and 5 minute stretch. Equipment: Fanny Lifter (or high step that is 14 inches high) and dumbbells. I couldn’t tell how heavy all of Jennifer’s dumbbells were but her heaviest was 10 pounds and she had 4 sets (think)–so probably 10, 8, 5 and 3. The weights listed below are what I used. There is a beginner modifier.

Circuit 1: Fanny Lifter @ 14 inches and dumbbells

1. Squats w/ step behind you; add pulses (20# DBs)
2. Lower step to 6 inches, forward lunges onto step (15# DBs)
3. Forward lunges onto the step w/ pulses (15# DBs)
4. Step on top of step and do pulsing rear lunges off step (15# DBs)
5. Lunge forward onto step + reverse lunge on floor (15# DBs)
6. Plie squats (20# DBs)
7. Repeat #2-5 on other leg

Circuit 2:  Fanny Lifter @ 14 inches and dumbbells

1. Leg press (12# DBs)
2. Squats w/ step behind you; changes to hover squats (squat and hover above step, sit on step and raise back to squat immediately and hover again before you stand) (15# DBs)
3. Leg press (same leg as #1) (12# DBs)
4. Lower step to 8 inches and stand beside it, do side lunges onto step (15# DBs)

Circuit 3: Fanny Lifter @ 14 inches and dumbbells

1. Leg press (other leg from Circuit 2) (12# DBs)
2. Leg lift to side + squat, alternate legs; changes to leg lift to side + squat then tap other leg to top of step; changes to squats w/ toe taps on top of step, alternating legs; changes to leg lift to side (opposite leg) + squat then tap other leg to top of step; changes to leg lift to side + squat, alternate legs (15# DBs)
3. Leg press (same leg as #1) (12# DBs)
4. Lower step to 8 inches and stand beside it, do side lunges onto step (other leg from Circuit 2) (15# DBs)

Upper body warm up + lower body stretch, 6 minutes. You use Fanny Lifter @ 6 inches. Includes tricep push ups w/ hands on step.

Circuit 4: Fanny Lifter @ 14 inches and dumbbells

1. Seated back rows (18# DBs)
2. Seated hammer curls; changes to alternating hammer curls (15# DBs)
3. Lean forward (still seated) and do rotational back rows (palms facing ground to start and palms facing ceiling when next to ribs) (12# DBs)
4. Tricep push ups w/ hands on step
5. Bicep curl to overhead press; changes to overhead press only; changes to alternating overhead press; changes to just bicep curls; changes to alternating bicep curls (12# DBs)
6. Standing French press (overhead tricep extensions) (one18# DB)

Circuit 5: Fanny Lifter @ 14 inches and dumbbells

1. Seated front raise; add opening arms out to side (in a T) at top of front raise (5# DBs)
2. Straight arm side raises; add bringing straight arms in front of you at top of side raise (5# DBs)
3. Alternating overhead single arm tricep extensions; changes to double arm overhead tricep extensions (7# DBs)
4. Kneel in front of step and lean torso on top of step, do alternating tricep kickbacks; changes to double arm tricep kickbacks w/ isometric hold at top of move (7# DBs)
5. Same position as #4, raise and lower straight arms in front of you in a Y (3# DBs)
6. Lay on back w/ heels on top of step, do chest press; changes to alternating single arm chest press (20# DBs)
7. Same position as #6, do chest flys (20# DBs–but in the future I will lower this to 15# DBs due to all of the tempo changes, I couldn’t keep pace with her)

Premixes:

Upper Body is 26:30 minutes; it starts with the 6 minute upper body warm up/lower body stretch, circuits 4 & 5 and final 5 minute stretch.

Lower Body is 29 minutes; it includes 1:30 minute intro, 6 minute warm up, circuits 1-3, and ends with the 6 minute upper body warm up/lower body stretch.