The Calories Burned During Firm Workouts

When you commit yourself to a new workout routine, you may be preoccupied with the numbers -- how many calories you'll burn and how much weight you'll lose. Whether you're using "The Firm" series of workout DVDs or any other fitness regimen, exercising at the highest possible intensity will burn the greatest number of calories.

Intensity Matters

The Firm's DVD series includes bouts of cardio as well as rounds of resistance training. While one DVD promises a "500 calorie workout," the number of calories you'll burn during any given workout depends on your age, gender, intensity level, and even the amount of muscle you already have, since muscle tends to burn more calories than fat. You can't do much about your age or gender, but you can give each workout your all, aiming for an intensity level that you consider to be a 9 or 10 on a scale of 1 to 10. Do each workout to the end to maximize your results. Since the workouts usually combine light weights and cardio, consider them a form of circuit training, which will burn roughly 240 calories in 30 minutes for a 125-pound person and 355 calories for a 185-pound person, according to Harvard Health Publications 2.