Dangerous Curves Ahead is one of the Firm‘s pink workouts. It is led by Alison Davis-McLain. The cover states there are 4 complete workouts but there isn’t. Like Cardio Core Fusion there is one full length workout and 3 shorter premixes. The premixes are broken down below the main workout breakdown.
It has been a really long time since I did this workout and I remember that I really liked it back then. Unfortunately, when I returned to it this morning, I wasn’t feeling well. I am still recovering from radiation-induced pericarditis, so I had to follow Emily during the cardio circuits; she did the low impact and beginner modifications. I still enjoyed it, even if I wasn’t able to get the full benefit of the cardio. Circuit 3 was particularly intense. Even Emily was doing some hopping! I cannot do any impact right now so I had to modify Circuit 3 even more than the modifier! I was able to do the other non-cardio circuits with no modification. I still found this to be a great workout. Though there is strength work in this workout, this is another Firm that I would never use for a strength training day. Today was a cardio day for me and this worked nicely for that.
When I got this workout, it came with a resistance loop/firewalker. I do not know if it still does but you need one for two of the circuits.
Dangerous Curves Ahead is 59 minutes long; 1:30 minute intro, 5 minute warm up and 5 stretch. Equipment: resistance loop/firewalker and dumbbells. There is a beginner modifier.
Circuit 1: grapevines, 3 knee repeaters, step w/ glute lift, glute lift+ front kick + glute lift, jump rope, wide jumps, cross jack legs, 3 plyo jumps, some weird wide toe tapping move
Circuit 2: resistance loop
- Resistance loop around ankles, step side to side
- Squat then raise leg to side, alternate legs
- Wide step forward and back
- Place loop around sole of one foot (still around ankle of other leg), raise and lower leg w/ loop around sole; keep leg raised and push foot toward back wall; changes to raising and lowering straight leg behind you
- Place loop back around both ankles and tap one foot forward then to the side; changes to tapping toe to the front then circle it around and tap floor behind you
- Wide plie squats (loop still around ankles); add lifting one heel while in plie squat, alternate heels; changes to raising both heels
- Wide steps forward and back
- Repeat #4 & 5 on other leg
- Remove loop and do wide plie squats; add sliding one foot into the other after each squat, alternate legs
Circuit 3: hamstring curls; scissor runs; alternating jump lunges; hop on one leg while slowly bringing raised knee around from side to front; step side to side at an angle; bowling move; V step; mogul hops
Circuit 4: dumbbells (Alison and crew used The Firm’s pink and silver CardioWeights; the weights listed below are what I used)
- Bent over single arm back row; changes to 4 rows + 4 bicep curls; add glute lifts during row and knee raises during bicep curls; continue alternating but reduce reps each time until you are doing 1 rep of each (one 15# DB)
- Hinge forward w/ a row + tricep kickback (8# DBs)
- Repeat #1 on other side of body
- Stationary side lunge side to side w/ alternating tricep kickbacks (6# DBs)
- Wide plie squats; add bent arm side raises; add rotating arms/DBs up into goal post at the top of the side raise (6# DBs)
- Hold bottom of wide plie squat and alternate punching DBs out in front of you (6# DBs)
- Lunge on one knee and do one arm rear delt raise; add bringing straight arm back at top of delt raise (one 5# DB)
- 2 regular push ups then stagger one hand forward and do a push up and stagger other hand forward and push up
- Repeat #7 on other arm
- Repeat #8
Circuit 5: run-run-knee raise hold moving side to side; mambo; alternating side kicks; 3 front kicks each leg; sashay + squat jump; standing core work–squat and when you stand reach arms overhead and to the side and raise one leg to side; changes to balancing on one leg while doing knee pulls (still raising arms overhead and lowering to knee); changes to fast knee pulls w/ twisting torso side to side
Circuit 6: resistance loop
- Sit on ground and place loop around thighs, lean torso back w/ hands on floor behind you, knees bent and feet on floor, alternate extending one leg and tapping heel to floor; raise hands off floor and continue lower body move but keep heels raised off floor; add twisting upper body
- Raise and lower hips in side plank; at top of side plank raise, raise and lower top leg (band is still around thighs)
- Sit on bottom, knees bent and feet on floor, arms extended straight in front of you, raise and lower torso; add back stroke arm, tapping floor behind you when leaning back, alternate arms
- Repeat #2 on other side of body
- Sit on bottom, knees bent and feet on floor, hands behind your thighs, roll torso down to floor then roll back up; add extending arms in front of you
- Raise and lower hips in bridge; add raising and lowering arms overhead and to floor beside hips as you raise and lower hips; add opening legs at top of hip bridge by stepping one foot in and out (loop still around thighs)
- Lay on back, knees bent and feet raised off floor, do crunches while pushing hands against band (still around thighs); place hands behind head and continue doing crunches; add tapping one heel to floor, alternate heels
- Move loop to arch of feet, place feet on floor, knees bent, hands behind head, alternate twisting elbow toward opposite knee; add raising knee toward elbow
- Lay on back w/ hands behind head, knees bent and raise feet off floor (loop still around feet), push legs out straight then open legs, close legs and pull knees back in
- Lay on stomach (loop still around feet), hands folded under chin, raise and lower upper body and legs; extend arms while continuing to raise and lower upper body and legs (supermans)
- Stand up w/ loop around hands and arms raised overhead, lean torso side to side; add pulling bottom arm toward floor when leaned to the side
Premixes:
Express Cardio: 36 minutes (intro, warm up, all 3 cardio circuits (1, 3 & 5) and stretch)
Express Sculpting: 35:30 minutes (intro, warm up, circuit 2, circuit 4, circuit 6 and stretch)
Express Abs/Core Cardio: 28 minutes (intro, warm up, circuit 5, circuit 6 and stretch)
