The LIIFT4 workout program is an 8-week Beachbody program created by fitness trainer Joel Freeman. It focuses on weightlifting and HIIT cardio to build muscle and burn calories.
LIIFT4 Workouts
I know I have said this before, but the LIIFT4 program is one of the best home workout programs I’ve ever done. When it comes to Beachbody programs, it ranks up there in my top 3, along with Turbofire and 21-Day Fix.
The best part about this program is that it is only a 4-day per week commitment. This makes it totally doable! On the 3 rest days per week you have the opportunity to rest your muscles, stretch, or be active in other ways that you enjoy, such as going for walks, running, yoga, etc. I found that with all the strength training I was doing in this program, the rest days were definitely needed to rest my muscles. I was sore throughout the entire program. I used the extra days off to take the dogs for more walks.
The workout lengths range from about 23 minutes up to 40 minutes. Most of them are around 35-39 minutes long.
There are 4 types of workouts in the LIIFT4 program plus 2 recovery day stretch workouts:
- LIIFT 50/50
- Starts with weightlifting in the first half of the workout, followed by a HIIT section, and ending with core.
- For the weightlifting section, you perform 3 blocks of exercises. In each block you do 3 sets of 2 different exercises back-to-back. For example, the first block may be a chest press and a tricep kickback exercise. You do each for 3 sets, with 10 reps of each exercise. The second block is 2 different exercises.
- For the HIIT section you do 3 rounds of 3 exercises. The first exercise in the round is done for 60 seconds, the second exercise is done for 45 seconds, and the third exercise is done for 30 seconds. After you’ve done all 3 exercises, you repeat the round 2 more times.
- Circuit
- The workout is all weightlifting with core at the end.
- You do 3 blocks of exercises. In each block you do 3 rounds of 4 different exercises back to back. For example, the first block may be chest press, tricep kickback, chest fly, and skull crushers exercises. The second and third blocks are 4 different exercises.
- The weightlifting ends with a burnout of 2 exercises for 30 second each, repeated 3 times.
- LIIFT Intervals
- The workout is alternating weightlifting exercises and HIIT cardio exercises, ending with core.
- You do 2 weightlifting exercises, followed by a 30 second HIIT exercise, repeating each block 3 times before moving onto the next block. There are a total of 3 blocks of exercises.
- This was my favorite type of workout in the program.
- HIIT
- 4 HIIT cardio moves of varying lengths and ending with core.
- The first exercise is done for 60 seconds, the second done for 45 seconds, the third done for 30 seconds, and the fourth one done for 15 seconds.
- Just when you think you’re done, you do a burnout round of each exercise for 30 seconds.
My favorite type of workout in the series was the LIIFT Intervals. It took a lot more motivation to do the HIIT only workouts, but luckily there are only 4 in the whole program.
Weeks 1-6 of the program alternate between the 4 types of workouts. Weeks 7-8 are changed up a little bit. The upper body days are combined into 2 workouts, instead of 3, and there is a leg day and total body HIIT day in weeks 7 and 8.
Equipment Needed for LIIFT4
You will need different sizes of dumbbells. I used 6 different sizes throughout the program, ranging from 5-20 pounds. I progressed my weights throughout the program (view progression chart below) so you can purchase more as you go. I ended up ordering a few more sets from Amazon. While they may be good for some other home workouts, I don’t recommend the SelectTech dumbbells for LIIFT4 because the transitions between exercises are too quick to have time to change the weight.
If you don’t have any dumbbells before starting this program and only want to buy a few sets I would recommend 5 lb., 10 lb., and 15 lb. for beginner women. If you’re more advanced, you may consider starting with 8 lb., 12 lb., and 20 lb.
You can see my progression below.
What I Didn’t Like About LIIFT4
There is honestly not a lot to say here because I really liked this program! I love that it focuses on strength training, but also burns a ton of calories and adds in some HIIT components as well. I also love that there is a core component to every single workout. I often forget about my core, and it’s nice to have that 10-minute core burn 4 days/week.
If I had to be really picky I would say that I wish the workouts were 25-30 minutes long instead of 35-40 minutes long. I like to stay right below that 30 minute mark when I workout at home.
I also wish there was music playing in the background. There are spotify playlists you can use specifically for LIIFT4, but I haven’t tried those yet.
LIIFT4 Nutrition Plan
Based on your weight, you will be put into one of the 6 nutrition plans. Each plan gives you a range of calories to eat, as well as how many servings of each type of food you can eat: veggies, fruits, proteins, carbs, healthy fats, seeds and dressings, and oil and nut butters.
I was in Plan A, which is a weight of 168 lbs. or less. Unlike some of the other Beachbody nutrition plans, I was very glad that the recommended caloric intake for my plan was higher. Most plans recommend a 1200 calorie plan but this one was 1200-1500 calories, which makes sense considering you should be eating more food when lifting weights. I ate at the top of the caloric intake (about 1500 calories) throughout the program (and sometimes over of course).
The LIIFT4 nutrition plan also puts a lot of emphasis on using the Beachbody performance supplements and drinking shakeology daily. I did not use any of the supplements or shakeology when doing this round. I have used shakeology in the past, but I have found some other protein supplements that I like better that I use.
I did not follow the nutrition plan as closely as I did the workout plan. But, I was still happy with my results.
My LIIFT4 Workout Program Results
I am really glad that I took before and after pictures and measurements before this program, instead of relying on the number on the scale. I actually gained 2 pounds with LIIFT4! Not something I was going for, but based on my measurements, pictures, and the way my clothes fit, I know those 2 pounds are pure lean muscle and not fat.
My picture results may not be huge differences, but I can see a difference in the size of my legs and butt the most.
My measurements also changed from this program, showing that I’ve tightened up. I lost a total of 6 inches around my hips, thighs, and waist in the 8 weeks (I gained .5 inches on each bicep).
Overall I have tightened up, especially my legs and arms. I feel a lot stronger, and am excited about seeing where round 2 takes me!
How to Get Started with LIIFT4
The enitre LIIFT4 program, including the nutrition plan is available to stream on Beachbody On Demand. With BOD you also get access to hundreds of other Beachbody workout programs.
To learn more about Beachbody on Demand, click here for all the inside information.
To sign up for Beachbody on Demand as a new customer AND get the LIIFT4 performance or shakeology bundle, this LIIFT4 Challenge Pack is for you!
I am starting my 2nd round of LIIFT 4 and would love for you to join me! I plan to tighten up the nutrition aspect this round and will update you on the progress I make!
Comment below if you have any questions about the program, or if you’ve done it, let me know how it went for you!
All these programs are meant to give Beachbody and their celebrity trainers results in the pocket department$$$.
There are only so many ways to train and tried components to the workout process.
Strength training/muscle building, cardio, and flexibility work.
And of course a proper eating and supplement regiment.
You train for three weeks do a recovery week where you do minor cardio, stretching work then restart the process by increasing resistance, and intensity.
That way you train for life.
Three day full body weights followed by hit style cardio alternated the next day with flexibility work, either yoga or stretching for thirty minutes.
Mon-Fri weekends off.
Real simple.
With full body if you happen to miss a workout you simple make it up the next day without having to wait a week.
And, you can cram weights, cardio, flexibility into one session in under 45 minutes and have the next day off to enjoy life.
Just my 2 cents because this way of training worked long before Horton, Shaun T, Joel, and it will work 50 years from 2020.