Les Mills vs Beachbody: Which is Best?

Since Beachbody was founded in 1998 by Carl Daikeler and Jon Congdon, it has become one of the top workout programs in our country.

Beachbody offers many different options to help you meet your fitness goals and has already helped millions transform their lives. If you want to lose weight, build muscle, and feel fit, Beachbody will definitely be able to assist you with your weight loss or fitness goals.

Les Mills is a former Beachbody partner that created Bodypump. Bodypump is a fast-paced workout using barbells, specifically designed for you to tone, get lean and become physically fit.

It combines the use of upbeat music, highly trained instructors, and is scientifically proven to ensure that you achieve your fitness goals more quickly than if you were working out on your own. In 2016, Reebok bought out Les Mills and Bodypump, therefore ending their partnership with Beachbody.

Bottom Line Up Front Summary: While both workout programs are similar in workout style, the better value for the money, updated curriculum, and more advanced workouts, is definitely Les Mills here. You can check out the current offerings & promos for Les Mills hereBeachbody isn’t a bad program, just a bit expensive for what you get. 

Before we compare the two workout programs, let’s take a look at what makes Beachbody and Les Mills different from each other. 

Topic Contents

Main Differences Between Les Mills vs Beachbody

  • Les Mills OnDemand does not offer as much variety as Beachbody OnDemand
  • Les Mills gets updated more quickly with the latest fitness trends, whereas Beachbody feels a bit stuck in the early 2000s
  • Les Mills has random workouts to choose from, whereas Beachbody has a structured program
  • Les Mills OnDemand has access to 1,000 plus online workouts and Beachbody OnDemand has access to over 1,500 online workouts
Better Value
Why Go with Les Mills?

Les Mills is like Beachbody, with all the little nitpicky gripes fixed. That's because Les Mills IS a former Beachbody instructor. Les Mills has:

  • More Updated Courses
  • More Intermediate & Advanced Workouts
  • Better Value for the Money
Check Latest Courses & Promos
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What Is Les Mills?

Les Mills is a fitness company founded by Phillip Mills, the son of Les Mills. Les Mills is a four-time Olympian and started his first gym in Auckland, New Zealand. It was a simple gym, mainly focusing on basic strength and cardio training for a small community of athletes. 

In 1980, Les’ son Philip Mills really kicked things into gear. Phillip began working in his family’s gym after school. He motivated exercisers by delivering magazines to them as they pedaled on their indoor exercise bikes, a job he actually was not too enthusiastic about doing. 

After Phillip returned from a UCLA track scholarship, everything changed. He witnessed the beginning of the aerobics sensation, resulting in him having a passion for motivating others who wanted to exercise. He then willingly decided to rejoin his family’s business and create group workouts to modern, upbeat music. It became a powerful movement at that time. 

With his wife, Jackie, who is a doctor and a former gymnast, Philip spent years developing the concept of what makes a good fitness class (live class) and what does not. After lots of research, Philip and Jackie introduced body weights to their workouts, calling this specific workout Bodypump. 

Evidently, Philip names his workout program after his father Les Mills. There are over 20,000 fitness clubs that offer Les Mills programs. Today, Les Mills offers yoga, cycling, dance, martial arts, HIIT, and much more.

New music is added every few months to the program to make sure their audience stays motivated. Diana and Les Junior, Philip and Jackie’s children, are the future of the Les Mills program.

Main Features of Les Mills

Les Mills offers many group fitness workouts. Their workouts can be streamed on OnDemand via apps on your iPad, iPhone, Android phone or tablet, Android TV, Kindle Fire Tablets, and Amazon Fire TV. The workouts can also be streamed through the Les Mills website and workouts can be cast to your Apple TV or Chromecasts.

Les Mills offers a free ten-day trial, which would be the perfect way to find out if you like the workouts and the website or apps that it can be streamed on. Les Mills is $14.99 per month for a monthly plan in the United States and there is no additional fee to sign up.

This also includes a 30-day free trial. For a 3 month plan, it is $11.99 per month with a 30-day free trial. Lastly, they offer a yearly plan of $9.99 per month with a 30-day free trial.

Les Mills has their own unique workouts to help transform your body and mind.

Types of Les Mills Workouts

Bodypump

This is a workout that will burn tons of calories. It will also help to shape and tone your entire body, resulting in increased core strength and better bone health. You can get Les Mills Body Pump in either a 30, 45, or 55-minute workout. You can also do this workout virtually at home or in some fitness clubs. 

Les Mills Body Combat

With this workout, you will punch or kick your way into becoming more fit. You can burn up to 570 calories while doing this high-energy workout, inspired by martial arts. A Les Mills instructor will push you to your max in every round. Les Mills Combat is also available in a 30,45 or 55-minute workout, virtually or in some fitness clubs.

Bodybalance 

Bodybalance is a modern generation yoga class that will enhance your mind, body, and life.

There will be lots of bending and stretching while navigating your way through yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates with this Les Mills class.

You can expect to hear a peaceful, inspirational soundtrack in the background, which will be much needed when working on your breathing exercises. This is available in a 30, 45, or 55-minute workout either virtually or in some fitness clubs.

Core

Les Mills Core workout is scientifically proven to tone your core and heighten your sports performance. With this workout, you will not only build strength, stability, and endurance, you will improve your balance and become better with everything you do.

Trained instructors will help guide you through your technique with this Les Mills workout, while using resistance tubes and weight plates (not included with the workout plan). This is available in a 30 or 45-minute workout virtually or in some fitness clubs.

Bodyattack

This workout is very high energy. This workout is a combination of athletic movements such as running, lunging, jumping, and strength exercises like squats and push-ups. A trained instructor will play music to pump up your energy while challenging your limits in the best way possible. With Bodyattack, you can burn up to 555 calories. This is available in a 30,45, or 55-minute workout virtually or in some fitness clubs.

RPM 

RPM is an indoor cycling group workout. It is super fun and low impact, with the ability to burn up to 500 calories per session. While listening to upbeat music, your instructor will take you on an expedition of climbs, sprints, and flat riding. With this workout, you will repeatedly rotate the bike pedals to reach your maximum cardio potential and then ease your way back down, boosting your cardio fitness level. This is a virtual workout and is available in some fitness clubs.

Sh’bam

This is an extremely fun dance workout. No dance experience is required to enjoy this workout! This exercise will uplift your spirits and you will definitely want to come back for more. Sh’bam is available in either a 30 or 45-minute workout and is available virtually, in some fitness clubs, and on Facebook

Bodyjam

Bodyjam is a fun combination of dance and music. This workout is choreographed by Gandalf Archer-Mills in Auckland, New Zealand. This workout will leave you smiling when completed. It is available as a 30,45, or 55-minute workout on Facebook

Body step

Body Step is a basic cardio workout that requires basic stepping, such as walking up and downstairs. It is a full-body cardio workout known to tone your thighs and butt.

With the upbeat music playing in the background, you will be able to push your limits doing movements like burpees, push-ups, squats, and lunges.

Up to 540 calories can be burned when doing Bodystep and it is available as a 30, 45, or 55-minute workout with Les Mills OnDemand or on Facebook

What We Dislike About Les Mills 

For the most part, the program is successful at helping people meet their weight loss goals. That is, if you can actually access it. Many users claim to have a lot of issues getting the fitness app to work across a variety of devices. Another big complaint that we have is the depth of information and workouts available. Much of what you’ll do and find with Les Mills is easily available on Google or Youtube. 

What is Beachbody?

Beachbody is a well-known fitness and nutrition platform that has assisted in helping thousands of people lose weight and meet their fitness goals. Beachbody programs offer at-home workouts, easy-to-follow nutrition plans, helpful fitness guides, and supplements like Shakeology

Beachbody is a growing fitness empire and is stationed in Santa Monica, California. It is an interesting location for this business to begin, being that Santa Monica is the home of the world-famous Muscle Beach.  Muscle Beach is actually known as the birthplace of the modern fitness era. 

An interesting fact about Beachbody is that they also have an MLM (multi-level-marketing) side to their business, which is known as Team Beachbody. MLM is a strategy used by some direct sales companies to promote their products and services. It encourages existing members to sell their products to other individuals and bring new recruits to the business.

Some people say that MLM is a pyramid scheme, but they are essentially legal. According to my research, Beachbody is not an actual pyramid scheme because they don’t take the money and pass it up to the next person. Instead, coaches get a portion of everything they sell.

Beachbody offers a wide variety of workout programs and a lot of the time, uses celebrity trainers to promote these workout programs. Beachbody has many infomercials that you would recognize if you saw it, especially when you see the smiling faces of well-known celebrity trainers like Autumn Calabrese or Amolia Cesar

Beachbody markets its own line of nutritional supplements and meal replacement shakes and offers streaming OnDemand. If you do decide to use Beachbody, you can enjoy your meal replacement shake, while doing your at-home workout in the comfort of your own home.

Main Features of Beachbody

Beachbody only offers their new workouts OnDemand online streaming. They still sell DVDs, but they are outdated. Beachbody OnDemand is an online streaming service that enables you to stream their workouts that have aided millions in transforming their lives.

When you are a member of Beachbody, you get access to over 1500 workouts, meditations, nutrition plans, healthy recipes, and support from your community. Beachbody OnDemand costs $99 for a 12-month plan, $59 for a 6-month plan, and $39 for a 3-month plan that includes a 14-day free trial.

Best Fitness Value
Why Go with Beachbody On Demand?

Beachbody On Demand has the largest library of workouts compared to competitors, with flexible access. No more excuses NOT to workout. Use your TV, Laptop, Tablet, or Phone. Get your daily workout, no matter where you are.

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Top Beachbody Workouts 

P90X 

This program was created by Tony Horton and is a 90 day home fitness plan that includes 12 intense workouts. It requires the use of resistance bands and bodyweight training, which are not included in the program. Do this workout if you want to get in the best shape of your life.

Further Read:

21 Day Fix

21 Day Fix is a weight loss program that claims those who follow this plan will experience fast results, possibly being able to lose up to 15 pounds in 3 weeks. It includes easy-to-follow recipes, meal plans, and tools to help you with calorie counting.

Further Reading:

80 Day Obsession

80 Day Obsession offers 80 different workouts to help you achieve your fitness goals and tone your body, mainly focusing on your legs, butt, core, arms, and abs. It requires the use of dumbbells, resistance bands, and strength slides (not included) to assist you in burning your fat away. This program also includes a digital starter guide, nutrition plan, food lists, workout calendar, and a tracker sheet.

Focus T25

With this workout, Shaun T uses short, intense workouts to give you insane results. It is a 25-minute workout that will help you get ripped abs, lose your belly fat and obtain a six-pack.

Further Reading:

What We Dislike About Beachbody

Beachbody is a great company that offers a lot of versatility in terms of the types of workouts and the style of coach you use, but in our opinion, it is too salesy.

We dislike that anybody can join Team Beachbody and become a coach, claiming to be an expert, to make a sale. This is somewhat “sleazy” and the ultimate focus of the program at that point becomes about sales and not about helping people lose weight. 

Les Mills Price

A monthly plan in the United States costs $14.99 per month and includes a 30-day free trial.

A 3-month plan costs $11.99 per month and includes a 30-day free trial. The best value is the annual plan, costing $9.99 per month which also includes a 30-day free trial. 

Beachbody Price

For a 3-month plan, it is $39 billed quarterly after a 14-day free trial. For 6 months, it is $59 and for a 12-month plan, it costs $99. The 3-month plan is the only Beachbody plan that includes a free trial.

Better Value
Why Go with Les Mills?

Les Mills is like Beachbody, with all the little nitpicky gripes fixed. That's because Les Mills IS a former Beachbody instructor. Les Mills has:

  • More Updated Courses
  • More Intermediate & Advanced Workouts
  • Better Value for the Money
Check Latest Courses & Promos
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.

Les Mills vs Beachbody: Our Decision

Both Les Mills and Beachbody are terrific workout plans but differ from each other in a few ways. 

Bottom Line Summary: Based on the price differences alone, we would recommend going with Les Mills as it offers a longer free trial, is more affordable, and offers better quality intermediate and advanced instruction. Beachbody may offer more types of workouts, but Les Mills has a wide variety of workouts as well that do basically the same thing.

FAQs

Question: Is Les Mills Good For Weight Loss?

Answer: Yes, Les Mills is great for weight loss. There are many success stories for those who have used Les Mills and have transformed their lives for the better.

Question: Are Les Mills and Beachbody the same?

Answer: They are not actually the same thing, as they have different names for their workouts. However, you will be able to find the specific type of workout you are looking for in each of their plans.

Question: Is Les Mills OnDemand Any Good?

Answer: Yes, according to research, Less Mills OnDemand is great and offers many options. Whether you are looking for cardio exercises, strength training, or yoga, you will be able to find something that works for you.

Question: Is Les Mills BODYPUMP on Beachbody?

Answer: Bodypump used to be part of Beachbody, but since Les Mills has been brought out by Reebok, it is no longer a part of Beachbody because their contract with Beachbody ended.

Further Read:

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