So you’re wondering, “Which Beachbody program should I do?” Well, you’ve come to the right place. 

While we’ve tried them all, we always return to the best Beachbody workouts because they’re the most effective.

In this article, we share the best Beachbody workouts and why we have repeated them all multiple times. 

Best Beachbody Workouts Ryan and Alex Duo Life

the best beachbody workouts

We have been working out consistently with Beachbody since 2008. We started way before things were streaming online, back in the days we had to patiently wait for our DVDs to arrive in the mail!

Now, all of Beachbody’s workouts can be accessed on one digital library, Beachbody On Demand. But how do you pick the best ones out of the hundred available – and with new programs coming out quarterly?

As a side note, we are both Beachbody coaches (since 2014), and we do our best to complete every program that Beachbody has ever offered.

All Beachbody customers are assigned a coach, whether you want one or not. A good coach is quite helpful. So, if you’re not already working with a coach, go ahead and request us as your coaches.

Selecting The Best Beachbody Workouts?

We have personally completed each of these best Beachbody workouts multiple times.

They made the cut because, based on our experience, they produce the best results for both weight loss and muscle gain (they go hand in hand).

In this article, we share our list of the top 8 Beachbody programs. But why only eight?

Between the two of us and our team, we’ve done ALL of the Beachbody programs (as of November 2022). We have opinions and comments for all of them, but if they’re not on this list, we don’t frequently recommend them for one reason or another.

It doesn’t mean those programs are bad, but they’re not the ones that really stand out for us.

It could also mean that the program is just too new. Again, we collect a lot of data points (customer success stories) and do significant testing ourselves. For example, LIIFT More is a strong contender but we need more time. 

How do I Choose a Beachbody Workout?

First off, the best thing is that Beachbody offers a 2-week free trial, so it’s easy to get started risk-free.

Also, the full Beachbody On Demand library is available to you, so if you don’t love the program you’re doing, just stop and move on to the next.

When choosing a workout program, ask yourself (or us, you can leave a comment below or email us):

  • What are my goals?
  • Which programs have I seen the most success with in the past?
  • What, if any, home gym equipment do I have access to?
  • How often can I really work out in a week?
  • What is my current fitness level?

As coaches, the biggest red flag we see when people choose their own workout program is that people will go with what’s most comfortable or fun.

Honestly, your body won’t be challenged if you don’t try new workouts and simply stick with the ones you like. That’s why we do yoga because we’re horrible at it and therefore know that it’s what our bodies need.

Generally, our other piece of advice is to build muscle to lose weight. Go lighter on the cardio (unless it incorporates strength training) and prioritize resistance training, either with dumbbells, resistance bands, or bodyweight.

Use our fitness tracking body measurement chart, before and after photos, and give it at least 3 weeks with a program before expecting to see results. If you don’t track, you won’t know how well it’s working.

The 8 Best Beachbody Workouts

Now, let’s get to the list of our top Beachbody workouts in 2022. This list is compiled through personal experience and by polling our Beachbody clients and team members.

1. P90X3 By Tony Horton

Best for: Functional fitness including power, agility, balance, and range of motion
Level: Advanced
Commitment: 90 days for 30 minutes a day
Equipment: Dumbbells or resistance bands and a pull-up bar

Best Beachbody Workouts P90X3

Best Overall Fitness Program For Athletic Performance

As classic as they come, P90X3 is the shorter version of P90X, the 2005 program that launched Tony Horton’s celebrity trainer status.

The P90X3 program literally does it all: yoga, pilates, HIIT, strength training, MMA, balance, and muscle building. The huge variety of exercises within each workout prevents boredom and plateau.

We love it because it’s the most skillfully, well-balanced fitness program we’ve ever come across. By the end of the 90 days, you feel like an Olympic athlete. 

Tony Horton does a great job talking you through the workouts, and it will keep you injury-free. After doing this program, we’re noticeably more muscular, balanced, fast, and flexible.

Tony Horton is the best of the best. When we are training for ski season, an obstacle race, or a backpacking trip, P90X3 is clutch. It’s one of the hardest Beachbody workouts. If you’re looking for the hardest and most advanced, that’s P90X2.

Watch The P90X3 Trailer

2. LIIFT4 By Joel Freeman

Best for: Strength training and getting trim on a tight schedule
Level: Intermediate
Commitment: 4 days a week for 8 weeks. Around 30 minutes a workout
Equipment: Dumbbells or resistance bands

Best Beachbody Workouts LIIFT4

Best Time-Saving Workout To Get Swim Suit Ready

The newest program on our list is LIIFT4, a mix of weight lifting and HIIT (hence the name).

This is our single-most recommended program for newcomers to home workouts. It’s accessible and easy on your schedule at just 4-days a week, not to mention it’s one of the best Beachbody workouts for weight loss. 

Plus, with just a few sets of dumbbells or two or three resistance bands, you can complete the whole program. If you plan to use resistance bands for strength training, LIIFT4 is by far the best program. 

Additionally, we like the inclusion of a core workout every time, and the systemic coverage of upper body and lower body days. For six-pack abs and total body strength, this program delivers. 

LIIFT4 is a big favorite and one that should be in everyone’s repertoire for busy times of the year. The LIIFT4 program is our recommendation for the best Beachbody workout for abs. 

Watch The LIIFT4 Trailer

3. Focus T25 by Shaun T

Best for: Minimal equipment bodyweight workouts with a focus on intense cardio
Level: Intermediate
Commitment: 6 days a week for 10 weeks. 25 minutes a workout
Equipment: Dumbbells or resistance bands

Best Beachbody Workouts Focus T25

Best Cardio for Weight Loss and Getting Ripped

Shaun T is a master trainer, and we always enjoy his workouts. They’re crafted expertly and always push us to the limits.

With some trainers, it’s easy to back off and give the most effort. However, with Shaun T, he makes doing your best non-negotiable. These are the best Beachbody cardio workouts, so be prepared for exhaustion and fast results.

In addition to being an expert motivator, he explains proper form better than any other trainer. If you’re new to HIIT or exercising in general, your form will be perfect by the end of this program.

This is Ryan’s all-time favorite workout program. We use Focus T25 workouts to train for skiing, hiking, trail races, and obstacle course races. 

For cardio, it can’t be beat. Once, Ryan trained for a 5K mud run in his high-rise apartment in Shanghai. Due to the pollution, he didn’t run outside once and did 2 rounds of T25.

He flew to the US and completed the mud run the following day, placing 2nd overall. For that reason, Focus T25 earns our vote for the best Beachbody workouts for runners. 

Focus T25 is always the first program on our minds when people ask us, “Which Beachbody workout burns the most fat?” In our opinion, Shaun T’s creates the most effective Beachbody workouts. 

Watch The Focus T25 Trailer

4. 3 Week Yoga Retreat

Best for: Restorative yoga
Level: Beginner
Commitment: 3 weeks with 10-30 minute workouts
Equipment: Yoga mat

Best Beachbody Workouts 3 Week Yoga Retreat

Best Yoga Program for Complete Newbies or Avid Yogis

No matter if you’re a beginner or advanced yogi, take some time to set the foundation and review the fundamentals.

While there are many individual yoga workouts in the Beachbody Yoga Studio, the 3 Week Yoga Retreat is the only structured program.

We always recommend following a specific workout calendar rather than designing your own plan consisting of the workouts you want to do (instead of the ones experts know you need).

Therefore, the 3 Week Yoga Retreat consists of the best Beachbody yoga workouts. 

3 Week Yoga Retreat is for everyone — and yes, it’s even good for the bodybuilders out there! For balance, flexibility, and controlled strength, don’t skip this one.

The 3 Week Yoga Retreat covers three phases: foundation, expansion, and progression. The four yoga instructors who take turns teaching this course each add their own flair and unique touches.

Our favorite instructors that we always go back to are Vytas and Elise.

If you think you’ll skip this one because you hate yoga… this is WHY you need to do it!

Alex is with you. Yoga really isn’t her thing, but after thoughtfully practicing it for years now, she appreciates the strength and balance it imparts.

If you’re new to exercising or returning to your workouts from an injury, these are perfect Beachbody workouts for beginners to ease your body back into more intense forms of exercise. 

Watch The 3 Week Yoga Retreat Trailer

5. Body Beast by Sagi Kalev

Best for: Weight lifting at its finest for both men and women
Level: Intermediate
Commitment: 90 days with 6 workouts a week. 10-55 minutes per workout
Equipment: Wide selection of free weights, a workout bench or stability ball, and pull-up bar or bands with door attachment

Best Beachbody Workouts Body Beast

Best Weight Lifting Workout for Muscle

For those of you with a full home gym and ready to get ripped, this is the program for you.

No, it’s not reserved for bodybuilders and physique competitors. This is Alex’s favorite program and (for her) the best Beachbody workouts to lose weight without getting bulky.

Check out the article below for her full Body Beast weight loss transformation story and photos.

Body Beast is the classic weight lifting program to get you a lean, chiseled physique. Hands-down, the 3-month program includes the best Beachbody workouts to build muscle. 

It is accompanied by a meal plan and nutrition guide to make sure your eating matches up with your goals.

Body Beast is a bigger time commitment than the other programs we’ve mentioned so far, but none come close to the focus on muscle building. There are two calendars you can follow for either a “lean beast” or “huge beast.”

While weight lifting, we highly recommend following an instructor. Even when you know the moves and know the approximate timing, it’s never as effective as when you do it with a trainer, whether online or in person.

Too often people break too long between sets when they don’t follow a structured program. There go the cardio benefits. 

Watch The Body Beast Trailer

6. 21 Day Fix by Autumn Calabrese

Best for: Getting back into the swing of things and seeing/feeling quick results
Level: Beginners
Commitment: 21 days, 30 minutes a day
Equipment: A small selection of dumbbells is helpful, or a resistance band

Best Beachbody Workouts 21 Day Fix

Best Beachbody Workouts for Beginners and Weight Loss

21 Day Fix is one of the more well-known Beachbody programs, and for good reason.

Not only did the trainer, Autumn Calabrese, introduce the portion-fix containers (which are game-changing for nutrition-based weight loss!), she covers a wide range of workouts including cardio, lifting, pilates, and yoga.

Plus, her 10-minute abs workout is epic and one Alex does weekly!

We recommend 21 Day Fix often as the best Beachbody workouts for beginners and people just starting to work out again after a break. Her workouts are tough for any level and are dynamic and fresh.

This workout program is a solid choice when first starting out with Beachbody. 21 Day Fix doesn’t require much equipment and the wide variety of workout types make it the perfect introduction.

Watch The 21 Day Fix Trailer

7. Job1 by Jennifer Jacobs

Best for: A tough, well-balanced workout that is safe for all fitness levels 
Level: All
Commitment: 4 weeks at 5 days a week. Workouts are 20 minutes
Equipment:  Resistance loops and dumbbells

Best beachbody workouts job1

Best Balance of Cardio, Strength, and Mobility Without Risk of Injury

Job1 is a recent addition to our shortlist of best Beachbody programs. We’ve done it once, twice, and we’ll do it again.

Jennifer Jacobs, new to Beachbody and made famous by her Peloton workouts, is a world-class trainer. Her workouts are innovative and incredibly effective, and her commentary is professional and motivating. We loved that it was just her on the screen for the Job1 videos.

Jennifer believes that physical fitness should be a non-negotiable part of your day. Even more important than your job (hence the name Job1). We love that and couldn’t agree more, but quite frankly, we didn’t expect to love Job1.

First, as you can tell from our list, we believe the older programs are generally more effective. Second, the program is designed for “all fitness levels,” which is usually a red flag for intermediate or advanced individuals looking for a real challenge. And lastly, 20 minutes is very short.

We were wrong about Job1.

It’s a perfect balance of cardio, strength, and mobility. But, still, 20 minutes is very short and if you just finished P90X3, Job1 probably won’t challenge you. So, why did it still make the list?

Well, if you want huge muscles, do Body Beast. If you want to absolutely torch calories and get shredded, do Insanity. However, know that with these great results comes greater risk for injury.

If you want tough, well-balanced workouts that make you feel like a strong athlete, but you don’t want the aches and pains, do Job1.

Watch The Job1 Trailer

8. Insanity Max:30 by Shaun T

Best for: No equipment cardio junkies
Level: Advanced
Commitment: 8 weeks, 6 days a week. 30 minutes per workout
Equipment: None

Best Beachbody Workouts Insanity Max30

Best No-Equipment Total Body Strength and Cardio Workout

You will look and feel amazing with Insanity Max:30. This full bodyweight workout program is tough, but we can’t describe how good it feels to finish each 30-minute workout.

A really fun aspect of Insanity Max:30 is recording your Max-out time. During each workout, you push as hard and long as you can. Once your form fails or you need to take a breather, you record the time on the clock. 

Next week, when you repeat the same workout, now you have a goal to surpass your previous Max-out time and something to measure your progress.

More so than any other on the list, this is the program that will burn the most calories and get you lean. If you ask Ryan, this is easily the most effective Beachbody workout.

In a recent experiment, we tested an Insanity Max:30 workout against five other workouts, including the treadmill, exercise bike, and some popular YouTube workout videos. Insanity Max:30 CRUSHED them.

For Ryan, Insanity Max:30 was 91% more effective than the worst workout we tested (a freebie on YouTube with nearly 10 million views to date).

The difference equates to 23 lbs. of weight loss! This is why we always recommend going with a full program designed by a professional trainer and team, not just YouTube freebies!

You can read the full cardio experiment below, or you can take our word that it’s the most effective exercise program in the world.

Watch The Insanity Max:30 Trailer

Final Remarks on the Best Beachbody WOrkouts

So, there you go, our top 8 Beachbody workouts as of November 2022!

As mentioned earlier, we’ve done nearly all of the Beachbody programs available, and have heard feedback on all of them from our team. If a program you’re interested in didn’t make our list, it doesn’t mean it’s a bad program.

We simply share the exceptional, standout ones from our perspective, but are happy to write our opinions on other programs if you leave a comment below. By popular demand, here are some of our other favorite programs. 

Honorable Mentions:

  • 30-Day Breakaway: This is the best Beachbody workout to become a strong, fast, and injury-free runner.
  • Cize: Fun and still great cardio, it’s a favorite Beachbody dancing workout. 
  • P90: The best Beachbody workout that is low impact and safe for all ages and fitness levels.
  • Core De Force: It’s the most challenging MMA workout.
  • Hammer & Chisel or 80 Day Obsession: Two more challenging and well-rounded programs for both strength and cardio

For other questions regarding Beachbody workouts, Shakeology, or if you want help finding a good Beachbody coach (if you don’t, you’re automatically assigned one), make sure your head over to our Beachbody Page

Beachbody WOrkout FAQs

Are Beachbody Workouts Right For Me?

On the brink of whether or not to start home workouts with Beachbody On Demand?

Here’s what we’ve found so helpful all of these years:

Cost-effective

They’re incredibly affordable, at $9.99-$24.99 a month depending on the subscription you choose.

The BOD pricing changed in June 2022, so check updated prices here.

Structured programs

Each program comes with a calendar, tracking sheet, nutrition guide, and free support through coaches like us.

For us, this is the biggest difference between trying to follow a DIY schedule with YouTube workouts and a well-planned Beachbody program.

Trust us, it’s better to spend $10 a month and get the real deal. Don’t mess around with your health and fitness!

Fitness freedom

The workouts can be streamed anywhere in the world, which has helped us and our nomadic lifestyle immensely.

Additionally, there are tons of short, no-equipment options if you only have time for a quick sweat in your hotel room.

Variety

There is a huge variety of workouts on Beachbody On Demand, including bodybuilding, yoga, dance, running, martial arts, and HIIT cardio. No matter what you’re looking for, there’s a workout for you.

We dive more into why we recommend Beachbody On Demand to all of our family and friends in our BOD review.

How Do I Maximize My BOD Membership?

Congrats on being a BOD member! There are three things you should do now.

1. Join a BODgroup.

You are more than welcome to request access to our online BODgroup for accountability and support. When you join, start tracking your workouts right away and share your goals with the group.

We think the BODgroups are far superior to Facebook accountability groups.

2. Get a good coach.

Every Beachbody customer has a coach. You’re paying for it, so make sure you find a good one (or at least one that isn’t annoying).

If you want us to be your coach(es) you get a two-for-one deal. Here’s how we work.

We never contact you with anything promotional and always respond thoughtfully to your questions through email or our BODgroup.

Since we have been following Beachbody programs (all of them) since 2010 and drinking Shakeology since 2014, we have a lot of experience.

Additionally, we have helped over 15,000 customers, and, according to Google, in 2021 alone our helpful Beachbody articles were read by 130,254 readers.

Lastly, since Beachbody coaching is only a small portion of our business (our lifestyle website for couples) our advice is less bias and we often share tools outside the Beachbody umbrella.

3. Follow a plan.

In the beginning, feel free to pick and choose workouts that look fun. This gives you a chance to try out the different trainers. Once you find something you like, follow the full program plan.

Your results will be lacking (and therefore your motivation) if you choose to just follow individual workouts. 

In addition to the Beachbody program plans, we created a few free plans of our own. Feel free to download them!

These pair well with the Beachbody free trial.

What About Other Beachbody Products?

We follow the workouts via Beachbody On Demand almost daily, as well as drinking Shakeology daily. We have been Shakeology drinkers since 2014.

For us, Shakeology is valuable, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right supplement for everyone. We decided to write a thorough review of our own after reading tons of controversial reviews.

We’ll debunk those reviews, share our knowledge and experience on this nutrition supplement, and talk about who should and who should not drink it in our Shakeology review.

However, just because we like Shakeology doesn’t mean it’s the best shake for you. So, we geeked out and identified the best Shakeology Alternatives according to the data.

Lastly, you’re probably confused about the monthly price of Shakeology, how to take advantage of the discounts, and what’s the catch when you do. We clear all that up and share the exact numbers in our article titled, ‘How Much Is Shakeology a Month?

30-Day Weight Loss Challenge Tracker Form V2 Ryan and Alex Duo Life

30-Day Weight Loss Challenge

As engineers with a combined twelve years of health coaching experience, we needed to create a data-driven way for our clients to sustain weight loss.

Too many weight loss challenges involve a long list of what you can, cannot, and need to do every day. We’ve reduced the overwhelm and only require you to track five numbers a day — calories, steps, fiber, sleep, and waistline.

You’ll track five numbers daily to give you the highest return for sustainable weight loss. As a bonus, we’ll share our Weight Loss Bundle, which includes strategies, progress tracking tools, and additional weight loss plans.

Learn more about the program.

As Seen In Feature Bar Ryan and Alex Duo Life

Hey we're Ryan and Alex

The creators of Ryan and Alex Duo Life. We are a husband-wife duo and “lifestyle engineers.”

After eight years working in the corporate world as engineers, we left our high-powered jobs to tackle our true passion — helping couples engineer their best lives.

The synergy of our engineering minds and ten years of health coaching experience produced Ryan and Alex Duo Life. Our mission is to help you transform your bodies, minds, and relationship as a couple.

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