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REVIEW: LIIFT MORE

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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.

park_bench
Kind of nice not having that kid around.

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.

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Rarely will you ever need more than weights and a bench.

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.

explosions-header
One down...

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.

liiftmore2
Thankfully moves are basic, easing the fast transitions.

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.

looser1
Do better.

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.

halfa
Another half ass.

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.

liiftmore4
Beats a Bob Ross painting I guess.

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

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stop...forgetting...the...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.

Change-My-Mind

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.

REVIEW: LIIFT MORE
8.3 SCORE
Pros
  • Basic, effective movements
  • Joel is clear and motivating
  • Equipment needs minimal
  • Cons
  • Can be too fast for true bulk gains
  • Trainer9
    Production Values7
    Strength8.5
    Cardio8.5

    John Paul Parrot ( aka. The Dysfunctional Parrot ) is a disgruntled Systems Analyst who wanders the Canadian wastelands saving small villages with the power of Kung Fu.  His chair is also a little too close to the twenty year old microwave.  As you can well imagine, this has had certain side effects.

    6 Comments

    6 Comments

    1. JS

      July 11, 2024 at

      I felt Liift More’s pacing was way too fast. Not just between sets but the lifting itself. To Parrot’s point, I’m sure that’s to keep the clock at/under 45min for marketability, but to me it’s the ultimate fault of this program and why I don’t recommend it. The other fault being the hiit component was weak compared to Liift4. To me, 3 sets of 12 got real dull. Wish they’d switch it up (cough)Body Beast(cough) or keep it at 8-10 reps for hypertrophy, use the saved time for improved hiit/core component.

    2. Latin X

      April 23, 2024 at

      I guess…but honestly, it sounds like no one has topped Sagi. I vote that you buy a copy of Body Beast on eBay, use that until you get tired of it, and by that time you’ll be in a position where you can improv your own weight bench workout, no?

      If BODI (nee Beachbody) isn’t even playing to the standard set by LOL Leandro Carvalho, why bother sending them cash?

    3. Patrick Egan

      April 12, 2024 at

      I liked Liift more alot and it built upon th orginal. The second elg day is fantastic. I also liked how you can now access the Liioft More Super Block. I would say it is my favorite beachbody workout

    4. Mike

      April 12, 2024 at

      I see that Dig Deeper is in “VIP Early Access,” everyone’s favorite paymore scheme that results in having to wait another 10 months for a program that should already be under my monthly subscription. I sometimes wonder if BOD also has an interest in the timeshare industry.

    5. Kimu

      April 11, 2024 at

      Thanks for the review! I really enjoyed liift more and got pretty good results. I am doing Dig Deeper now and I’d say it’s a bit more challenging than liift more.

    6. Alan

      April 11, 2024 at

      I can’t stand Joel Freeman. He makes gal sounds like a little girl and his so-called jokes are not even a little bit funny. I also don’t like the way he mixes up too many different components to fitness in one workout and then you end up not doing enough of anything. I actually find him kind of obnoxious. However, I like Sagi and I think body beast is the best program that Beachbody ever did. I think they’re current offerings are mostly garbage except that the Shaun T program looks like it might have some promise.

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