I am almost done with the program and I thought I would chime in with a review.First, a little background. This is my 5th Beachbody program. I have done many rounds of P90X, and have also done P90X+, P90X2 and Insanity. I have also run marathons and was a collegiate athlete. I''m a 43 year old male. In my late 30s I fell out of shape and about 4 years ago tried P90X and absolutely loved it. For me, P90X is simply an amazing product and it changed my life. I also loved Insanity and think the cardio workouts in Insanity are also top-notch. I was not impressed with either P90X+ or P90X2.
Despite all the resistance routines in P90X, I never got as big or ripped as I wanted. I even tried modifying some of the P90X exercises (such as doing pull ups and push ups with a weighted vest) to gain more mass. This was met with mixed results. I have a very thin body type and I don''t gain weight easily (I''m not complaining). So I was really excited when Beachbody came out with a new program designed to gain mass.
The program did for me exactly what I wanted it to I gained about 14 lbs during the first two phases (which last a total of 9 weeks). I''ve lost 2lbs thus far during the third phase so I have gained about 12 lbs overall. Is all of this weight lean muscle? No, I definitely gained some fat around my mid-section. However, my clothes feel somewhat tighter and my wife has told me that I look and feel bigger. I have not "cut" all the fat I gained but at this point if I had to guess I would say I gained at least 4-5 lbs. in lean muscle mass. I am extremely happy with this result.
The workouts are broken down into three phases. Build, Bulk and Beast.
Build (3 weeks) In this phase there are 4 basic routines somewhat similar to P90X. Chest/Tris, Legs, Back/Bis and Shoulders. There is also a cardio routine mixed in twice (and only twice) during this phase. The weekly schedule is 6 days on, 1 day off. The routines are a little shorter than the comparable P90X routines, about 40-50 minutes each. Before starting this routine you calculate your daily caloric requirements based on your weight and body fat percentage. You then will be given an eating plan that will create a caloric excess. In other words, you will be eating a lot of food in order to gain weight. Some of this weight will be muscle and some will be fat (especially if you are middle-aged like me). That''s how your body works. It is not possible to gain muscle without gaining at least a little fat as well.
Bulk (6 weeks) In this phase there are 5 routines. Unlike P90X and the Build phase, each routine isolates one body area. The routines are Chest, Legs, Back, Arms and Shoulders . During this phase there is no cardio. I repeat, THERE IS NO CARDIO FOR 6 ENTIRE WEEKS. The schedule is essentially 5 days on, one day of rest, and then repeat. This results in you working out 6 days a week (except for the last week of the Bulk phase when you have two off days). Before starting the Bulk phase you recalculate you caloric needs again using your weight and body fat percentage. I gained about 4 lbs. during the Build phase and my body fat percentage also increased slightly. As a result, my target caloric intake level went up and I had to eat even more food in the Bulk phase compared to the Build phase.
Beast (3 weeks) In this phase you combine the Build and Bulk workouts and add back in a bit more cardio. You also reduce your caloric intake and add more protein to your diet to "cut" all the fat (but not the muscle) that you gained during the first two phases.
Workouts: The resistance workouts are very challenging. For the first couple of weeks, my muscles were very sore the next day, especially after the Legs workouts. Make no mistake, you are going to be lifting a lot of weight and doing a lot of reps. While there are some push-ups and pull-ups, the focus is on lifting heavy weights, not using your bodyweight as resistance. The exercises themselves are what I would call "old-fashioned," and I mean this in a good way. There are squats, deadlifts, bench presses, shoulder presses, curls, etc. You burn a lot calories lifting and I definitely felt exhausted after a workout. The Cardio routine is OK. It is only 30 minutes and not nearly as tough as Plyo or an Insanity routine. Likewise, the Abs routine in only OK. No where near as tough as the Abs routines in P90X and P90X2. The best thing about the workouts for me is that they are shorter than the P90X routines. The Build workouts are about 40-50 minutes and the Bulk workouts are 30-40 minutes. There is not much down time in the workouts. Although I like that, sometimes the pace is too fast. I don''t have a set of dumbbells, rather, I have Bowflex adjustable weights. Many times I simply could not adjust my weights fast enough to keep up with the DVD (they are using a set of dumbbells) so I had to pause the DVD or rewind. Not the end of the world but somewhat annoying. If you have the money for a set of dumbbells I would recommend it.
Diet: For the Build and Bulk phases, the diet is a balanced plan based on a 25/50/25 split between protein, carbs and fats. In the diet YOU ARE GOING TO EAT A LOT OF FOOD. I really had trouble some days keeping up with all the food I was supposed to eat. I know a lot of you are thinking "I will have no trouble with this" but for me, I really got sick of feeling full all the time. There were days when it was tough choking down yet another serving of no fat plain greek yogurt. However, if you want to gain muscle, you really need to stick to the plan and eat a lot. For the Beast phase, you switch to a 40/30/30 split and there is a lot of protein on your diet. I did not try any of the recipes (there are not that many of them) so I cannot comment on that. The one great piece of advice the diet plan gives is to drink a huge protein shake after you work out. It is a lot easier to drink your calories than eat them. I would throw 2 cups of skim milk, ice, wheat germ, 3 or 4 servings of fruit and all my supplements in a blender and drink it right after a workout. This is a lot easier than eating each separately. I would say that I stuck to the diet about 90% of the time. Some days, I could simply not eat all the food required. I also have a weakness for coffee ice cream that I was not able to successfully suppress. This may have affected my results somewhat. As I said above, I did gain some fat (this is inevitable) but not an inordinate amount.
Supplements: I am normally very skeptical about supplements but I decided to go "all in" and buy all of the recommended Beachbody supplements. There is no doubt that the Beachbody supplements are overpriced. WAY overpriced. I''m sure you can get a much better deal on supplements somewhere else. Personally, I didn''t know that much about what supplements are good or not and I didn''t have time to do a lot of research on the topic. So I bought the supplements. Did I get ripped off? Probably. Would I have gotten the same results without the supplements? Possibly. For me, the bottom line was that I got the results I wanted so I am happy. If I do it again I will think long and hard about the supplements. One tip: if you are going to buy supplements through Beachbody don''t order the supplements with the Body Beast program. If you order a 60 day supply of the supplements separately they are cheaper and come with free shipping.
Gear: There are three essential pieces of equipment. Dumbbells, a pull-up bar and a weight bench. Yes, you can do some of the exercises on a stability yoga ball but you will get so much more out of the program with a real bench. Same goes for the pull-up bar. Yes, you can use a band but you get much more out of doing real pull-ups. Dumbbells are a must. I did not use the EZ bar that is recommended. I don''t feel like my workouts or my results suffered but I can''t know this for sure.
Trainer: Personally, I like Sagi Kalev, the trainer. Certainly, he is no Tony Horton or Shaun T. English is not Sagi''s first language. As a result, sometimes Sagi tries to be motivating but the words don''t always come out right. This "unintentional comedy" can be pretty funny. Sometimes I felt like I was in the old SNL "Hans and Franz" skit from 20 years ago. Sagi and his workout partners also have some of that weightlifting "meathead" attitude which is part of the reason I hate going to the gym. But I didn''t buy the program to be entertained, but rather to get results.
Overall, I really like the program and got great results. I''ll be honest, I love doing cardio and it was a big challenge to only do 2 days of cardio during the first 9 weeks of the program. Therefore, I would not put it at the level of P90X, which to me combines the best of resistance exercise, cardio and core work. As Insanity really focuses on cardio and is excellent in that regard, BB really focuses on resistance exercises. If you are looking for a well-rounded exercise program where you lose weight, do some tough cardio routines and tone your muscles, then please do not purchase this program. However, if you are looking to get big and gain weight in the comfort of your own home, I highly recommend Body Beast.
I''m 6''2" and 230lbs -point in fact, and sadly at least 25% of that is pure fat. I''ve maintained around 200-210 in the past few years by staying paleo and keeping up some exercise, but the last few months were bad for me.
Anyway, so if I''m 230lbs and 25+ BF%, why am I doing a body building program? The answer is that I know my body type and if I lift heavy and eat well, I''ll gain some muscle while dropping fat. I''ve done lots of Beachbody stuff but always stopped after a few weeks for various reasons (travel is always the #1), but now I''ve got an iPad and laptop with bluetooth headphones so I can take the Beast with me.
I should also note that my goal is not to get HUGE like an actual body builder and some of the guys in the video (like Sagi). I want to be more like the guys in the background who have great posture, huge chests, arms, and V shapes. My legs are usually fairly strong, but obviously training the legs is super key.
Diet: I usually do paleo, but in this case I''m doing the "Slow Carb Diet" from Tim Ferriss'' 4-Hour Body. Theoretically, under this program I should be able to drop at least 20lbs of fat in the next 30 days if I stick to the program. Since I''m on the road a lot during the day, this usually equates to going to Chipotle 2-3x/day, which is expensive but I can reliably get my salad with guac, beans, veggies, optional guacamole and a high quality meat.
I built a gym at my house to do the beast -the total cost of the program was probably $900 after the smoke cleared since I needed a bench ($200 for the bowflex model), adjustable dumbbells ($600 there alone for the Bowflex models as well), a pull up tower ($100), an EZ curl bar and weights, most of which I bought off Amazon... as well as the Beast itself. This is probably the only Beachbody program that requires a decent investment in gear as most of their other programs are lean & mean. NOTE, however, that in the videos they always have a person using less gear -typically a stability ball instead of a bench, and bands instead of a pull up bar/tower.
WEEK 1: the Beast has humbled me. I had to take 2 days off after legs since I could barely walk. I''ve done bodybuilding before so this is normal after months of sedentary lifestyle, but given the weights (maybe 20-30lbs on each side) I was SHOCKED that I was hurting so badly. Historically, I could walk into a gym after having not exercised for months and still dead lift 300lbs 1RM, which isn''t amazing to some people but for a 6''2" dude like me, it''s not bad. The chest day was fantastic and my arms were jello afterward. Same for biceps & back. I can feel the pump and want to keep it going. I did cardio & abs today and could barely finish 2/3 of the program. I literally just watched a few sets while gasping for air. And as for pullups--well I should have waited a few weeks (months?) to buy a tower because I can''t do a single pullup anymore (I used to be able to do 8 dead-hang pullups after a few months of crossfit, and lots of kipping pullups). So for now I''m using the bands, but you can get off to a great start of exercise while using just bands.
Sagi is truly a BEAST. He''s HUGE for one thing, and he''s also highly motivating. I had a body builder trainer for ~6 months a few years back and he reminds me a lot of Sagi -says lots of funny things like "Let''s get HUGE" or "Time to BEAST UP!" I''ve read some comments that this sounds corny, but I dig it. The other guys working with him in the background are all fairly big and shredded. Six packs everywhere.
Overall, I''m feeling pretty damn good after 1 week of the Beast. I think if I stick to my diet and the Beast, I should get some fairly impressive results. I am currently giving the Beast a 5 star review because everything I''ve seen thus far is very impressive. The exercise, the guide (90% of which is diet-related), the videos -all high quality.
Also I should note for the crowds that I''m not taking any supplements at the moment although I will probably add fish oil eventually; I also have some paleo protein powders that I may add later as well. Rome was not built in a day.
One final note: I usually do Tai Cheng in the mornings and Body Beast in the afternoon/evening. Depending on work schedule I may need to do them consecutively in the mornings, but so far I''m in the clear.
I will continue posting updates every few weeks as I progress down the Lean BEAST path.
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Body Beast is a fun and challenging program. It is broken down into three phases: 1) Build, 2) Bulk, and 3) Beast. The Build phase uses old-school lifting techniques to give you a foundation in lifting. The Build phase is composed of four primary workouts: 1) Chest/Tris, 2) Legs, 3) Back/Bis, and 3) Shoulders. The workouts are all near to 40 minutes. The Bulk phase uses more modern approaches to weightlifting and is composed of five primary workouts: 1) Chest, 2) Legs, 3) Back, 4) Bis/Tris, and 5) Shoulders. The Chest and Back routines are just under 30 minutes: the Bis/Tris and Shoulders come in around 35 minutes: the Legs routine is the longest at 41 minutes. The Bulk phase workouts are more specific--and more intense. The last phase (Beast phase) mixes the Build and Bulk workouts with some extra cardio in order to shred and show the muscle you''ve worked so hard for.Sagi Kalev, the trainer, gets right to work in each of the routines. There is normally only ~2 minutes of warmup and 1:30 for cool down and stretching. He can be a little corny at times, but is mostly straight forward and about the business at hand.
At this point I''ve done the Build phase and am starting the 5th week of Bulk. I''ve already seen inches gained in my arms and my back. The workouts leave me thrashed for days at a time. The most notable routine is Bulk Legs. I''ve done Bulk Legs four times now and am still ending up with quads and an IT band that is sore to the touch for the next 3-4 days! I have done P90X Legs and Back before and after the second or third time of performing the routine was able to perform the routine and not walk with too much pain the next day. I''ve had no such relief with the Body Beast routines. The Bulk Chest and Back routines have left me the same way where my chest or back are sore to the touch for a few days.
To summarize, Body Beast is a fun program that will crush and build you back up you if you push hard.
As an aside, you also get to eat A LOT while doing Body Beast, being a twenty-five year old male--this has been awesome!I''m in week 6 of Body Beast and I am doing the Lean Phase and I''ve been watching my diet, because I am female and believe the meal plans are geared towards men. As well as the cardio part, I think 2-3 days of cardio is good for women. I either run 3-4 miles or do insanity. Anyways, I am seeing AWESOME results, so far. I am female, 5''4 and weighed 115 when I started. I have not weighed myself yet, but I think I am still about 115 pounds. However, I am noticing distinctive definition in my arms, legs, and abs that I have never seen before in my life. I did ChaLean Extreme and some Jillian Michael''s DVDs this past summer, which gave me some good results. They helped me to get interested into weight lifting and prepare me for Body Beast which focuses primarily on weight lifting. So, I would recommend women to do more than one day of cardio. It is an awesome program and recommend it to anyone who wants to get lean or bulk up.
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I love, love, love working out with heavy weights. I love how they streamline my body like nothing else. I am an advanced exerciser who has done several rounds of P90X, P90X2 and Cathe''s STS.Body Beast is pure strength training for 3 phases. You do splits, meaning you work one or two body parts per day. In Phase I, you''ll be doing the Build workouts. Phase II has you doing the Bulk workouts. And in Phase III, you''ll alternate between the Build and Bulk workouts. Even though there is a Lean Rotation, which incorporates a day of cardio, this workout is not for those who want to lose weight; it''s for those who want to get stronger.
I have no intentions of getting "big and beastie" as Sagi loves to say. I wanted a workout that would challenge me both physically and mentally. I also didn''t follow the Lean Rotation exactly as laid out.
My rotation tweaks:
**Incorporated light cardio and yoga in between weight days.
**Took a full rest week between each of the 3 phases. During this week, I did light cardio, functional training and lots of yoga.
**Continued to eat clean, but didn''t greatly increase my calories.
**Did not take any supplements, except for glutamine powder.
Why I loved this series:
**It''s straightforward, no nonsense weight training. There is no fluff in these workouts!
**The use of progressive sets, single sets, compound sets etc. in the program. These techniques help you get stronger, plus you won''t get bored with the program.
**The minimal equipment needed for this workout. I used dumbbells, a stability ball for my weight bench and a barbell. Modifications are shown for every exercise for those with limited equipment.
**Sagi and all his goofy expressions. He made me smile through the `pain'' of the workouts.
There were some things that I found frustrating about these workouts. The things:
**The fast pace. Except for legs, I can''t go up in 5 pound weight increments, so I was using weighted gloves and plate mates to increase my weights in each set. This takes time to set up and I was constantly having to pause the DVD to do so. I couldn''t always set them up ahead of time since I was using the weight for the previous set. I felt it was important to pause the workout so I could increase my weights, rather than keep on using the same weights for each set.
**The Bulk Arms workout seemed to move at a very frantic pace. I felt that if I moved at that pace, even with lighter weights, that I was using momentum to lift the weight.
**The warm ups and cool downs were not long enough. Everyone, even muscle men, need to be flexible and Sagi didn''t spend enough time on flexibility. That''s why I added yoga to my rotation.
I highly recommend this series to anyone wanting to build strength and to have fun while doing so. Even women can benefit from lifting like this!
P.S. No, I don''t work for Beachbody and no, this isn''t a staged review. I just happen to love working with heavy weights because they are so effective for me.
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