BBG vs PWR
UPDATE 4/3/20: Kelsey Wells released an at-home version of PWR. It still requires more equipment than BBG (BBG was recently modified to require even less equipment). Both of these programs are available in the SWEAT app. To learn more about BBG click here. I have friends that are doing still completing PWR but heavily modifying it to be done at home.
Knowing a bit about me will help you understand my perspective. I am a 35 year old mom of 3 who has been a member of the SWEAT community for 2 years now. It’s possible I might be about 25 pounds overweight the rest of my life, but thanks to these programs I am in the best shape of my life. In April of 2018, I purchased the SWEAT App with the desire to complete BBG, and I did! You can read all about that here. Here’s a current picture.
Since April of 2018 I have completed at least 12 consecutive weeks of both BBG and PWR. I spent 8 months doing BBG Beginner + BBG, and I have been doing PWR for 16 months now. I have enjoyed aspects of each of these programs, and they have both changed my body in some pretty incredible ways.
Since I have given both of these programs a fair shot, I definitely feel qualified to write a comparison of the things I like and don’t like about each program in order to help you choose which one is best for you!
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BBG and PWR Basic Info
For your information: Both programs can be completed at home with hardly any equipment (and lots of creativity for #PWR) . To make a small, but efficient home gym for either program, I recommend you purchase a set of 5, 10, and 15 pound dumbbells along with a single 25 pound weight. I also use these bands a lot in PWR. You basically need a yoga mat for both programs, and would benefit from a balance ball (I just bought this one and feel like I have arrived). If you are creative, there are many moves you can complete with just resistance bands.
Update: If you are looking to get an amazing weight loss transformation with BBG or PWR, please know that without getting your diet under control, these programs will not result in weight loss. I know this from experience. I only achieved such results because I finally figured out how to lose weight while staying active. Check out my latest tool to help you achieve what I did.
BBG
BBG stands for Bikini Body Guide. It is an at-home workout program created by Kayla Itsines, an Australian fitness trainer. BBG is just one component of the SWEAT app. There are several other workouts to choose from once you purchase the app. Since Kayla is Australian, things like jumping jacks are called star jumps and jump rope is referred to as skipping. The app allows you the option to have her narrate the moves with her cute accent. BBG consists of three 28-minute HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workouts per week which focus on plyometrics.
PWR
PWR stands for Power and is another component on the SWEAT app. It is a gym-based workout program that, like BBG, utilizes HIIT and plyometrics. However, it has more of an emphasis on weight training. It was created by Kelsey Wells, an American trainer. All the moves have regular names, and her narration sounds like normal talking since I’m an American. While PWR includes HITT and plyometrics, it is definitely not the focus like it is with BBG.
If you aren’t familiar with either program, you can read a more comprehensive description of BBG here and PWR here.
Things I like about BBG:
It’s short.
The workouts are 28 minutes, and they can be completed entirely at home with minimal equipment. With BBG, you can expect a 40-minute total time commitment from start to finish with the warm-up and stretching.
Small weekly commitment
There are only 3 workouts each week with BBG! That’s basically only 90 minutes of your week where you workout hard. This time commitment doesn’t include the stretching portion or cool down. Believe it or not, if you get your diet in check, you will see some amazing results pretty fast! When I started BBG, my friends were commenting on how toned I was looking after just a few weeks of the program!
At-home
Like I mentioned above, BBG can be done entirely at home with minimal equipment. I only needed to purchase a set of 10-pound dumbbells. My husband built jump boxes for me, and that was all I invested in the entire 12 weeks of the program. If you want to go all-in and money isn’t an issue, you can read about the equipment I recommend here.
If you don’t want to buy a lot of equipment, you can still complete BBG! Check out my post on equipment modifications here. If I could make one recommendation for an equipment purchase, it would be the jump boxes or benches. Kayla uses two benches in several of her workouts, but since those are more expensive, I would choose jump boxes.
Related Post: Equipment Needed for the Bikini Body Guide (BBG)
Cheap
Since the entire program can be done at home with minimal equipment, BBG is cheaper than a gym membership. The SWEAT app costs $120/year (or $10/month), and it has BBG and PWR available on it. However, BBG is the only one that can be done at home. (Kelsey Wells recently created an at home version) With PWR you will have to pay for a gym membership in addition to the SWEAT app.
Things I like about PWR:
Less Jumping
Kelsey’s program has way less jumping. The activation period at the beginning of the workout is the most similar part to BBG, and it is only 8 minutes long. For the rest of PWR, you will be lifting weights. You get a break in between sets and exercise, and supersets rarely have any jumping. Your knees will thank you.
More variety
Since PWR is gym-based, it allows for more variety because there are so many ways to work your muscles with machines. The structure of the program also has more variety with activation, pyramids, and supersets. Even though the program is longer, it flies by because of all the different exercises.
Rest
Besides the 8 minute activation, there is plenty of rest in Kelsey’s program. I love the rest. It gives me enough of a recoup between exercises so that I have the mental energy to focus on proper form. At the end of the workout, I don’t feel like I will fall over dead, even though it is very challenging.
Upper Body Strength
I have seen a noticeable difference in my arms and back since beginning PWR. It makes sense because there is only one leg day (there is an optional second leg day the further in the program you get) and the rest of the days in the week focus on your upper body.
Things I like about both programs
They are effective
I have gotten excellent results with both of these programs. BBG toned my entire body quickly. Whereas with PWR my arms are getting jacked… and it’s awesome.
The community
There is nothing that compares to the support in the BBG and PWR community. If you follow the trainers on Instagram, they will inspire you and pick you up when you feel down. They are in no way intimidating. I love them.
The other women doing the programs are also amazing. There isn’t any competition; just women helping women succeed. Right now there is the #sweatnation 6 week challenge happening, and there are over 100,000 women around the world taking part.
Utilize your social media to make connections with other women doing the same workout as you. It really is encouraging! Hashtag your workouts with #kaylaitsines, #kelseywells, #bbgcommunity, or #PWRcommunity and people will reach out. The community IS amazing.
LISS
BBG and PWR are the only programs that I know of that combine hard workouts with walking (LISS- Low Intensity Steady State). It’s such a relief, and it makes completing each week seem possible. I love that both workouts have LISS as a cornerstone of their program.
Things I don’t like about both programs
PWR
My only complaint about PWR is that with a 22-minute round-trip commute to the gym and a 40-55 minute workout (not counting the cool-down), it takes a huge chunk of my day. If I weren’t seeing results and enjoying the program, I would quit.
I really have to get creative to get PWR completed each day with little kids, but again, I love it, so I make it happen. (I now go to the gym every morning at 5 am)
BBG
I have two complaints about BBG. For one, I am not a fan of HIIT type workouts. I don’t care how many articles I read about how good it is for you. I HATE IT. So, the nonstop 7 minutes of moves you do in each circuit of BBG is torture for me. It is harder for me to do three 30-minute BBG workouts a week than it is for me to complete six one-hour workouts a week with PWR.
The other thing I don’t like about BBG (which is a common complaint for many women) is all the jumping. I have been referring to it as “a young man’s workout” even though I know it’s for women. It is a lot of jumping, and the older I get, the more I worry about my knees. Kayla has done a great job on her Instagram page of offering modifications to the jumping, so if the jumping worries you as well, check out her Instagram for plenty of alternatives.
Which is better?
They are both amazing, and I recommend either of them to anyone. I’ve had great results with each program. BBG quickly gave shape to my flabby body and PWR has greatly increased muscle mass and strength.
I wanted to try out PWR because there was too much jumping in BBG for me. At 34 years old and 25 pounds overweight, it was a lot of stress on my joints. I also preferred the before and after pictures of the girls doing PWR to the girls doing BBG because they were more muscular.
Which is right for me?
My best advice is to choose a workout that you love. I love PWR, so I do it. Some people love BBG, so they do it and keep doing it, and continue doing it for years. That’s the key with any workout; find something you enjoy!
I hope this helps give you some direction on which program you want to complete during the SWEAT nation 6 week challenge. Tag me with the hashtag #mgu on Instagram so that I can cheer you on! After all, we are all in this together!
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