PiYo Workout

Piyo is a name combining two words: Pilates and Yoga. The woman behind the Beachbody Piyo fitness program has blended these two types of movement to create a fat burning, low-impact exercise routine that anyone at any age can do. Learn more.

Beachbody Piyo Workout

Chalene Johnson has an amazing body, yet she is a mother of two. How did she get so fit? This fitness expert teaches that jumping up and down does not burn calories the way a well crafted, low impact interval routine can burn them.

What you need to do is challenge your muscles and core while maintaining proper alignment and getting your heart rate up. Interval training accomplishes this while elements of yoga and Pilates ensure that moves remain safe and the focus is on doing things right, not just more energetically.

Seven Workouts

This three-disc series sold by Beachbody provides 7 separate workouts. There is the Align portion designed to improve posture, form, and core support. Define parts one and two works the lower and upper body respectively. With Sweat you are taking part in cardio yoga (yes, there is such a thing).

Get to the Drench component and work on endurance while sweating hard. With Sculpt, you literally sculpt your muscles to the toned, firm shape you are looking for. Finally, there are Strength Intervals for weight-free interval and muscle training. The entire workout is weight-free, so you don’t need any equipment.

Benefits of a Low Impact Workout

Studies have shown that impact is good for your bones in moderation. Running, hiking, and racquet sports cause bones to break down and become reabsorbed, so you are always developing fresh, healthy bone. Another way to create and maintain healthy bone mass is to build muscle. You do this by causing stress on muscle groups which can be done with weights or one’s own body weight.

Muscles for 40+

Research proves that low impact workouts help to promote fitness and sustain bone/muscle mass in people over the age of 40 without straining their ligaments and joints. This is an age where falls are more likely to cause significant injury and where the act of jumping up and down (as with aerobics or skipping rope) can cause fractures and bone stress. By strengthening muscles you also support bone better, recover faster, and are generally more able-bodied. You age and lose independence more slowly.

Arthritis and Exercise

Individuals with arthritis at any age are advised to avoid certain moves, especially high-impact ones which strain knees, ankles, and hips. The pain and swelling that result from these moves can be enough to immobilize an individual, but exercise helps people with arthritis and other health issues fend off pain, aging, and worsening symptoms of the condition. Consumers should choose exercise rather than a sedentary life, preferably stamina and muscle-building choices like Beachbody Piyo.

Beachbody Reputation

With all of the new fitness gimmicks and unknown companies out there selling DVDs and online-only offers, you have to wonder what kind of company you are dealing with. Beachbody has been around for some time and their programs have been praised by countless customers. They aren’t some flash-in-the pan but a legitimate business with a proven track record. Also, the price of about $25 is reasonable for a set of DVDs you can use over and over.

More from Beachbody

You might have already heard of or even seen the results people get from Beachbody workouts. They designed the Beast to build muscle mass; the 60-day Hammer and Chisel muscle sculpt; 21 Day Fix to lose weight in a hurry; and Cize, which turns exercise into a night at the club by using dance moves in place of the usual, dull moves. Piyo is poised to become a popular addition to the Beachbody library of fitness tools for real people.