Body Beast Exercise Program Review
9.63/10
Quick Overview
- Difficulty
Advanced
- Cost
High
- Trial Period
90 Days
Body Beast is a unique Beachbody exercise program that follows in the footsteps of programs like Insanity, P90X and P90X2.
Although Body Beast offers the same level of intensity, pacing and challenge as those programs, it sets itself apart by focusing primarily on strength training and realizing gains in muscle mass, strength, density and
definition.
Other programs, such as the aforementioned P90X series and Insanity, typically focus more on cardio, weight loss and muscular toning.
Virtually all Beachbody fitness programs are led by an enthusiastic, accomplished, high-intensity coach, and Body Beast is no different. The program is led by Sagi Kalev, the inventor of the program and a bodybuilder who once achieved the title of "Mr. Israel." After training competitive bodybuilders for many years, Kalev decided to create an at-home, DVD-based fitness program - Body Beast - for the purpose of giving regular people bodybuilding results naturally, without the use of steroids. Kalev is highly motivating as a fitness instructor, and clearly explains each exercise while giving you the inspiration to follow through.
The Body Beast fitness program comprises 90 days of physical training (including weekly rest days) and offers a money-back trial period of 90 days as well. This means that you could complete virtually the entire program before deciding whether to keep it or return it. If you have any questions along the way, you can contact Beachbody via email, phone or live chat free of charge. Although Body Beast may be too challenging for fitness beginners, its perfect for those who have graduated from other Beachbody programs and are ready to take their fitness in a new direction - strength training.
The intent of the Body Beast fitness program from Beachbody is to significantly increase your muscle mass, density, strength and definition within 90 days. Although weight loss (specifically fat loss) may be a natural component of the program, Body Beast focuses less on cardiovascular activity and more on pure strength training in comparison to other Beachbody fitness programs. In fact, Body Beast is even more focused on pure muscle building than Les Mill Pump, another Beachbody program emphasizing strength training and gains in muscle mass. Traditionally, most Beachbody programs such as Chalean Extreme, Insanity and even P90X focus primarily on weight loss and toning, with more minor gains in muscle mass, strength and density expected along the way.
The Body Beast fitness program makes good on its intent by coming with the following fitness materials:
- 12 individual workouts spread across 7 DVDs
- A "Book of Beast" nutritional planner, including specific instructions for supplementation
- The Body Beast calendar that tracks and organizes your workouts
A premium version of the Body Beast fitness program, entitled Body Beast + Huge Stack, is available for an additional fee. This package includes everything that comes with the basic Body Beast package in addition to:
- Hardcore Base Shake supplement (30-day supply)
- Fuel Shot supplement (30-day supply)
- Tempo, a bonus DVD including two additional workouts
Finally, an ultra-premium version of the Body Beast fitness program, entitled Body Beast + Beast Stack, is available for another additional fee. This package includes everything that comes with the Body Beast + Huge Stack in addition to:
- M.A.X. Creatine supplement (30-day supply)
- Super Suma supplement (30-day supply)
Unlike certain Beachbody fitness programs such as Brazil Butt Lift and Hardcore Abs, Body Beast is designed as a total-body fitness program. This means that you'll work all areas of your body over the course of the 90-day program, typically with all muscle groups worked within each 1-week cycle. Some of the muscle groups you can expect to work while using Body Beast include:
- Abs
- Back
- Biceps
- Chest
- Legs
- Shoulders
- Triceps
Despite the fact that Body Beast primarily focuses on strength training and muscle building, cardiovascular workouts are sprinkled throughout the workout schedule. These cardio workouts are designed for advanced fitness seekers and offer high-intensity moves and pacing. The goal is to increase your visible muscular definition while prepping your body for even bigger gains in mass, strength and density.
The Body Beast fitness program lasts for a total of 90 days, or approximately 12 weeks. As with many Beachbody fitness programs, the Body Beast program expects you to make a serious commitment to regular physical activity. In order to follow the guidelines suggested by the Body Beast fitness calendar, you'll need to work out six days per week, while devoting one day per week to rest. The rest day may be allocated to a different day of the week with each passing week in order to further increase the challenge and intensity.
Once you complete the Body Beast fitness program a single time, you may want to repeat it in order to realize further gains in muscle mass, density, definition and strength. Thanks to the modular nature of the DVD-based workouts, you can mix-and-match the workouts in order to increase the variety of the program and keep motivation levels high.
According to Beachbody's advertising campaign for Body Beast, fitness seekers who use this program can expect to gain up to 10 pounds of pure muscle mass after completing the program in 90 days. Of course, your specific results will depend on the level of intensity you bring to the individual workouts, as well as your ability to stick to the workout schedule as it's defined. It will also depend on the current makeup of your body, particularly in terms of your body fat percentage and amount of lean muscle mass. If you've been leading a sedentary lifestyle up until implementing the Body Beast program in your fitness schedule, your gains may be primarily realized in weight loss and toning as opposed to pure gains in muscle mass. If you're already extremely lean, you could certainly gain 10 pounds of muscle in 90 days just as Beachbody advertises.
Another quality that makes Body Beast unique from other Beachbody exercise programs is that the premium and ultra-premium versions of Body Beast (Body Beast + Huge Stack and Body Beast + Beast Stack) include nutritional supplements designed to help you build muscle more quickly and efficiently. You can maximize the results you realize with the Body Beast program by taking these supplements as directed in the included materials.
One final way of maximizing the effectiveness of Body Beast is to carefully follow the included nutritional guide. Unlike most fitness programs, Body Beast advises you to eat like a bodybuilder. This means frequent meals, typically high in calories, with carefully calibrated ratios of carbs, fat and protein. The meal plans suggested in Body Beast are expressly designed to maximize your muscle-building results without causing you to put on non-lean bulk, or excess body fat.
One of the primary disadvantages of Body Beast is that several pieces of additional equipment must be used in order to perform the exercises as intended and realize the true value of the program. However, this same statement would be true of virtually any at-home, DVD-based fitness program focused primarily on strength training and muscle building.
The first piece of gear required for Body Beast is the E-Z Curl Bar, available directly from Beachbody. Alternatively, you could use a set of dumbbells and a barbell, items that you may already have stocked in your home gym.
Body Beast also requires you to obtain a workout bench with an adjustable backrest. This is another item you may already have at home. If you don't, you'll need to obtain one on your own since they are not offered by Beachbody. Reviews of manufacturers who produce workout benches and other pieces of strength training equipment can be found in our Strength Training Exercise Equipment Reviews section.
Finally, you'll need a chin-up bar, which is an inexpensive piece of equipment that can be installed in a doorway. Alternatively, Beachbody suggests that individuals use elastic resistance bands to complete the Body Beast fitness program if they don't have access to a chin-up bar.
Beachbody's literature regarding Body Beast states that the program is compatible with individuals of all fitness levels. However, total fitness novices may find themselves quickly overwhelmed by the fast pace of the program. If you've been leading a sedentary lifestyle for an extended period of time and you consider yourself drastically out of shape, it may be smarter to begin with one of the programs reviewed in our Getting Started Exercise Program Reviews section.
At the same time, novice exercisers may find the elevated challenge of the Body Beast fitness program inspiring, and realize huge gains shortly after starting the program. If you already exercise regularly and at least dabble in strength training, Body Beast may be exactly the motivation you need to take bodybuilding and muscle development more seriously.
Another key target audience of Body Beast includes individuals who have already completed advanced, cardio-oriented fitness programs like Insanity, P90X and P90X2. The level of intensity these programs devote to cardio, weight loss and toning is similar to the level of intensity and focus that Body Beast devotes to strength training. If you've graduated from a program like P90X or Insanity, you should be physically and mentally prepared to take Body Beast head-on. lesbian gay movie collection
As with all fitness programs from Beachbody, Body Beast is backed up by customer support that's virtually unmatched in the home fitness industry. If you ever have any questions or concerns with Body Beast, you can contact Beachbody via email, live chat or toll-free phone, 24/7. You'll also have access to the Beachbody message boards, allowing you to share questions, tips and techniques with other Body Beast users.
Body Beast also comes with a 90-day money-back guarantee. This means that you'll be free to try the program and its included materials for up to 90 days (which also happens to be the total length of the program) before you have to decide whether to return or keep it.
As mentioned, the Body Beast fitness program is available in three different versions, each of which is priced separately.
The Body Beast Base kit is available for three monthly payments of $29.95, plus free shipping and handling. As mentioned, this kit includes 12 workouts on 7 DVDs, a nutrition planner and a workout calendar.
The Body Beast + Huge Stack kit is available for three monthly payments of $66.90, plus $14.95 shipping and handling. This kit includes everything from the base kit as well as 30-day supplies of the Hardcore Base Shake supplement and Fuel Shot supplement. It also includes a bonus DVD with two extra workouts.
The Body Beast + Beast Stack kit is available for three monthly payments of $84.90, plus $19.95 shipping and handling. This kit includes everything from the Body Beast + Huge Stack kit as well as 30-day supplies of the M.A.X. Creatine supplement and the Super Suma supplement.
Summary
The Body Beast fitness program is a unique entry into the Beachbody exercise program catalog because it focuses primarily on strength training and muscle building as opposed to weight loss and cardio. The only Beachbody program with a similar focus on strength training is Les Mills Pump, though even that program leans more toward toning and enhancing muscle definition, while Body Beast is dead-set on realizing gains in muscle mass, density and strength.
Body Beast is also unique because the two upgraded kits include nutritional supplements designed to maximize your muscular gains and make your workouts as efficient as possible. The only potential downside of the program is that it requires several pieces of strength training equipment, not included with Body Beast. If you don't already have dumbbells, a barbell, a weight bench and a chin-up bar, you'll need to obtain these items or their suggested alternatives before using Body Beast.
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