The Ultimate Guide To Liift 4 [And Why It May Be The Best Workout Ever Created By Beachbody]

Last Updated February 10,2019

The LIIFT 4 workout is one of the latest Beachbody programs designed to help people achieve their fitness goals.
It combines weightlifting and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for a complete full body routine. However, before you trade in your regular routine, take a look at my results and overview. 

In this review you'll get...

• Results
• Overview and schedule 
• Meal plan and nutrition guide information
• Pros and Cons
• My thoughts on why this may be the best Beachbody program ever created

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Liift 4 Results

​But before the overview and pros and cons, I'll show you my results from this amazing program...

Liift 4 Schedule And Overview

This program was created by Joel Freeman who has over 15 years of experience in the health and fitness industry. With this program, he designed a routine that uses simple moves and avoids complicated routines.
Here is quick overview of what you can expect from the LIIFT 4 program:

• 8 weeks of exercise with 32 workouts
• 30 to 40-minute sessions
• Strength training and HIIT exercises
• Live workouts with Joel and his team

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This program is exclusive to Beachbody On Demand. It is not available on DVD or Blu-ray. You need to sign up for the online streaming service, and then purchase one of the LIIFT 4 program packages.

When using Beachbody On Demand, you can access your workouts and track your progress across all devices. Whether you prefer to use your tablet or streaming device connected to a TV, you can play your workouts and adjust the workout modifier.

The program consists of four workouts per week for eight weeks. You get a total of 32 different workouts without repeating the same moves.
During the first six weeks, the workouts are typically about 30 minutes. In the last two weeks, Joel increases the intensity to help you get shredded. The workouts increase to 40 minutes and include more HIIT.

As you only workout for four days, you get three days to recover. On the first day, you target your back and biceps, followed by your chest and triceps, shoulders, and legs.
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​What Do You Get With The LIIFT 4 Program?
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Theses workouts are only offered through BOD. You do not get DVDs. However, depending on the package you purchase, you may get some of the required and recommended accessories, such as resistance bands and a foam roller.

The core component of the program is the 32 workouts that are offered through the BOD streaming service. You can open the app on your mobile device, computer, or streaming device and join Joel for real-time workouts.
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You also get some digital content when you purchase the program. The digital materials include the LIIFT 4 Program & Nutrition Guide, Workout Calendar, and Weight Progression Tracker. The materials are available digitally and can be downloaded to compatible devices.

What Equipment Do You Need For Liift 4?

​Besides a Beachbody On Demand (BOD) membership and LIIFT 4 package, you need dumbbells or resistance bands. The various offers includes two resistance bands (15-pounds and 20-pounds of resistance) and two band handles.

A foam roller and a core comfort mat are also recommended but not required. These accessories are included in the Mega Challenge Pack, Mega Accessories Bundle, and the Mega Completion Pack.
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You do not need a lot of equipment. You can jump right into the exercise with just the resistance bands, and then incorporate the other accessories if you feel the need.

Benefits Of This Program
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The main benefit of the LIIFT 4 system is the effectiveness of these compact workouts. Joel combines strength training and HIIT to maximize results from a 30 to 40-minute session.

You also only need to work out four days a week. The compact nature of the program may be more convenient for those with a hectic schedule. At eight weeks, its also easy to commit to for the entire length of the program.

Most people also enjoy the three days of recovery. You can rest on Wednesday and the weekend, which ensures that you do not over-train or get burned out.
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Joel also keeps the workouts interesting, which ensures that you never do the same routine twice. There are new workouts for each day throughout the entire eight-week program.
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Also, I discussed the benefits of strength training and resistance training in this article, but the benefits of high intensity interval training are also well documented in articles that discuss the benefits of Tabata workouts, hiit and fat loss, as well as the effectiveness of hiit on obesity.

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​Who Should Consider Using This Program?
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This system is designed for those who want a short yet effective workout for the entire body. The workouts are between 30 and 40 minutes, which also makes it easier to fit into your daily routine.

With the combination of strength training and HIIT, this system is also versatile. Whether you want to lose weight, get ripped, or build a sculpted body, Joel's program may help you reach your fitness goals.

Keep in mind that the workouts are designed to push you. You get a solid intermediate to advanced level workout. Those who are just getting back into working out may want to warm up for a couple of weeks before jumping into the full program.
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If you want a challenging routine that works with your busy schedule, theses workouts may be the right fit. You just need 30 to 40 minutes of time 4 days per week. In just eight weeks, you could transform your entire body.
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Pros And Cons

Pros

• Only 4 workouts each week
• New workouts every workout kept me interested and never bored
• Short, 30-40 minute workouts
• 8 week program
• Effective combination of resistance training and cardio
• Production quality of Beachbody programs is always good
• Joel Freeman is engaging, motivating, and never got annoying
• Minimal equipment, even for resistance training is always a good thing
• Challenging, fun, and interesting new cardio and core moves not seen in other Beachbody workouts
• Nutrition program contains a vegan option
• Quick ab/core exercises at the end of each workout
  

Cons

• No music within workouts (a new feature of recent Beachbody workouts)
• Recommended music must be downloaded through Spotify.  I thought this was a little strange for Beachbody, but some people may enjoy this new feature
• Transitions between exercises can be super fast and at times I found myself losing timing with the workouts
• Lack of workout progression timer had me hit the pause button too many times to see how much time was left 

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Liift 4 Meal Plan And Nutrition Guide

Over the years, Beachbody has become great a simplifying their meal plans and nutrition guides.  Fortunately Liift 4 follows this simple blueprint too.  It's primarily based on hitting a calorie range based on your weight and eating the correct, healthy foods to achieve that range.  The program recommends using portion control containers as an aid to eating the right amounts of each food.

Personally, I can't stand calorie counting, portion control containers, weighing food, or making things too complicated, so I followed Beachbody's guidlelines in their amazing nutrition program The 2B Mindset.   Hopefully, in the future, Beachbody will just reference the 2B Mindset for all their meal plan and nutrition workout guides, because its super simple and uses common sense to achieve your weight loss and fitness goals.

For more detailed information on the Liift 4 meal plan, I've included some screenshots taken directly from the program...

Final Thoughts On Liift 4...The Best Program Ever?

​There are over 50 Beachbody workout programs in their fitness library, but I honestly feel this is the best program to lose weight, get in shape, build muscle, and improve overall fitness and appearance.  Here's why...

Most of their programs focus on one thing, either cardio or resistance training.  For example, T25 or Insanity are cardio intensive workouts designed to get your heart rate up and burn serious calories.  Other programs like Body Beast or even P90X are resistance training or weight lifting intense.  These are designed to build and strengthen muscle.  

I'm not saying these nor other programs don't offer a good combination of both cardio and resistance training, but Liift 4 is the best of both worlds.  I recently wrote a thorough article on why resistance training is almost more important than cardio if you want a tone, lean, and attractive body.

P90X,  Body Beast, 80 Day Obsession, Shift Shop, The 21 Day Fix, Hammer and Chisel are all great programs that offer a solid combination of cardio and resistance training, but Liift 4 is the best.

Joel Freeman, in Liift 4 gives you a solid and fun cardio workout, with consistent resistance training.  He also encourages using heavy weights, which many of the other programs do not.  In my experience, using heavy resistance is the best and fastest way to muscle growth.  Furthermore, unlike many of the other workouts, these are only 30-40 minutes, 4 days a week.  Joel gives you solid resistance training and cardio in a very short time period, something the the other programs do not.  The other programs are a minimum of  30 minutes each day, 6 days a week.  This program is extremely efficient.

The combination of..

• Heavy resistance training
• Hiit cardio
• Quick workouts
• Only 4 days a week

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Make this the best Beachbody program, or most efficient program ever created.  Maybe in the future they'll have similar programs that are only a few days a week.  For those with a busy schedule, and even people with more time, you simply can't beat the efficiency of this program.