PiYo Schedule – What to Expect

I’ve talked about why PiYo is an excellent choice for an exercise program, but I want to go over with you is what to expect daily following the PiYo schedule.

PiYo Schedule Overview

The calendar is a full week schedule, with six days of exercise and one rest day. As with any program, you can plan your day of rest for whichever day fits your personal schedule. However, to maximize your results, you must complete the exercise days in order.

In other words, if you need your rest day to be on a Saturday instead of a Friday (as it is on the PiYo schedule) shift the entire workout schedule, don’t just swap days.

Okay, ready for the daily details?

Ha! Just kidding. One of the exciting things about this calendar workout is that you rarely do the same exercise on the same day as the program from week to week. The alternating between cardio and core work gives your body a full workout, instead of doing the same routine week after week.

Let’s look at the various types of exercises you’ll be doing.

Weeks One-Three

The first 21 days of the program are designed to get you into the proper frame of mind and to introduce you to the correct techniques for completing the exercises.

Align and Define

During these workouts, you’ll be learning proper posture, how to hold your body in position, and how to keep your spine in alignment throughout the exercises. You’ll also be doing yoga stretches and a lot of pushups.

Core

Obviously designed to strengthen your center, the exercises require focus to ensure you’re doing them correctly. Because of the muscles you are using, you may not feel any difference until the third or fourth time you complete this workout. Don’t get discouraged, though, just keep your focus on doing the exercises the right way.

Sweat

Here’s your cardio-heavy workout (no kidding, right?). It runs roughly 35 minutes long and, true to its name, you will sweat. However, you’ll also burn the most calories during this routine.

Strength Intervals

The last day of week three introduces this routine that has components of both cardio and sculpting.  You’ll continue this through the rest of the PiYo schedule.

Weeks Four-Six

You’ll be doing exercises that are familiar from weeks one through three, but you’ll be kicking it up a notch, as evidenced by the names of the routines.

Hardcore on the Floor

Still working your core, but with more intensity, this floor-heavy day will give your abs a total workout. If you weren’t feeling it during the Core exercises of earlier weeks, you’ll definitely feel it now!

Sculpt

Focusing on triceps and legs, you use your body weight to tone and sculpt your muscles.

Drench

Nope, not just Sweat, now you’re going to be drenched. Six sections include intervals of core and power moves and leg exercises, ending with yoga flow to cool down.

Buns

Pretty self-explanatory, no? This 30-minute workout will give your legs and glutes a total burn. Expect lots of squats.  

Weeks Seven & Eight

During the last two weeks of the PiYo schedule, you’ll still be doing workouts like Drench and Sculpt, but you’ll also be bringing back earlier routines such as Sweat and Core. It will give you a great chance to see how far you’ve come throughout the program.

So, there you have it, a quick look at the calendar. I should also mention that this was the basic schedule. There is also a PiYo Strength version. You can compare side by side to the basic exercises to help you decide which one will give you the best results.