PiYo Workout Review – Is PiYo a Good Workout for Beginners?

Are you thinking of getting PiYo but not sure whether it really works or is worth the money? In this PiYo workout review, you’ll discover what makes PiYo stand out from everything else on the market, the pros and cons of PiYo, and what others are saying across the web.

By the time you’re finished reading this PiYo review you should have a good idea of whether or not it’s right for you.

Let’s go ahead and dive into it!

Features and Benefits of PiYo

PiYo, a combination of Pilates and yoga, is a 60-day workout regimen offered by Beach Body. PiYo is low impact, but high intensity, utilizing the most effective techniques in Pilates and yoga at a quicker pace than you might be used to with Pilates or yoga alone. PiYo promises weight loss along with improved muscle tone and strength.

PiYo is a scheduled workout regimen. You will alternate between 7 total workouts that each target a specific area of your body to improve its tone and strength. Each PiYo workout lasts anywhere from 20-40 minutes. You can choose between two PiYo tracks, one focused on basics and another focused on improving strength

PiYo is a fun, energizing, and effective workout. In just a few weeks, you’ll see improved muscle tone, experience greater muscle strength throughout the body, and feel improved wellness. PiYo is great if you want to improve strength without bulking up your body’s muscles. It is an excellent workout for weight loss, often even more so than Pilates or yoga alone.

PiYo promises quick and effective weight loss because it adds cardio to the muscle toning practices of Pilates and yoga. Because it is low-impact, PiYo is a great workout for beginners. If you’re just starting and you find PiYo to be a bit too high intensity for you, you can use any of the variations offered by traditional yoga to make the moves work for you.

The other reason PiYo is so promising for beginners is that it requires little or no equipment. Yoga mats are recommended for floor moves; however, a yoga mat is not required. You may find you experience as little joint strain on a traditional carpeted floor as you do on a yoga mat. While the strength track recommends the use of slider shoes, you can work around that recommendation by simply using a towel on the floor.

PiYo was popularized by Beach Body founder Chalene Johnson and is practiced by thousands of fitness-seekers around the world. PiYo practitioners say they like PiYo because it is fun, effective, and low impact, protecting the body’s bones and joints. You will like PiYo if:

• You’re looking for a fast, effective way to lose weight
• You enjoy Pilates and/or yoga alone, but want to add a cardio element to your workout
• You’re a fan of Beach Body or have seen Beach Body work for friends or family members
• You want to see improved muscle tone without increased muscle volume

Special Features (Pros) of PiYo

• PiYo combines traditional yoga and Pilates moves, making it an accessible workout if you’re already familiar with these practices.
• Because it focuses on cardio workouts, with PiYo you won’t have to hold poses for extended lengths of time like you may have to do with Pilates or yoga.
• PiYo combines music and movement in a fun, engaging way. You’ll finish your workout more excited and energized than when you started it.
• You can stream workouts to a variety of devices with a Beach Body on-demand membership.
• Unlike cardio alone, PiYo increases flexibility and helps you lengthen muscles.
• In addition to recorded workouts, PiYo includes a nutrition guide, meal plan, and fitness guide detailing which workouts to complete each day.

Drawbacks (Cons) for PiYo

• While it is low-impact, PiYo is high-intensity. Some fitness-seekers, especially beginners, may find PiYo is too intense a workout for them. Fortunately, just like yoga, PiYo offers modifications to make the workout accessible for any user.
• PiYo can be pricey, with an on-demand Beach Body membership starting at $59.85 for three months. However, Beach Body offers a free 14-day trial, so you can try PiYo and see if it is the right workout for you.

PiYo Reviews

Looking for some independent reviews as well PiYo reviews from actual users? Here’s what other are saying about PiYo across the web.

“Practicing PiYo arms you with a variety of benefits that can improve your overall well-being and enhance your fitness level. One of the main benefits of strength and flexibility is that you’ll have less of a chance of injury. PiYo helps to develop a strong core, which is essential in improving coordination, balance, and posture. The moves put less pressure on your joints.

It’s ideal for people with limited mobility since it builds muscle strength, increases flexibility, and improves your range of motion. This enhances your athletic performance and adds ease to your everyday movements.” – Healthline

“Some people were questioning the effectiveness of this program…hell, even I was. I mean how effective could Pilate mixed with Yoga be? But since Yoga changed my life I figured adding Pilates couldn’t hurt. After finishing my first round, I think the results speak for themselves and I don’t see it leaving my routine anytime soon.” Reddit user Rolysreddit.

“I took the best of Pilates and the best of yoga and added low-impact cardio to help you burn more calories! I give you everything you need to help you succeed. I’ll give you step-by-step guidance, and every move can be modified to your personal level of fitness. You’ll only have to be moving for about 30 minutes, and you’ll have a blast. All you need is your own bodyweight! Seriously. Simply follow the workout schedule and meal plan, and you can see real progress within a week.” – Beach Body On Demand

5. “At 50 years old, I was at a point where my back was so bad, I couldn’t do anything. Since starting PiYo, I’ve lost 32 pounds and I’m in the best shape of my life.” – PiYo user Karole C.

Frequently Asked Questions About PiYo

What PiYo would be complete without answering some of the most frequently asked questions about PiYo. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we get about PiYo… maybe this is something you’re wondering yourself?

Is PiYo hard for beginners?

PiYo is high-intensity and may be challenging for those who are just beginning a fitness routine. However, variations are offered throughout the program so you can match each PiYo workout to your fitness level. The other benefit to beginners is that PiYo requires no equipment, you only need your own body to complete each workout.

Is PiYo effective for weight loss?

Yes! PiYo creator Chalene Johnson promises users a weight loss of up to nine pounds within the first two weeks. User testimonials on Beach Body’s PiYo website show weight loss from 32 to 81 pounds.

Keep in mind that PiYo includes a nutrition guide and meal plan. In addition to workouts, users will need to follow this guidance to achieve the weight loss results promised by Beach Body and PiYo. Furthermore, total weight loss will depend on starting weight. Users at a lower starting weight will not see results as drastic as those who start at a higher weight.

How many days a week should you do PiYo?

PiYo is designed for six workouts and one day of rest per week. Weekly, you will alternate between these workouts:

• Align, covering the fundamentals
• Define lower body
• Define upper body
• Sweat, traditional PiYo workout
• Strength intervals
• Drench, an endurance workout
• Sculpt whole body

The PiYo base kit includes two additional strength-focused workouts, one for the buns and one for the core.

Is PiYo worth the money?

You will have to decide if PiYo is worth the money for you. A base kit including DVDs costs $59.85 and a Beach Body on Demand membership, which allows you to stream PiYo at any time starts at $59.85 for a 3-month membership.

The closer to beginner status you are, the more changes you will see with PiYo. Gauging your fitness level and what you hope to achieve will help you determine if PiYo is worth the money for you.

Is PiYo better than Pilates?

Whether PiYo or Pilates is better for you depends on your goals and what you want to get from a workout. If you want your workout to include cardio, PiYo is a better fit for you. PiYo may also be the best workout for you if losing weight quickly is one of your fitness goals.

However, if your focus is on muscle tone or flexibility, or if you want a slower-paced workout, Pilates may be the right workout for you.

Is PiYo a HIIT workout?

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, involves short periods of high-intensity exercises followed by quick rest breaks before moving onto each new exercise. PiYo on the other hand uses continuous body movement and is not a HIIT workout. While you will see some moves repeated, don’t expect interval training from your PiYo workout.

How many calories do you burn with PiYo

It is hard to determine exactly how many calories each user will burn with PiYo because this depends on a variety of factors including metabolism, use of modifications, and overall fitness. The differences in calories burned depend on the intensity and length of each workout.

The Bottom Line on PiYo

If you’ve been following me for any amount of time you know I say the best exercise program is the one you’ll enjoy and do consistently. Sometimes changing things up is all you need to keep things interesting. With that said I don’t think you can go wrong by adding PiYo to your exercise routine mix if it keeps you interested and consistent in reaching your fitness goals.