Everyone is gearing up and getting excited for Chalene Johnson's latest workout, PiYo. PiYo is a brand new workout from the Queen of Fitness, Chalene Johnson that will get you shredded and in the best shape of your life in 60 days. How does the workout work? What inspired PiYo? Why should you get excited? We have the exclusive interview with Chalene Johnson.
Why are you so excited to introduce PiYo?
PiYo is a proven program that has been so effective in gyms around the world. I’m super excited to bring it to DVD because it’s the program that will shape, strengthen and heal people’s bodies.
Sounds incredible. Who is the ideal PiYo customer, then?
PiYo is for anyone who wants a workout that will help them work on flexibility, cardio and strength—at the same time.
What inspired you to create PiYo?
Whenever I create a fitness program I start with a need. I was doing yoga, but I still felt like I needed to stretch certain areas, do more cardio, and lift more weights. So, I started to think, “How can I get more flexible and develop strength and cardio?”
What are the main things you need to know about PiYo?
Studies show that a more flexible muscle has greater strength potential which leads to better results. The training you get during PiYo allows you to burn incredible amounts of calories that you wouldn’t in a static type workout.
Did you develop PiYo in response to anything you struggled with personally in your own training?
Totally! I always found I would finish and feel like I didn’t really stretch certain areas. I felt so tight and I’m a fitness professional, it was embarrassing. So when I was developing PiYo I asked my students to show me the one muscle that was the tightest. When people did that I saw five different stretches. It made me realize the important of focusing on flexibility needs so my students could be better at running, etc. I wanted to make PiYo really functional and forget the traditional rules of stretching.
What types of results can people expect to see from PiYo?
My goal is to make everything easier for you. I want you to trust that you can use your own body weight to make yourself stronger. The transformation people will see is amazing.
For example, I have a letter from a lady who said, “Since I started PiYo six months ago, I have broken every single personal marathon pace and I’m astonishingly faster than I ever dreamed possible. I broke the four-hour mark for my marathon time and I know it’s because of Piyo. Plus, normally I’m spent for a week after a marathon, but the next day I felt great!
Would you say PiYo is accessible for all fitness levels?
Yes! PiYo is truly accessible for everyone from the brand spanking new, to the super tight, but super fit. We did some cool things with camera angles so it is very clear how to do each move.
You always have such good playlists. Do you have favorite songs for your PiYo workouts?
When I do PiYo I like moody, cool indie music. I love Marine and the Diamonds, Lady Gaga, even old school like Marvin Gaye – anything that gives me a sexy, cool, soulful mood. The music in PiYo is really important because if the right song is playing it tells you how to move and flow.
Do you have a favorite move or workout from PiYo?
It’s not a move or workout, but Beachbody granted me my wish. I had an idea to incorporate a piece of equipment that we don’t currently have in our catalog. I’m absolutely in love with it and all the workouts that feature this equipment are my favorite. It’s going to blow peoples’ minds and it’s killing me not to tell you what it is. But more details to come soon…
