PiYo Review

There’s been a lot of hype over PiYo these last few months. PiYo is Chalene Johnson’s newest addition to the Beachbody fitness library.  I completed the entire program, in combination with the accompanying meal plan, so here’s my PiYo review, sharing what I experienced and some tips to help you decide if this is a program you should consider.

Background:

I didn’t think I would love (or even like) PiYo.  I’m a girl who loves the hardcore weight lifting and intense stuff that makes me feel somewhere near dead or alive – I’m not sure which. There’s no in between for me.  Prior to PiYo, my regimen consisted of weight lifting in combination with some cardio 6 days per week. What I experienced with PiYo was surprising.

What I Thought PiYo Was vs. The Real Deal

From the outside, I thought PiYo was a mix of Pilates and Yoga (I don’t like Pilates and Yoga). OK, that was my first mistake. PiYo is different. It’s a low-impact, high-intensity body-transformation program that uses the most effective Pilates- and yoga-inspired moves to sculpt long, lean muscles and burn fat. Note the word “inspired.”  The movements were fluid, keeping me in constant motion (giving me a dynamic cardio workout that typical Pilates or yoga workouts lack).  Yay!

Surprisingly – I didn’t get bored; each day brought with it a different workout.  There are 8 workouts (plus a bonus workout because I ordered direct from my Team Beachbody Coach) with an easy-to-use calendar.  I knew exactly what workout to do – there was no guessing. PLUS it came with a Quick Start Guide so I could see fast results and a Get Lean Eating Plan to perfectly help me figure out how much (and what) to eat. The program is 60 days long and each workout ranges from 25 – 45 minutes.

I Started

So, I started PiYo.  The first couple days I thought the program itself was moving a bit slow… what I didn’t realize is that these first couple of days are for training; preparing my body for what was about to happen.  These first couple days really provided the perfect foundation so that I would see results.  Chalene also seemed to know exactly what to say, when I needed to hear it.  If I found myself slouching, she’d remind me to straighten my back.  Crazy.

As the program progressed I felt (and saw) progress.  The moves were difficult but not impossible. No matter what fitness or flexibility level, there is a modifier who demonstrates alternative moves to help strengthen and get the body ready while still delivering a mass calorie burn. Anyone can do this workout.  It’s low-impact so it didn’t strain my joints, BUT high-intensity so I got the fat-burning results of my beloved “extreme” programs.  PiYo wasn’t like standard Pilates and yoga classes that involve holding long, intense poses, leading me through dozens of repetitive (boring), movements. I burned serious calories while lengthening and toning my muscles and increasing my flexibility. As I progressed from one fluid movement to the next without rest, I maintained an optimal heart rate incinerating calories throughout the whole workout!  My blood sugars loved this.

My Results:

I transitioned from dreading the thought of PiYo to a PiYo addict!  Ha!  I love PiYo so much and what it did for me that I became a certified PiYo Instructor so  that I can offer live PiYo classes to my local community.  I also developed the core strength that I’d been lacking – I felt it… but I also saw it & Rob noticed too.  When typing at the computer, I felt like I was sitting taller with better posture.  I had more strength during my run training (every runner should do PiYo), my muscles were so tension-free that I felt good all over.  AND, Rob loved being around me after I completed my PiYo workouts; I was in a serious good mood. I like to call PiYo my “happy workout”.

Please don’t think of PiYo as being easy though – it’s far from easy. I was shocked that I covered the floor in sweat.  Yes, a girl who loves the tough stuff. My body needed this… it was the good-for-me workout I’d been lacking.  By the way, one of the workouts is actually called “Sweat” and another is called “Drench” so believe me when I say you won’t get off easy.  Your body does the work with no crazy jumping or weights. It’s like magic.

Is PiYo for You?

PiYo is perfect for women and men who want to, lose weight and burn fat without the high-impact jumps or complex choreography found in some cardio programs. It is a great solution to help build lean muscle and get the results of an extreme program without joint strain. It’s perfect if you,

• Like the benefits of Pilates and yoga, but also want the calorie burn of a cardio workout.
• Don’t have time to go from class to class to do separate cardio, strength, and flexibility workouts.
• Want a workout that doesn’t require a lot of equipment.
• Want to give your body a break from extreme programs but keep getting results and improve their performance in other sports by restoring their flexibility and core strength.

Curious if PiYo is for you? Let’s chat!

I hope you enjoyed my PiYo review.