Fitness Tips,  Reviews

Bodyboss Review – The Perfect HIIT Program for Your Busy Life

Prior to November 2017, the only kind of exercise routine I could stick to was running and yoga. I never thought I would try a hardcore fitness program like Bodyboss, let alone finish the program and write a Bodyboss review! 

But although running and yoga are both fantastic forms of exercise that helped me lose weight and vastly improved my life in different ways, they fall short in the body re-composition department.

Bodyboss Review for the win!

In a recent post, I talked about the magic of HIIT or High-Intensity Interval Training. I was scared to try this type of exercise for the longest time. It seemed HARD, and I didn’t know where to start.

Then I started seeing Bodyboss Method ads in my Facebook news feed and was curious about it. I read a few Bodyboss reviews from people who also previously shied away from HIIT but had seen success with this program. 

Finally, I bit the bullet and bought their online guide during a 20%-off Black Friday promotion. I began the program on November 25th, 2017, and finished on April 6th, 2018.

As I know there are many out there who are curious about the program, I thought I would share my experience with it. 

Note:

** My blog posts contain affiliate links, which means that I may earn a commission on purchases you make after clicking on those links. (At no extra cost to you!) Full disclosure here. **

[Updated May 16, 2020.]

Bodyboss Ultimate Body Program Overview

Bodyboss (one word, not body boss!) is a 12-week program. It also includes four bonus weeks of “pre-training” workouts for those who need to work up to the main program, which brings the total program up to 16 weeks.

Bodyboss claims to get you in the best shape of your life in no more than 24 active minutes a session. The actual program consists of three HIIT workouts a week.

Monday is Leg and booty day, Wednesday is arms and abs day, and Friday is a shorter “power-up” full-body session.

Tuesday is an “active recovery day”, and Thursday is cardio day.

What Does Bodyboss Cost?

There are several options for purchasing the Bodyboss program:

  • The online edition costs $49.50 USD 
  • The print edition costs 65.90 USD (You can also check the price of the print editions available on Amazon!)
  • At the time of this writing, you can get both the print edition and online edition for 115.40 USD. So in other words, if you buy the print edition, you get the online edition too. 

However, they are constantly having sales and it seems to me you can almost always find the online & print bundle for the same price as the online edition. ($49.50)

In my opinion, this cost is pretty reasonable considering it’s a one-time payment for 16 weeks of exercises. And if you factor in that you can just about always find a Bodyboss discount code on their site, it works out to be even cheaper. 

Shortly after I purchased the program, Bodyboss released a nutrition guide that is meant to be followed in tandem with the program. It is sold separately but you can buy them together in a bundle to save money. (You can even order the Bodyboss book bundle on Amazon and you’ll probably get it faster!)

I had already started by then and I don’t think I would have purchased the nutrition plan anyway.

I don’t have the time or patience to spend every Sunday afternoon doing meal prep.

Therefore, my Bodyboss review will be strictly regarding the exercise program. I did not change my diet much, but was loosely tracking my calorie intake and focusing on getting as much protein as possible.

Another product they recently launched is Bodyboss Tone, which is a 6-week program that’s designed to keep you challenged after you finish the original program. Right now there’s only a print edition available, and you also need a gym membership to complete the workouts. (Not a fan of gym memberships so I took a pass on this one.)

The Claim

Bodyboss Method claims that it’s 12-week program will quickly burn body fat and reinvent your body shape. Completing their HIIT workouts will enable the afterburn effect, (or excess post oxygen consumption effect, EPOC) which they’ve dubbed their “secret weapon” called the Boss Effect. 

In simple terms, these high-intensity workouts are meant to not just burn serious calories during your workout, but to continue burning calories for hours after you finish working out.

Their facebook ads are plentiful and typically consist of a positive Bodyboss review by a real woman, with footage of them doing the workouts and claiming they’ve seen results in as little as two weeks. 

The Format

There are three different ways you can do the workouts:

1. Using the hardcopy book showing all the exercises

If you prefer to use the physical copy of the program, you would keep the book open to the workout you’re on and complete the exercises following the pictures.

The advantage is that you can scribble notes on the pages if you want, I noticed a lot of people from the Bodyboss Facebook community liked to do this.

The other advantage of course being, this is the only way you can complete the program without an internet connection.

Some people write notes with modifications, changing either how long the circuit is or how many reps they do for each move. 

2. Using the online version on your computer, mobile or tablet

The Bodyboss online edition is my favorite version of the program for a number of reasons.

Originally, the only edition was a simple dashboard with all each page of the book uploaded as a PDF. And when you clicked on the exercises and get short 2-3 frame animations of the exercises.

This is the option I used originally because the online version was cheaper than the book, and I liked being able to see the exercises up close and being able to arrow over to the next one. So keep in mind this Bodyboss review is based on this format.

3. Using the online version on your computer, mobile, and tablet and following along with the videos

Since the first time I did the program, Bodyboss added workout videos for all their workouts.

This is a great feature if you’re used to video workouts where you can follow along with someone doing all the exercises with you. You don’t have to worry about a timer, you just hit the play button and off you go.

The only downside to this is I noticed these girls are super fit and burn through the reps a lot faster than I could, so I often ended up having to cut my reps short in order to keep up.

In fact, in the later weeks I suspect they actually speed up the video in places in order for the girls to finish the reps in the allotted time.

Which I mean, come on. If these fitness pros can’t even keep up, how do they expect us mortal women to? 

But I take it with a grain of salt and just do as many reps as I can, and move on to the next exercise when it’s time.

Here’s another consideration: Other than the voice that announces the exercise you’re on, there are no instructions during the video. 

Bodyboss has always had a “DIY” vibe to it in this way, but if you’re used to doing videos with the instructor talking the whole time about form, this might be a format you’re not used to.

Sometimes I prefer this though. I can just crank up the music and focus on the workouts without having someone talk the whole time. 

Bodyboss’ New and Improved Dashboard

Last year, Bodyboss unveiled its new and improved online version, which includes a far more robust dashboard. 

Now you can personalize your dash with a profile picture, fitness level, and fitness goals. There’s also a section for you to record your progress with measurements and progress pictures.

You can access any programs you’ve purchased from either your dashboard or the sidebar. The video workout for the day is featured, with the PDF version still accessible below. 

Another nice feature is the ability to rate and comment on the workout. 

You can mark workouts complete as a way to bookmark your progress through the program. 

So while the online version is not an app per se, but it’s the next best thing. 

My Experience & Bodyboss Review

Pre-training

I started off with the pre-training because week one looked intimidating and I wanted to ease into the program. Since I could get the pre-training exercises done in 15 minutes, I decided to cram five days of workouts into three by doing them right after my cardio sessions.

Although it was doable, in retrospect I don’t recommend this approach. After my second session, I almost passed out in the gym change-room from overexertion. 

Even the pre-training workouts were way harder than I expected. I felt disappointed in myself that I couldn’t complete some of the exercises without modifying them to be easier.

That being said, I think I would have had more success if I’d spread the exercises out over five days from the beginning. 

Cardio days were Tuesdays and Thursdays. For me, that meant lots of time on this stationary bike!

Weeks 1-6

Starting the first week of the actual Bodyboss program was a bit of an adjustment, as the workouts go up to three circuits instead of two, and I could no longer fit them in with my cardio. (FYI, if you hate running or biking, there are other cardio workouts you can do to get your heart rate up without running or exercise bikes.) 

I went from working out 3 days a week to 5. I confess that I often skipped the Friday power-up. Each workout was tough, but not so much that I couldn’t get through it. 

After the sixth week, I went on vacation with my family to Turks & Caicos, where I ate pastries and drank Mojitos like it was my job. I forgot all about HIIT. 

This deviation from the program derailed my motivation a bit, and it took me a couple weeks before I was able to jump back in. I redid week 6 before moving on to the last half of the program.

Home fitness gear
Occasional cat interference is part of the territory when you do home workouts.

Weeks 7-12

Things got real on week 7. These workouts consist of 8 exercises instead of 7, and each circuit allows 8 minutes instead of 7. There is also a lot more plyometrics, (jumping) which sucked tremendously. My quads are burning just thinking about it.

This is where the “24 active minutes” claim really falls apart. From week 7 onward, it took me upwards of 45 minutes to complete each session. You could just stop when the timer is up, but if you did that you might never get to the last exercise or two in the circuit. 

That’s not even including the warm-up or cool down. This was the first time in the program I felt like giving up. Commiserating with the online Facebook community really helped get me through weeks 7 and 8.

By week 10 I had adjusted to the intensity but was still modifying and going overtime right to the end. It pushed me to my limits!

My Bodyboss Results – Before & After

This is the part of the Bodyboss review that you probably care about most: the results!

After finishing 16 weeks of the program, I had lost about 5 pounds. It isn’t a lot, but it’s about what I’d expected since my focus was less on losing weight and more on toning up.

I did lose approximately two inches each from my bust, waist, and hips. For the first time in five years, I was able to wear size 6 pants again. I definitely see and feel more muscle tone and can do exercises I’ve never been able to do before, like full push-ups and jackknives. 

In fact, I was so happy with the results that I went through the program a second time! I’m still continuing to see results in my strength and muscle tone. I can safely say I am in the best shape of my life!

Disclaimer: Below before and after photo is not immediately before or immediately after my completion of the Bodyboss Method. There are two years between the two pictures, but the Bodyboss program has a lot to do with my transformation. And it taught me how to make HIIT a part of my lifestyle.

Bodyboss Review: Weight loss before & after
There’s the better part of two years between the left and the right photo, but Bodyboss Method played a big role in my transformation!

Bodyboss Review Summary

Like for any program, this Bodyboss review contains pros and cons:

Pros

  • Highly effective. Put in the work and you’ll see results.
  • Easy to follow. You don’t have to waste time figuring out what exercises to do, everything is laid out for you on a day by day basis. The pictures show you how to execute each exercise, with detailed instructions at the back of the book.
  • Multiple platforms. Whether you prefer going off the hard copy, looking off your phone/tablet, or following along with the exercise videos, the options are there!
  • Not much equipment required. Although I already had a bench which came in handy, you could easily make do with a sturdy chair or coffee table. For the box exercises, I simply used the first step of my staircase. Dumbbells are easily substituted with soup cans or books.
  • Low cost: To say you get 16 weeks of pre-planned exercises that are done without going to the gym, I’d say it’s more than worth the one-time fee.

Cons

Bodyboss Review! My honest thoughts on BBM after finishing the 12 week program. #bosseffect #bodyboss #fitnesstips #homeworkout
Pin this Bodyboss review for later!
  • Slightly misleading in terms of time investment. Pre-training and the first half of the program are completed in 20 minutes or less. But once you get to week 7, give yourself at least 40 minutes to do the exercises. I don’t care what anyone says. There is no way you are doing those exercises in 24 minutes unless you’re already in really, really good shape!
  • If you use the online version, it’s a bit tedious/time consuming to load up their website, log in, then scroll through to the exercise you’re looking for. They should make an app! 
  • No modifications readily available: Despite the pre-training, there were some exercises in the program I simply couldn’t execute. Or I could execute only 5 reps with decent form when the workout calls for 40 reps. I think this is important because I can see some people getting discouraged and giving up. Fortunately, I stumbled onto the online Facebook community. I quickly learned that it was completely normal and okay to modify the exercises as needed.
  • Although you can expect dramatic results if you put in the work, I think they set the expectations just a little too high. For example, If you’re expecting to get rock hard abs from this program, you will probably be disappointed. (That’s because getting abs is super hard and diet plays a huge role in it!) 

Overall, I highly recommend the Bodyboss Method if you’re looking for an efficient way to get in shape. In my opinion, it really does live up to being the “Ultimate Body Guide.”  So if you’ve ever asked yourself, “Do home workouts really work?” then this program answers with a resounding “YES.”

But, you have to do the work!

The benefits extend beyond the 12-week program. By the time you finish, HIIT will have become part of your lifestyle.

Bodyboss vs. BBG

If you’ve been searching for online fitness programs a while, you’ve probably noticed ads for this other program called BBG or Bikini Body Guide. This is a comparable program in terms of workout-type (Shorter HIIT workouts), but there are several big differences in format and price. 

If you’re trying to choose between the two, I would personally recommend Bodyboss simply because it’s a cheaper introduction to HIIT programs. But I don’t think one is really better than the other. It’s more about what you’re looking for in a fitness program. 

I did BBG via the Sweat App and wrote a full review on the program here if you want to read through it for comparison purposes:

BBG & Sweat App Review: Is the Subscription Worth It?

I may do an in-depth side-by-side review down the road. If this is something you’d be interested in seeing, let me know!

Other Alternatives

If you’re looking for a highly effective workout program that you don’t have to pay a monthly subscription for, Bodyboss is definitely the program for you. 

However, if it doesn’t sound quite your speed, there are a couple of other good alternatives besides the Sweat app. 

Jillian Michaels’ My Fitness -I love love love this app! With seemingly an endless supply of workouts and fitness programs available for a low monthly subscription fee, you just can’t go wrong! Full review here.

Aaptiv – If you love audio-guided workouts so that you don’t have to stay focused on a screen all the time, this is the app for you. Full review here

If dancercise is more your speed, then check out my review of Figure 8 Fitness

What did you think of this Bodyboss review? Have you tried the program? Share your thoughts or questions in the comments!

P.S. Do you hate exercise or have no motivation? I wrote this comprehensive guide to conquer your lazy and getting your fitness motivation on! Click here to check it out!

Quick FAQ!

What is the Bodyboss Method?

The Bodyboss Method is a 12-week program. It includes four bonus weeks of “pre-training” workouts for those who need to work up to the main program. BBM claims to get you in the best shape of your life in no more than 24 active minutes a session. The actual program consists of three HIIT workouts a week.

What Does The Bodyboss Method Cost?

The list price for the online edition is $49.50 USD and the print edition is 65.90, with a bundle edition usually being offered at a discount. The prices change so check the website for the most current pricing.

 

Does the Bodyboss Method Actually Work?

Corrie Alexander is a former ISSA-certified personal trainer, home fitness advocate, and founder of The Fit Careerist. A proponent of personal growth and a self-proclaimed fitness app-junkie, Corrie shares tips and product reviews with the goal of helping others on their own fitness journey.

18 Comments

  • Lilian

    Hi Corrie,

    Thank you for writing this awesome review. Congratulations for the progress you have achieved.

    Anyways, i was reading another review of the bodyboss method here https://bodyingood.com/bodyboss-review/ and the lady who reviewed it (Victoria) said it didn’t work for her.

    She was recommending another workout program called “bikini body workouts”. Do you have any experience with that workout?

    I’m considering buying one of those two programs. I desperately want to get in shape.

    • Corrie Alexander

      Hi Lilian!

      I’m glad you like the review and thank you for your comment!

      I had not heard of that other program and took a quick look at the review. She doesn’t really go into much detail about what the workouts entail, only that it’s cheaper and comes with the nutrition plan.

      I will mention that Bodyboss is more than a PDF, especially if you get the online edition since they’ve added the workout videos. But also, the Bodyboss Facebook community is a great source of inspiration and support. I also don’t agree with the comment that it’s for people who are already in shape… Yes, the workouts are tough, especially in the beginning. But I found the 4 weeks of pretraining really helped, and you can always modify the moves and/or do fewer reps, and after a couple of weeks you’ll be amazed at how quickly your body adapts!

      At the end of the day, it does come down to personal preference. As long as you are pushing yourself and sticking to the program, you will see results. I’ve always been of the opinion that it’s more about mindset than anything else!

      Hope that helps, and thanks again for stopping by! 🙂

  • Katherine

    Hello Corrie:

    Thank you for sharing your experiences. I just signed up the free trail BBG yesterday as I have been curious about it as I have BBG in PDF format and find myself cannot fit the printed/PDF version in my life. I like the phone APP concept where I can take it with me whenever and where ever I go. So I decided to sign up the BBG and started the program. I am looking forward for a toner and stronger me and hope to stick with BBG for the whole 12 weeks. Again thanks for sharing and love you blog 🙂

    • Corrie Alexander

      Thanks for stopping by Katherine! I know what you mean, I find being able to load up the workouts on your phone really makes it easy, no physical book to lug around. Both Bodyboss and BBG are great options. All the best on your fitness journey – you totally got this! 😀

  • carissa

    Hi Corrie, thanks for writing a review on the online edition. There is little information available on it, and I’m a big fan of HIIT and workout videos in general. Does the online addition come in pdf format too or only accessible online as you said in your review? Does the pre-training program have videos too?
    Thanks for your advice
    Carissa 🙂

    • Corrie Alexander

      Hi Carissa! I’m glad you found the review helpful! I actually need to update this video I did because last month, Bodyboss launched a new portal of sorts with a more convenient way to work through the program. Yes, there are videos for the pre-training, and the PDFs of the workouts available, but you have to access them through the online portal.

      When I’m able I’ll do an updated video of the new format! 🙂

    • Corrie Alexander

      Hi Kathy! I do cardio on Tues & Thurs and my HIIT workouts on Sunday, Wednesday and (sometimes) Friday. Sometimes I throw in an extra cardio session on Saturday, but Monday is always a rest day. If you choose to do Bodyboss, you can totally tweak the workouts to fit your schedule. Honestly, I did skip a lot of the Friday power-ups and still saw great results.

      I hope that helps! 😀

  • Mary

    Have you tried the BodyBoss Tone program? I already own the PDF version of BBG before it went to the Sweat app and I’m trying to decide if I should do BBG again or try more of a lifting program such as BodyBoss Tone. Thanks for any insight!

    • Corrie Alexander

      Hi Mary! No, I never did try the BodyBoss Tone program since it involves gym workouts – and I prefer options that can be done entirely from home. I also prefer longer programs and Tone is only 6-weeks. But if you’re looking for a lifting program that incorporates gym workouts then it might be a good option for you!

  • Julia

    Hi Corrie, thank you so much for your real, experienced and candid reviews. I’m now going to read what you say about Figure 8.

    Thanks to what you explain, I will be able to take a conscious decision, knowing all pros and cons from a honest point of view.

    Again, thanks.

    Best from Julia, in Spain.

  • Kelli

    Hi! I’m 54 and looking at this to lose weight. However, does this have any weight-bearing exercises that will help me at my age? I know I need to use more weights at my age for my muscles and bone strength. Maybe cut out a cardio day for weight training? Thank you!

    • Corrie Alexander

      Hi Kelli! Bodyboss consists of mostly HIIT bodyweight exercises, with a few moves requiring light dumbbells. You could use heavier weights or incorporate weights for some of these exercises if you really wanted to.

      Personally, I found that I built a lot of strength with just bodyweight and dumbbells. These exercises are plenty challenging!!

      If you’re looking for workouts that incorporate lifting, you could look at Bodyboss Tone, which utilizes barbells and other gym equipment. But Bodyboss Tone is usually recommended for those who have already completed the original Bodyboss program and looking to take it to the next level. (You can buy both guides together in a bundle for a reduced price.)

      Another alternative is the Sweat App which has a few strength-based programs on it, like PWR, and BUILD. But it’s an ongoing monthly subscription rather than a one-off cost like Bodyboss.

      I hope that helps!

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