These days the majority of the people are looking out for ways to get fit at home. There are innumerable programs on weight loss and fitness programs available online, however, there is barely a handful that does not depend on the use of weights and equipment.
The Piyo Fitness Program from Beachbody is one such program which is one of the best weight loss programs and it has been analyzed, reviewed and understood from the point of view of customers.
On the basis of this extensive research, an unbiased review on Piyo is being put across for your benefit. You can also check out the various Piyo Reviews for 2021.
PiYo Workout? What is It?
The PiYo workout makes use of only low-impact strengthening, stretching as well as bodyweight resistance-based workouts. The 60-day PiYo Workout Program by Chalene Johnson promotes the development of lean muscle, increase in flexibility, burning of calories, and helping every part of the body get stronger by the day.
Despite the merging of the various benefits of low-impact workouts like Pilates and Yoga, Beachbody has stated that the intense poses need not be held for long durations and numerous repetitions are not required as well. Rather than this, continuous active sequences will add more definition to the body.
There is a PiYo program for beginners too which will be quite helpful if you are new to this program format. This program ensures that people do not stress themselves due to the usage of weights or the high-impact jumps, as this program is purely a cardio workout.
No matter what your level of fitness you are at or what your age is, this program defines your body. Whether you are on the hunt for an encouraging fitness program, or you are not comfortable hitting the gym for your workouts, or for any other such reason, the important question that prevails is if the workout gives you the desired result or not?
Piyo- Who created it?
The creator of PiYo is a celebrity fitness trainer – Chalene Johnson. Chalene did not stop pursuing her passion for fitness, even after becoming a mother to two children. Fitness has always been a part of all her motivational speeches and her approach to it is a clear indicator of how passionate she is about it.
Her enthusiasm with respect to fitness and health has made her one of the bestselling authors of the New York Times. The Beach Body programs created by her, are some of her contributions to the fitness world:
- Turbo Fire
- Turbo Jam
- ChaLean Extreme
She designed PiYo with the intention to target a certain group of people individuals who feel that exercises can be quite tedious, boring, and monotonous in addition to being quite grueling.
Yes, we all are aware that Yoga is one of the best workouts but it can get boring after some time. Pilates is an amazing workout, however, it has goals which might be tough to achieve for many. But, PiYo manages these two workouts quite skillfully.
Whom does PiYo cater to?
Numerous home-based fitness Workouts are available across the globe and PiYo appeals to people belonging to different levels in the fitness community.
In case you are just a beginner and have embarked on the journey of getting your body back in shape, PiYo can be quite helpful as it is the best starting point or fitness buddy similar to the P90X fitness program.
And if you are in the advanced stages of fitness, you can merge the PiYo workouts with your everyday weightlifting routine or even with the Insanity Max 30 program by Shaun T.
The PiYo fitness program is recommended for the below-mentioned groups
- Individuals who are totally new to fitness and are on the lookout for any entry-level fitness program.
- Those individuals who are partially new to fitness and wish to pursue either Pilates or yoga.
- People who wish to concentrate on speeding up the process of fat loss without heading to the extremes.
- People who wish to avoid high-intensity workouts.
- Fitness veterans who are trying to find supplements to their workout programs.
Chalene Johnson: The Extraordinary PiYo Trainer
Chalene Johnson is a high-energy, enthusiastic personality who converted her passion for health and fitness into a career that has made her the New York Times best-selling author as well as an expert in health and fitness.
In addition to this, she is a designer for athletic clothing and a mother of two beautiful children. She is upbeat, tough, animated and encouraging and keeps pushing you to achieve your goals.
The Workout
The PiYo workout is based on precision. Most of the workouts these days are in fact the same old techniques executed in a different way. However, PiYo workouts have a different approach. Other training programs were just divided into different parts and offered.
Whereas, when it comes to the PiYo workout program, the workouts have been carved out to suit specific requirements and to meet certain results. The sequences of the PiYo program have been created keeping in mind the end result.
The sequences ensure you are moving through the entire workout program. There is no impact trend which is a good thing, as this avoids any kind of joint or knee problems after the workout.
Read through to know more about the PiYo Workout
PiYo is a workout that lasts for 43-minutes. This is an introductory package which aims at preparing your body for the next level of workouts. It enhances the form of your body and gets you well-versed with the basics. Each and every move is further broken down by the trainer thereby giving you ample time to achieve the required form.
Initially, it might not feel that you are doing much help to your body, but be rest assured that it does burn a lot of calories. You can have a look at PiYo Reviews for Obese to get an idea about the benefits of this workout
1. Lower Body Workout: This workout goes on for about 20-minutes. It concentrates on working on the lower abs as well as the legs. This workout has a continuous flow, the moves are unique and are quite enjoyable.
It combines toning as well as stretching which focuses on the lower body inclusive of the thighs and hamstrings too. It is directed to the improvement of your core strength. The lower body workout is a relief from the conservative lunges and squats.
2. Upper Body Workout: This workout lasts for 19-minutes. It focuses on the biceps, arms, triceps, and shoulders. This workout is a level higher in terms of difficulty in comparison to the previous two workouts. However, a modifier is available in order to make it bearable. The upper body workout is still not as intense as the traditional workouts.
3. Sweat: Sweat is a 37-minute workout. This workout focuses on speed and enhancing the cardio. Yoga is combined which gives the workout dynamic conditioning which works on balance.
In addition to this, the focus is also on posture which makes the workout quite effective. Resistance is also included which adds strength training to the workout.
4. Drench: Drench is a 48-minute workout and is a favorite of the fitness professionals as it improves on the endurance. It triggers the various muscle groups thereby burning fat, and this leaves the person working out drenched in his/her own sweat.
The workout can be quite difficult as it is a level higher than the previous workout and the exercises can be more demanding. In this workout, the focus is on the core, and this might cause some discomfort initially.
However, if you do not give up, the results are worth the discomfort! You can have a look at PiYo results in Week 1 in order to understand the impact of the workout.
5. Sculpt: It is a 26-minute workout wherein there is a constant change in tempo and the focus is on toning the various groups of muscles as well as lengthening the muscles.
6. Strength Intervals: This workout is for a good 25-minutes. It focuses mainly on resistance training, and also has a few light exercises to tone up the muscles that control the exercises.
7. The PiYo Base Kit: The PiYo Base Kit from Beachbody.com is equipped with the following items:
- A quick start guide
- An eating plan to get lean
- 3 DVDs consisting of 10 workouts spread across
- The Buns workout
- A Measuring Tape
- A 60-day Piyo schedule
The items are further explored below:
1. A quick start guide: As the name states, it is kind of a crash course which provides all the necessary information you need to begin with the workout program. For professionals in fitness, there might not be much new information.
However, this guide is quite beneficial for the newcomers as it gives them all the important information. Check out the PiYo reviews for beginners.
2. An eating plan to get lean: It is similar to a nutritional guide. This plan is similar to many of the other workout programs of Beachbody. It is the perfect guide to help you choose what and how much you need to eat. You can use this as a reference guide to get information on healthy foods along with the right serving sizes.
3. 10 Workouts Spread Across 3 DVDs: The workouts for the 60-day program have to be performed 6 days a week. Every single workout aims at a specific area of fitness such as sculpting, cardio, strength training, abs, and body.
The whole workout is led by Chalene Johnson. The workouts can be quite intense for those people who have no background in Pilates or Yoga. It requires a lot of concentration if you are a beginner.
As the workout moves ahead, with time, you will be able to master the workout moves and you needn’t have to depend on the screen for hints. In order to cater to people of different fitness levels, the alternative position has been elaborated in the program.
4. The Buns Workout: This optional workout video focuses on working out your booty, quads, and hamstrings. It is similar to the other workouts as it makes use of your body weight to increase the resistance as it tones and tightens the lower body. This workout is inclusive of Modifiers which makes it more effective for everyone.
5. A Measuring Tape: This is a normal roll-up tape which is used to maintain a track of the measurements of your body when you involve yourself in the workouts. The tape has the logo of Beachbody. Although simple, it is quite a useful accessory which gets the whole workout kit together.
6. A PiYo 60-day workout calendar: Yes. It is a wall calendar that lists down the workouts to be done on a daily basis for the complete 60-day period. It acts as a motivational tool for those who mark off every activity post completion of it.
The PiYo Diet Plan
The diet plan of PiYo is definitely among the best diet plans available, as it concentrates on complete food nutrition. It competes with the eating plan offered by 21 Day Fix program and is quite an easy plan to follow in contrast to the 21 Day Fix program where food has to be measured in the traditional way.
Have a look at the various PiYo Diet reviews which will help you understand and compare it with other plans. The PiYo diet lets you enjoy a specific amount of every food group based on the calorie requirements and is based on whole food.
The PiYo nutrition plan has five categories of food. Based on your calorie requirement, different quantity of servings per food group are provided to you:
- Primary Vegetables
- Secondary Vegetables and Grains
- Fresh Fruit
- Lean Protein
- Healthy Fats
This diet plan has been created to enable you to learn to cherish the taste of real food in comparison to the sugary and processed counterparts. For a piece of in-depth information on the diet plan, check out the PiYo Diet reviews.
The PiYo diet and the 21 Day Fix portion control diet are quite similar. The only difference is that the PiYo diet makes use of more vegetables and grains its diet plan, and the 21 Day program makes use of specific serving sizes.
The PiYo DVD Package vs PiYo Deluxe DVD Package
When the PiYo workout program was designed, it was decided to come up with two different packages. The first version is the PiYo DVD Package which consists of eight workouts.
The second version is the PiYo Deluxe DVD Package which consists of all the workouts from the original version along with two extra workouts which make use of strength slides. The infomercial on television pertains to the PiYo DVD Package.
Benefits of PiYo Workout Program
- It is a program that aids in weight loss and burns a lot of calories
- It includes Yoga, Cardio as well as Pilates.
- The program makes use of exercises that are low-impact or low-intensity.
- It does not require any kind of weight or equipment.
- Makes use of variable speed in order to utilize more energy.
- The program caters to people of all age groups, different body types, and different fitness levels.
- If you are a beginner or in case you have any issues pertaining to joint mobility, an exercise modifier is available.
- You can also switch between speeds whenever you feel you need a shift.
The workouts under this program are repeated over a period of eight weeks. Your body is prepared during the initial three weeks where the muscles are sculpted and stretched with a focus on the core muscles as well. Post this, you are transmitted to a fat burning mode in the following five weeks.
PiYo- Does it have any Side Effects?
Workout programs generally do not have any kind of side effects. But always remember to warm up before any workout and cool down post the workout. In addition to this, do not try to do attempt workouts which you have never tried before as it might lead to injuries. Piyo definitely is on demand these days!
PiYo- Does it Work?
Yes, Piyo does work and help in losing those extra kilos. However, you must keep in mind that even your lifestyle would require changes in order to help you lose weight.
PiYo is not a very strong workout that can fight and prevent the effect of bad eating habits. PiYo is just one of the pillars that will assist in the weight loss journey. You can have a look at some of the other weight loss and fitness programs available online.
Pro and Cons of PiYo
Pros
- It offers immediate weight loss results. This is a perfect bet in case you wish to shed the extra kilos quite quickly. The program uplifts the metabolism, revs up the heart rate and increases the fat burning process.
- It boosts your level of energy. PiYo workout programs increase blood circulation and work on your muscles.
- It is a low-impact and low-intensity program which ensures your joints are safe and protected. It is the perfect workout for those who are trying to recover from injuries or who wish to prevent any kind of injury.
- It does not require a lot of equipment. All you need is proper workout wear, a yoga mat, and a towel. This session makes use of only your bodyweight.
- In case you are not satisfied with the program, a full refund will be done within 60 days.
- You also get a free trial of fitness videos which can be streamed online.
Cons
- The main problem faced by customers who have shared negative reviews is related to problems faced while playing the DVD. A few others feel the workouts are too easy or too hard.
- The program is good for those at the intermediate level. Beginners might find it a bit difficult and those at the advanced levels might find the workouts too easy.
- The workout DVD has a lot of advertisements related to Beachbody products which are annoying.
- DVD Errors such as DVD freeze or issues while playing the DVD are observed.
- The Meal guide is pretty basic. The book explains how a healthy diet will give you a better workout payoff. It also gives you information on the calculation of the daily servings of either proteins or carbs, etc. that suit your fitness goals and body size.
Pricing of PiYo
The PiYo DVD package along with the accessories retail for either a single payment of $72.80, or three installments of $19.95 each along with a charge of $12.95 towards shipping and handling.
You can even watch the videos of PiYo if you have a subscription of Beachbody On Demand, which is available at a cost of $39 for a quarter or $59 for half a year or an annual fee of $99.
If you select the On Demand program, you get a 24/7 access to approximately 600 videos related to health and fitness inclusive of exercise sessions and cooking shows.
Any Alternatives to Piyo?
Piyo is an exclusive and unique program, has no alternatives. However, you could use yoga and pilates on alternate days which can be effective. A few viewers mentioned that the PiYo workouts can get monotonous and the use of yoga or pilates can help in such situations.
The Bottom Line on the PiYo Workout
Does it really work? PiYo fitness workouts are low-impact and are best-suited for beginners and those who do not want high-intensity workouts. The exercises are as effective as the traditional workouts but those who are at advanced levels might find the workouts easy and mild.
Also, many users faced issues in DVDs. In case you wish to lose more weight and get fitter, supplements can be used post-consultation with the trainer. Also, the best part about PiYo is that you do not require any equipment and all you need is space to keep your yoga mat.
No matter what body type you have or what is your fitness level and goals, anyone can use the PiYo program and benefit from it. It is quite instrumental in weight loss and burning calories, but one must remember to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
PiYo workouts cannot counteract the effects of consuming junk food. One needs to combine a healthy lifestyle with workouts in order to get the desired fitness results.
