REVIEW: LIIFT MORE

PARROT REVIEW of LIIFT MORE also available on YOUTUBE

If you’re not aware of how much I love resistance training workouts, then allow me to bring you up to speed.  Ever since Body Beast came out, I often find myself using that as the baseline by which I measure all others in the genre.  And sure, Sagi has had other projects.  Hammer and Chisel was decent-ish.  But the closest we ever got to a Body Beast 2 was with Week of Hard Labor.  It was good, but it felt like it could have been so much more.  Thus, I await on the doorstep for a Body Beast 2 like parents waiting for their son to come home from deployment.

And that brings us to Joel Freeman, who has been tasked with doing a series of resistance themed workouts.  LIIFT 4 was the first major deviation from his traditionally cardio/sparring approach, and LIIFT MORE seeks to capitalize on the popularity of its predecessor.

EQUIPMENT

A consistent advantage to just about any Joel Freeman workout is without a doubt, the simple equipment needs.  A bench and some weights will have you just about completely covered.  At no time was I in a position where I needed sliding frisbees or resistance bands fastened to a door.  That stuff lacks a certain seriousness when it comes to fitness tools.

The nearest you’ll get to a gimmick are wide bands used for legs.  But they are not critical to the completion of this program.   However, a decent bench is a must.  And if I could give a word of advice, don’t get the cheap Wal-Mart garbage with flimsy welding and that useless leg extension apparatus.  Get something beefier and basic with a stable incline function.  This is a solid investment in your home gym.

FORMAT

LIIFT More has 2 Phases. The first 4 weeks being Phase 1, are broken down into a typical resistance training schedule.  Day 1 has Chest and Biceps, Day 2 Glutes and Calves, Day 3 Back and Biceps, Day 4 Hamstrings and Glues, and Day 5 shoulders.  That leaves 2 days for recovery to relax, recharge.  Have a decaf latte, do some stretching or take care of the gopher problem in your neighborhood.

The last 4 weeks, or Phase 2, mixes muscle groups up a little.  Legs remain their own workouts twice a week, but upper body days become chest and back, back and triceps, and arms.  Two days are allowed for rest.

Phase 1 seeks to focus on lower reps and muscle building.  In contrast, Phase 2 usually increases the intensity level by incorporating more challenging exercises, heavier weights or resistance, and faster-paced workouts.  It’s a more targeted approach.  If you have a heart rate monitor, you may find yourself in Zone 4 at times, assuming you’re putting in the work.

So my thoughts on Phase 2 is that true muscle building will likely slow, but stamina, endurance and cardio will improve.

Another huge plus is the lack of needless complexity.  Leg workouts are basic squats, lunges or calf raises.  Chest, shoulder and arms are simple movements you’ve seen before.  It makes the fast switch to the next move less of a challenge.

The last 10 or so minutes of every workout is core.  Various crunches, planks and then closing off with a short stretch.

PROS and CONS

Alright, so who is LIIFT MORE going to benefit the most?  Well, if you’re a person of average muscle mass or maybe even have a bit of extra chub you’re looking to shed, then I think this one is going to make you pretty happy.   If you suffer in the muscle department and need to gain some, this will also be the place to go, so long as you modify as need be.

The weight schedule is also top notch.  Chief reason being, there are 2 leg workouts a week.  Facts are facts, if you want real total body results, then you can’t do only one day a week of legs.  I appreciate Joel’s call to make this move instead of filling a day with yoga or some spackle filler workout.  You got two days off to do all the downward dogs you want.

The best thing about Joel is he’s your every-guy.  A fellow you sit next to in church who sings a perfect baritone.  The spotter at the gym who lifts the bar off your nearly decapitated head without even being asked.  Joel pays his taxes on time, only eats free-range eggs and prefers the missionary position.  If you hate Joel Freeman, then take a good look in the mirror and realize you’re on par with the degenerate scumbag who kicks puppies.

Regarding expectations, there might be some individuals who will be pumped for a bulk muscle gain system and this will come up a bit short.  While resistance training is the name of the game, you will have a very difficult, if not impossible time lifting anywhere near your max weight in LIIFT MORE.  This is because there is just is not enough to recover between sets as we roll from one move to the next.  So it helps to see this instead as an endurance weight program, and not one to necessarily get huge.  It’s one of the downsides of a video workout because proper rest between sets means longer runtimes…and longer runtimes scare people because from a marketing point of view, going over 45 minutes appears to be forbidden these days.  If you truly want to lift more and develop impressive muscle gains, have that pause button on standby and be prepared to go about 10 minutes longer.

Next, the production values.  And dang it BODi, would you please stop cutting corners.

The center is some form of rear projection screen that ranges in backgrounds from dark, or rustic, or a surface resembling a neglected highway.  On your left and right are a series of monitors displaying various plebians doing the workout in their home.   It’s creatively cost effective in one way but somewhat uninspired in another.

Another cost reduction is no music.  Look, I’m not expecting something to compete with the Top Gun Soundtrack, but a little “boom boom” tends to set the mood.  The absence of these extras certainly creates a contrast between the old days of Beachbody where just about everything was thrown in, to the “just-get-er-done” products of many BODi today.

But the greatest sin of all…there is AGAIN no timer…

For the life of me, I can’t understand the rationale BODi is taking this route with so many of their latest offerings.  Overlaying a timer is something you can even get an intern to do with a sturdy enough bullwhip.  Maybe the marketing department thinks time goes faster if there isn’t a clock to watch?  Some things in life just don’t have any explanation.

But that’s probably enough criticism.  On the whole, LIIFT More is one of the better outings BODi has had in recent years by far and certainly worth the vast majority of video workout enthusiast’s time to consider.  With proper use of the pause button, I dare say this could be a resistance training system that offers the best of the old P90X and Body Beast days.  As such, I give this one a very strong recommendation.

For those pumped about the next resistance training muscle gainer, we wait for the next dedicated weight program coming down the pipe…Dig Deeper with the Immortal Shaun T.  Looks promising.