I am 6 weeks in on the full 8 week PiYo program. I can now fully give my personal review of all of the workouts.
PiYo Review
Align -The fundamentals: workout that takes you through the moves
you will need to be prepared for the workouts. A slow tutorial to get
you ready to move.
Define: Upper Body:A 20 minute rocking workout that will have you
using the moves you just learned in Align. No weights needed because
your learning to use your own weight to get in shape.
Define: Lower Body: Another awesome 20 minute workout that will use your own weight to help you sculpt and define your lower half.
Sweat: This title lives up to its name! Be ready to work hard but
feel great after this 40 minute workout. I was sweating from the end of
the warm up until the end. All muscle groups are used in this workout. I like to wear shoes while doing this workout for some extra calorie burning.
Core: If you want a new favorite workout for your abs this is the
one. From standing core, pilates core, and some good old fashioned ab
workouts this has it.
Buns: A 30 minute workout that takes you through standing exercises to some floor work. You'll see some of your favorite moves that were done in other programs such as bowler's, squats, and lunges. 10 minutes are standing and 10 minutes are on the floor. Shoes are recommended on this workout.
Strength Intervals: A 20 minute workout that is fast and quick! You will use your own body weight to sculpt all parts of the body. From lunges, jogging intervals, and push ups. And everyone's favorite again Beast pose. Shoes are recommended on this workout.
Drench: Another workout that lives up to its name! This workout kind of bring everything together throughout the program. More of the pilates and yoga moves return for a full body workout. This is a 48 minute workout, but the last 20 is called flow and is very relaxing and move through yoga movements. I like to wear shoes while doing this workout for some extra calorie burning.
Sculpt: This is a quick 25 minute workout that will help you build overall muscle endurance. From lower body moves to upper body moves they are all covered. The last five minutes are spent focusing on triceps and legs using a chair for movements. Shoes are recommended on this workout.
Bonus: TurboFire Low Hiit 20: This is a bonus on my set that gives you one of the lower impact Hiit Routines from TurboFire. Hiit stands for High Intensity Interval Training. Chalene takes you through a quick program to burn some extra calories. She shows you the routine slow and then you speed it up for 1 minute of high intensity. If you love kick boxing and quick workouts this is a good example of what you can see in TurboFire. Except, it moves much quicker in the original workouts.
My overall thoughts on all of these workouts is that Chalene does a great job on the calendar of building the intensity and strength. During the first weeks you think wow I don't feel that different. But by week 4 you can see the difference in your core and overall strength. It is amazing how I've gone from no core strength to doing planks with ease. And, for the first time in my life I can do real push ups!
This is a great program on its own or supplement to build flexibility and strength. If you are a beginner just use a chair until you can master the moves. I found myself modifying moves in the beginning the Chalene didn't show modified and it helped me master the moves. Also, wearing shoes makes things easier for me when we moved fast. And lastly make sure not to over extend your knee when doing bowlers lunges or wide step out lunges. Keep your knee lined up over your ankle and don't go as wide if it hurts. Also, make sure your front leg bears all the weight and not your back leg during bowlers lunges. This protects your knee while completing the move.
I'm so happy I started this program and I love talking about it. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Below is the link to my page in case you want to check out the program yourself.
I think that PiYo can work for anyone at any fitness level. If you want to gain your core strength back you need to add this to your workout schedule! If you are at your top fitness level but need to work on your flexibility, then PiYo can help. I can't wait to share my 60 day results soon. You will be amazed at how PiYo has changed my core after being pregnant. I went from no strength or flexibility to doing Burpees and full pushups in just 6 weeks!! Stay tuned!
Are you looking for someone to help you stay motivated while
completing your Piyo workouts? Already have a copy but need extra motivation? Feel free to send me a message.
Interested in purchasing a copy of either program? Let me know if you need further help picking a program.
