The FIRM has a website that
advertises programs and sells products aimed at sculpting muscles and burning
fat.  It features some success stories about women who have lost a great deal
of weight.  The methods promoted are changes in diet, nutritional awareness,
exercise, and joining "The FIRM Believers Club."  Among the products
sold are vitamins, DVDs, and some exercise equipment.  There are many similar
websites promoting comparable products, and this is all part of America’s mostly unsuccessful quest to get thinner and fitter.

The product under review is FIRM
Power Yoga, taught by Kirsten Strohecker, and directed by Andrea Ambandos.  The
workout is about 35 minutes long.  Strohecker leads 4 other women through a
program that is designed to be used in conjunction with the other FIRM exercise
DVDs, and on the version I viewed it isn’t possible to watch the program
without having to see an advertisement for other FIRM products.  Each of the
women stands on a raised platform: four are large circles, while the woman who
demonstrates the beginners versions of the poses has a square.  Behind them, in
a studio setting, are screens on which the logo "TheFIRM^®" is projected.  The color behind
that logo changes slowly.  There is a mixture of different kinds of music in
the background, which was composed especially for this video, and while bland,
it is energetic and inoffensive.

The workout itself is good enough
as a way to enhance flexibility and strength.  Strohecker uses very little yoga
terminology, and aims the workout at people who are mainly interested in
improving their bodies.  There’s almost no reference to the mental benefits of
the exercise.  It is the first yoga DVD I’ve seen where the instructor wears
jewelry in her belly button. 

There are no extras on this DVD,
which is much shorter than most other yoga DVDs.  So this is not a strong
product compared to the others that are available.  Those who are looking for a
short Americanized yoga workout might find it worthwhile if they can find it at
a cheap price.  However, there are other yoga DVDs available that give more
workouts and are less aimed at selling other products. 

© 2006 Christian
Perring. All rights reserved.

Christian
Perring, Ph.D., is Academic Chair of the Arts & Humanities
Division and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Dowling College, Long Island. He is also editor of Metapsychology Online Reviews.  His main
research is on philosophical issues in medicine, psychiatry and psychology.

Categories: Movies