What is PiYo?
You have heard of PiYo before, but maybe you’ve never entirely known what it is. We’re here to clear up the confusion and set the record straight. PiYo is a fitness program that is designed to work your whole body and get you in shape from head to toe. So, what is PiYo exactly?
What is PiYo Exercise?
The “Pi” is for Pilates, and the “Yo” is for yoga. So, combining the practices of Pilates and yoga will get you an intense full-body workout. PiYo—created by Chalene Johnson, the founder of the Turbo Kick system and Hip-Hop Hustle—was designed for people who are seeking a higher energy workout than either Pilates or yoga alone can generally provide. Yes, you can sweat in either yoga or Pilates, but with PiYo you’re always moving, so the sweat is a given!
What Happens In PiYo Class?
The low-impact workout combination of yoga and Pilates keeps you continually moving—and sometimes elements of dance or martial arts are thrown in for good measure to mix things up a bit. Since you’re always moving, you won’t have to hold any poses for extended periods like you would with yoga. But you will need to use your flexibility! Movements are carefully choreographed so that you build upon each sequence of stretches and flexes as you go. The variety helps you build muscle strength, lose weight, and increase flexibility—which ensures you never get bored!
When Should I Try PiYo?
The great thing is, you can try a PiYo workout at any point in your health and fitness journey and it’s great for all fitness levels. With instructors in the class, they can help you either find a more advanced movement to push you to the next level, or give you alternative poses if you are working up your strength and flexibility for your workouts ahead.
How PiYo Works
Sequential poses and movements are stacked one after the next, so you are continually upping your game in each session. Planks, lunges, squats, and core work are just a few of the successive exercises that get your motor revved, so you’re strengthening muscles both big and small throughout your entire body during the workout.
The Benefit of PiYo
By working in and out of these exercises and movements, you are constantly building strength using your own body’s weight as resistance. If you’re ready for it, you can also use light hand weights to increase the amount of strength building. But, the idea is that you’re working to tone your muscles with PiYo, not bulk up!
PiYo as an Aerobic Workout
Because there’s constant movement involved, there’s a significant cardio factor as well. This is a bonus since most yoga or pilates classes don’t really count as a cardio workout. PiYo classes are aerobic by nature because of the constant sequence of exercises to raise your heart rate, burn those calories, and make you feel the burn in all of your muscles! While PiYo exercises are generally classified as low-impact, they are high energy—with music to match—to increase the variety and fun factor!
What PiYo Does
Most fitness instructors agree that PiYo classes can build and tone your muscles and help you lose weight, but there are other benefits as well. The movements and poses in PiYo increase your flexibility by consistently stretching your muscles and improving the range of motion in your joints. Plus, the variety that PiYo programs provide keep participants excited about the class, and therefore more committed to sticking with it and coming back again and again. Science also asserts that those who are committed to an exercise program have lower levels of stress.
Where to Try PiYo
PiYo is typically taught in a group exercise format. At Chuze Fitness, our instructors have been trained to get your energy up and push you to get the best workout possible. That’s why we recommend checking your class schedule and popping into a class near you. Our instructors will not only guide you through the workout but—as mentioned above—they will also help to craft the exercise so that it fits your needs. Are you more advanced at yoga and want something a little more challenging? Speak up! Our instructors can help you fold deeper into a pose or even give you more advanced alternatives. Are you new to both Pilates and yoga, and want to ease into the workout? Perfect! We have options to keep you comfortable and gear you up for the more challenging poses ahead.
Check out our classes at all of our Chuze Fitness locations. While each gym slightly varies what they offer, our team works their hardest to craft their schedule for you. You can try yoga, kickboxing, BODYCOMBAT, Buns N Belly, and much more. So, please stop in, say hello, and join us in one of our high-energy classes! We cannot wait to see you there.