GROUP TEST WEIRD WORKOUTS75
You’ve spun, zumba’d and kettled yourself to
tears – now shake up your sweat sessions
with fitness kit that’s altogether different
Crazy
train
CAN’T CUT IT
In the absence of
a pile of logs and
an actual axe, this
is the next best
thing... but it isn’t
built to hit things.GET THE SHAFT
The further yo u
hold your Chopper
from the head
(snigger), the
heavier it feels, fo r
a tougher workout.What’s the story?
Thor was probably born buff
and swinging a hammer, but
for the rest of us there’s the
ChopFit Chopper, a daft but
oddly addictive gadget from
the USA. Yep, it’s a big axe
that you swing about to get
sweaty with the help of some
app-based workouts.
Made from a lump of metal
coated in reinforced plastic,
the Chopper aims to provide
a dynamic workout that uses
multiple muscle groups to
help you tone up and get
a cardio blast. Moving your
hands along the handle
allows you to adjust how
heavy the load feels.
The ChopFit app has a
range of challenges covering
three, 10 and 30 days, plus
30 individual circuits each
made up of six exercises with
one-minute rests in between.
Workouts are fast, lasting no
more than 20 minutes.Is it any good?
Even in the privacy of our own
home, swinging a red plastic
axe while wearing Spandex
(admittedly optional) feels
ridiculous. Maybe you’re a
lumberjack and you’re OK
with it, but getting through
our first 20-minute session
was excruciating.
Yes, many of the moves
are standard gym exercises,
but there are also side chops
and windmills with a real
Mortal Kombat vibe that
work a treat with the added
weight resistance.
The Chopper isn’t heavy
enough for big muscle gains,
but if you want to sweat and
tone up it’s a decent bet, and
a nice alternative to the usual
dumbbells and kettles. Just
close the curtains first.Price $119 / stuff.tv/ChopFit
● Bluetooth ● Android, iOS
● 500x150x70mm, 1.8kgChopFit Chopper
STUFF SAYS Get some Thor-style phwoar...
at least until the novelty wears off ★★★II
[ Words
Chris Haslam
]
BEST FOR
SWEATY
BLASTS