Body Beast DVD Workout - Base Kit

This is my first DVD-based workout kit, having never done P90X or T2 or Insanity, etc., despite their popularity. I like to think I am in shape and I definitely work out on a regular basis, but had hit a plateau and wanted some added 'motivation'. But the main reason for doing this workout is that I am already lean ... and I wanted to add on some mass.I'm only a week into this DVD, so I will update my review and the rating as I progress throughout the series.Clearly, motivation is a strong part of these DVD's and this does not disappoint. I think Sagi is pretty good in this regard. My recommendation on this DVD is that they really need a separate 'section' on the DVD that just teaches people how to do the different exercises. That way, you watch it once and you're good to go. Instead, if you are doing legs - as an example - he will demonstrate what you need to do and then within seconds you're in the middle of a set and quickly jumping to another set. The first time you go through the DVD, you will definitely need to hit pause and rewind to see it again... while the 2nd & 3rd time you do the legs workout, you'll be begging for him to hurry up and get through this part as you just want to workout.Other recommendations I find:Do not just do their warm ups, which take about 60 seconds - do a bit of cardio first to warm yourself up or do some light weights to better warm yourself up. Or - just repeat his recommended warm ups. I find this particularly true for the legs workout.I really wish they would spend a few extra seconds at the beginning of each workout to advise you on what you'll need for the workout so I can get things organized - get my weights out, my bench properly set up, etc. On the Back/Bi's workout I had to continually hit pause.As I am not watching the TV during many of the workouts as that would create bad form (ie. you'd be lifting your head up when you shouldn't be), so it would be helpful if Sagi was more clear in his counting of reps or 'up' and 'down' call-outs.I also think some recommendation of weights for each workout would be helpful - that is - a beginner, an intermediate and a 'pro'. This way, we all have something to quickly start with as a baseline and then we can continue to increase from there. Otherwise, I'm left with 10-15 seconds to grab dumbbells while also trying to figure out what to start with - 10 lbs or 20 lbs or 40 lbs?Finally, some of his workout 'partners' need a better attitude... they have no personality, while others seem great.So now to the workouts themselves.I find that because you are doing them with a lot of intensity and using free weights (ie. dumbbells), you'll find yourself using small muscles that you haven't in a long time and you'll definitely end up sore. My triceps ached after that workout but it was the leg workout that really left me sore. But not in a bad way. It was a sore that reminds you that you haven't worked out that hard on your legs in quite some time, or done that many reps in quite some time.To complete the workouts, you'll definitely want a bench and some dumb-bells, like the Bowflex SelectTech Dumbbells. I have a set of 25 / 40 / 55 dumbbells plus the SelectTech and this combination helped me to quickly move between sets. To complete some of the back workout, you'll also need a pull-down machine (for which I have a nice all-in-one stacked weight machine) or a set of bands or a pull-up bar.My final recommendation is that once I've paid the money for the DVD, they should include in their set a printed workout guide with space to mark your weights down so you can see the progress you're making week-by-week. It's silly that I should need to go online and find a guide to print out after spending $50.So far, I'm pleased with the workouts and I look forward to each of them. I'll post updates as I progress.Beast up!---Update: It's tough for me to judge whether I honestly finished all the workouts as travel kept interrupting my momentum and gains, but I must say there were some some very good workouts... some tough exercises... and some that need some improvement. But, I always looked forward to the workouts and the fact that they are only 25-40 minutes in length ensured I found 'no excuse' for not working out.After a while, the workouts do tend to get a bit repetitive, and I find that I need to mix them up a bit (combine some of my favorites from the Build with the Bulk sessions). I was also surprised that in the Bulk session, we were still doing 15 / 12 / 8 reps - I'd have thought lower reps and higher weights would be better. Overall, the chest, arms, back and shoulder workouts were good... but the leg workouts ultimately disappointed as it focused too much on deadlifts for me, so I had to mix them up by doing other exercises instead - such as leg press, squats, etc.I also can't emphasis enough how the people in the workouts can 'make' or 'break' a workout, since you watch the same workout episodes over and over...My favorites: Nick ("my buddy Nick"), John ("Asian Sensation") and Chris ("Smiley") - all had such a great personality and you could tell they know what they are doing and they have a lot of fun on camera. Sometimes John is a bit too serious, but overall, the three work great together with Sagi.Richard ("Big Mac") is also good.In the next tier, Sean, Brian ("Pretty Boy") and Big E are what I'd say are 'okay'. They do the exercises well, they listen to Sagi, but they just don't seem to have as much fun as the others.Then there are the bottom two - Eric and Scotty. Eric does every move in a cartoonish, over-exaggerated manner that is actually dangerous. Sagi even tells him he's doing it wrong and he doesn't change his ways. Don't get me wrong - he did an awesome job in his exercises and clearly has killer stamina as he finished the Cardio workout, while I was a wreck...Then there is Scotty - he has pretty much zero personality, is very quiet and couldn't even answer the questions correctly on 'how much weight are you using now? And what about last set?". This would be fine if I just watched this awkward exchange once, but to have to watch it countless times during the 90 days is painful.But enough of the people, I really enjoyed Sagi and the top 3 workout partners in particular, and I find him motivating but not in an annoying way. He has a really good demeanor about him.Overall, I'm really pleased with this workout and I'm looking forward to Body Beast 2.0!

This is a great program, but, I don't think a single 90 day cycle will deliver extreme results. If you follow the eating plan and take all of the supplements and work out 6 days a week- it promises amazing results. I do 4 to 5 workouts a week and do take supplements after. I haven't done the eating plan- but who really does?All of the guys on the DVDs have spent at least 10 years getting their bodies to look the way they do. There is absolutely no way a non-seasoned body builder or even a seasoned body builder will look that good in 90 days unless they are a professional. So get that image out of your head. You're not going to look like Sagi after 90 days.I don't know if most people can do 6 days a week and give maximum effort. The program is really challenging when you do it right, so you would probably burn out after a month of 6 days a week.What you can expect after 90 days: You will be stronger, more solid and better conditioned. Your cardio will improve because you're flying through the workouts with very little rest. You're going to have to learn proper form on your own because the system doesn't teach it to you. I think after the first cycle you'll figure out the moves and develop good form. My gf said she didn't see any difference in the way I looked after 90 days and I was pretty discouraged. She said I was pretty obsessed with working out, and I looked the same. I'm in a fitness group with my friends and we post before and after pics. When I flexed and compared the two pics- My arms were much bigger and cut, my gut was a lot smaller, love handles got smaller, shoulders were a lot bigger and my legs were definitely bigger.Real results happen in the 2nd and 3rd cycle- in my experience. I'm almost done with cycle 2 and I'm finally seeing much more definition. Fitness is for life so you're going to have to keep on working out to get and stay in shape. I'm probably going to do a round of p90x after this cycle and then go for cycle 3.I say this program changed my life and I mean it. I lost about 120 lbs in 2 years by Jan 2015 mostly due to ADHD meds. I am a 6'3" male and I was over 360 lbs., but, I lifted weights most of my life. I was solid but, no one is healthy at 300+ lbs. My meds decimated my appetite and the weight just fell off. So I looked great but I was so unbelievably weak. I went from deadlifting 400 lbs. to not being able to walk up a flight of stairs without extreme difficulty. I was scared that there was something wrong but my doc told me that I "deconditioned," basically my muscles were very weak.The most embarrassing thing that happened was at work one day. I told people that I couldn't really do long walks and stuff because I had knee problems. I was with a colleague and we had to walk 5 Philadelphia city blocks to a meeting at a restaurant. I was in a suit and my legs started to get tired 3 blocks into the walk. We crossed the street and I stepped into a divot and lost my balance. I was on my hands and knees in the street and literally could not get up. I had to crawl to the sidewalk. People tried to help me and offered to call an ambulance. I took a cab back to the office after a couple minutes rest and then went home for the day. I was a 33 year old guy and couldn't get up after I fell.A few months went by and I moved to new apartment in Delaware and drive to work so I don't have to walk those terrifying city blocks anymore. I already had a weight set and started to lift a little bit. I couldn't go to the gym for fear of people laughing at me. I went a couple of times in the past, but I literally had to lay down for 5 or 6 mins just to be able to walk to my car and drive home on shaky legs. I wanted to get stronger and saw the Body Beast program on TV. I figured I could do it in my home and fail without embarrassment.The first couple of weeks were literally hell. I was so weak that I couldn't make it through most of the dvds. But, I kept at it, bought supplements, and kept going. BCAAs, Whey protein, and Casein Protein go into my post workout drink. After the first month, I felt a lot stronger and did not feel like I was constantly in fear of falling and not being able to get up. I started the program for real after a month of half effort and everything changed for me.I realized that I couldn't get up after a fall because my core and legs were weak and fatigued quickly. After less than a month of doing the program, I was squatting over 280 lbs and deadlifting the same. So in about 60 days I went from basically crawling up a flight of stairs to squatting 280 lbs. I couldn't curl 20 lbs for more than 10 reps before the program, now my top set curl is 50 lbs., after a pyramid of 20, 40 and 50 lbs.I don't look like Sagi, and that's fine. I'm almost done with cycle 2 of the program and I have my life back. I'm almost as strong as I was 120 lbs heavier. My muscles are harder than they have ever been at any time in my life. I can do weighted burpees and pull ups. I run up stairs now. This is a rehabilitation program as much as it is a fitness program. Most people won't start where I was- basically relearning to walk. I'm actually pretty embarrassed of having been so weak- I don't tell many people about it. This program took me from deconditioned to legit strong in four months. I'm never going to stop working out and will probably do this program 20 or 30 times instead of going to the gym. It will take years to look like Sagi, and I'm perfectly ok with that. I'm really looking forward to my results after 1 year of Body Beast with P90X thrown in for good measure.I don't know if this review will help. I wrote it to encourage people who might be recovering from an injury or have limited mobility- to encourage them to not be afraid of this program. You can start where you are, no-one can judge you in your own home. You will get stronger, that is literally inevitable. The only bad thing is that you need A LOT of equipment. For me- the investment has resulted in a whole new life. You will need years to look like Sagi, but, only 90 days to be a stronger better you.