Body Beast Build Phase Review – The First 21 Days Of The Beast

I completed the first block or phase (Build) of the Body Beast program this week and wanted to give you my thoughts on the first 21 days so far.  For those of you that don’t know, Body Beast is a fairly new program from Beachbody, and is for one thing and one thing only…adding muscle.  After completing Insanity Asylum, Insanity Asylum 2, and running a ton of miles over the past several months training for a race, I had noticed that although I was in great cardio shape…I had lost some upper body strength and wanted to put some size back on over the next couple months.

The Build Phase (the first 21 days) of Body Beast is all about building your foundation and getting used to this type of program which is very different than other Beachbody programs.  You will be very sore to say the least during this phase especially if you don’t have a background of weight lifting. The workouts are hard, but you can regulate that to a degree by increasing or decreasing the amount of weight that you use per exercise.

So far, I REALLY like this program.  It has been a lot of fun and I’m already getting great results.  If you are contemplating starting the Body Beast program, let me structure this post in a way that will hopefully answer any questions that you might have because, honestly, these were my initial questions beforehand as well.

What About Equipment?

The minimum amount of equipment that you can get by with is dumbbells and a stability ball.  Your results will be directly proportional to the amount of equipment that you have.  Although, you can get a great workout and complete the program with a minimal amount of  weight, you will get much better results if you have not only a variety of weight (even heavier than you think you’ll need) but also a bench (with an incline option), an E-Z Curl Bar w/weights and a stability ball.  The Bowflex Selectechs (what I use) are a good option if you are starting from scratch and you can always pick up a bench at Wal-Mart or Play It Again Sports to save yourself some cash.  The Stability Ball from Beachbody is one of the best I have used, but you can only go so heavy and still be safe on the ball, so keep that in mind.  My advice, get what you can afford and as much as you can afford.  Weights aren’t cheap, but anything that contributes to you being active and staying off the couch is always a good investment.

What About Supplements?

I definitely use the Body Beast Supplements.  They are designed to be used in unison with this program and, just like the equipment, your results are going to be directly proportional to how closely you follow the guidelines of the program – supplements included.  I really can tell a big difference in my workouts from the Super Suma and MAX Creatine.  The Fuel Shot and the Hardcore Base Shake serve different purposes and are mostly for helping me recover and to supplement dietary needs.  They are extremely helpful as well and especially for me because I usually have to take advantage of liquid calories to help me hit my daily goals.  I drink Shakeology everyday too and the Base Shake (neutral flavor) mixes very well with it.  My advice, take the supplements.

What About Diet?

Most people say that your diet will make up about 70-80% of your results when trying to gain or lose weight.  Sagi says that 100% of your results are going to because of your diet.  Of course, you have to work hard, but the point is…you will not grow unless you eat to grow.  For me, that equaled about 2,944 calories a day during the Build Phase, which is A LOT more than I am used to.  It’s cool because it’s like you are taking a nutrition class with the Beast, you learn about ratios, macros, etc.  I use www.myfitnesspal.com  to stay dialed in and keep an eye everything.  My advice, don’t overlook your diet.  Follow the plan as close as possible.

What I Like So Far?

The results…period!  This program WILL WORK.  You lift heavy, you lift hard, you eat big and you WILL start noticing changes pretty fast..  I have noticed gains in strength and size fairly quickly and more so than any other weight lifting program I have ever done.  After 3 weeks my weight has went up from 164 to 170.  I have gained 1/2 inch on each arm, 2 inches on my chest, 1 inch on my legs, and have kept my body fat percentage relatively the same around 13%.  To be honest, I read most of the reviews about Body Beast before I started, reviews just like this one even and I was skeptical…I am not at all skeptical now.  This program works.

Also, I really like a weight lifting program that doesn’t include me driving to the gym everyday.  I don’t have to wonder around aimlessly in the gym, tempted to keep skipping leg day every time, and always wiping down equipment after every use.  This program is VERY structured and it really is like have your own personal trainer for 90 days all in the privacy of your own home.  Sagi knows his stuff and this program really fills a void in the market when it comes to adding size from home.

Another plus, the workouts are short-er than most other Beachbody programs.  There is no playing around or wasting of any time.  You can down to business and get it over with.  Most workouts so far have been around 40 minutes or even less.

What I Don’t Like So Far?

The flip side of the workouts being short, is that things move fast.  Real fast.  I find it hard to keep up with Sagi and the cast, especially using and switching weights with the Selectechs.  The cast moves from one exercise to the next very quickly and I often find myself having to hit the pause button to catch up.  Sometimes, I even find myself trying to hurry picking up weights and jumping back down on the bench trying to be ready, really a lot faster than I should be doing , to try and stay with the video and it’s probably not the safest thing to do either.  What I have found that works well though is this – to always wear shorts/pants with a pocket in them and drop your DVD remote in it so you can get to it quick when you need it instead of having to get up to grab it while your sitting on the bench with 50′s in each hand.  Even better, use some duct tape or velcro and secure it to an area on the bench where it won’t be in the way, but at the same time, you can have quick access to it. Sounds weird, but it works for me.

Final Thoughts on Build Phase

So far so good with the Beast, I am excited to see what the next 2 months will bring.  I am doing the Lean Beast because I want to keep from losing all my cardio.  Started Day 1 of the Bulk Phase today and it was very humbling to say the least, the introduction of “progressive sets” really did me in.  If you have an questions or comments, I would love to hear them – just comment below!

Go Here To Check Out My BULK Phase Review >>>> Jared’s Bulk Block Review <<<this is what comes next!

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