Hating Hammer & Chisel from Beach Body

[WD]

SarBear, when I finish the Hammer and Chisel Program I think I will incorporate them with other workouts. I have my favorites I had thought about just doing the Hammer rotation alone and adding cardio to it and then the Autumn but might just pull from both. I have a bit to figure it out.

Nathalie, Hammer Power starts out with overhead press, then squat press, etc. with a light weight then you move to the move with a medium weight, it starts adding on and doing several moves together till you are doing the whole clean, squat jerk press. As they move on they do light and heavy weight. The heavy weight sets are generally 5 reps and the light 10 reps. I like it.

 

[nckfitheart2009]

Nathalie, Hammer Power starts out with overhead press, then squat press, etc. with a light weight then you move to the move with a medium weight, it starts adding on and doing several moves together till you are doing the whole clean, squat jerk press. As they move on they do light and heavy weight. The heavy weight sets are generally 5 reps and the light 10 reps. I like it.

Thanks Diane for your review

 

[exercise-lover]

I just watched some of the reviews on Youtube. Most were very positive. I was mainly looking at the ones for Hammer because I've already done the Chisel ones (I really liked them and will do them again). As you can tell, I'm not following the rotation. Looking forward to trying Hammer this week. I'm liking the set so far. If you are looking for Cathe, these are not for you. However, I really like them as a change from Cathe (who I love, but like variety).

 

[spyrosmom]

Hello, I purchased Hammer & Chisel and just not enjoying it at all. There is leg work every single day; hardly any tricep/bicep exercises; I don't feel like I'm getting a good workout because most of them are very, very short - there is a cardio workout that is 15 minutes but not that intense. Also, there are some moves that I just refuse to do because I feel that it is an injury waiting to happen. I've done Body Beast twice and just loved that program but not getting that same joy with Hammer & Chisel. Maybe I'm comparing it to Cathe's workouts which are always the best, because even her short workouts get my heart rate up. I am an advanced exerciser and Hammer & Chisel is just not cutting it for me.

Does anybody else have Hammer & Chisel and what do you think about it so far?

I am going to do either STS, XTrain or RWH/ICE combo to continue my goal of increasing muscle definition. Thanks.

Leg day is my favorite thing and I've been eyeballing this one to complement half marathon training. Any chance you'd be willing to part with it?

 

[Gobias]

I appreciate the feedback on this series, as I noted above I already purchased the series and was getting ready to start the rotation in a couple weeks.

I noticed on the Amazon reviews, a big "complaint" was that almost all of the H&C videos were cardio, rather than weight training. For those who have done the series, do you find that to be the case? I did the Body Beast rotation (heavy weight training) and I thought it lacked cardio (I supplemented with my own). I am now thinking of doing a hybrid rotation with Body Beast (as weights) + Hammer & Chisel (as cardio).

Do you think this would be doable? On the majority of days, I am able to do either a long workout (60-90 minutes) or break it up into 2 smaller workouts morning/evening (40min + 40 min). Both series have workouts averaging about 40 minutes, therefore I think the timeframe would work for me.

Is the H&C series mainly considered total body cardio? (similar to Metabolic Weight Training or Boot Camp Circuit?)

Thanks!

 

[WD]

I noticed on the Amazon reviews, a big "complaint" was that almost all of the H&C videos were cardio, rather than weight training. For those who have done the series, do you find that to be the case? I did the Body Beast rotation (heavy weight training) and I thought it lacked cardio (I supplemented with my own). I am now thinking of doing a hybrid rotation with Body Beast (as weights) + Hammer & Chisel (as cardio).

Do you think this would be doable? On the majority of days, I am able to do either a long workout (60-90 minutes) or break it up into 2 smaller workouts morning/evening (40min + 40 min). Both series have workouts averaging about 40 minutes, therefore I think the timeframe would work for me.

Is the H&C series mainly considered total body cardio? (similar to Metabolic Weight Training or Boot Camp Circuit?)

I really do not know why they would think that Hammer and Chisel is mostly cardio. They use some weights in all of the workouts except Chisel Agility and they use 1 weight once in Hammer Plyometrics. I am adding some cardio because I am used to more cardio and longer workouts. I think that because of the way that the workouts are Total Body I would be hard to add in Body Beast weight workouts. I think there are places where you might be able to get away with adding some arm work in. The workouts are varied so some like Total Body Hammer is really concentrated weight work. The same is true for the Deluxe Hammer Build Up. Some I would think of more a metabolic workout and some are endurance. So, I would say that is why you get weight days two days in a row. I think that Power Chisel yesterday and then Total Body Hammer today made some of the weight work a bit difficult today because the 10 reps sets yesterday after pre-fatiguing the muscle was a bit much because I went heavier than Autumn does. I will use these more after I do the rotation.

 

[Gobias]

Thank you, Diane Sue.

I thought it would be odd that H&C was mainly cardio, but the reviews pointed in that direction. Maybe they aren't used to "that much cardio" since it seems like the majority of reviewers came from Body Beast (very little cardio).

I believe I am going to do what you and another poster said and do H&C and perhaps incorporate a little more weights if needed (maybe ICE Muscle Meltdowns or even the 100 Rep challenges or the XTRAIN Burn Sets). However, I do want to add much more cardio than what was in Body Beast.

 

[WD]

Thank you, Diane Sue.

I thought it would be odd that H&C was mainly cardio, but the reviews pointed in that direction. Maybe they aren't used to "that much cardio" since it seems like the majority of reviewers came from Body Beast (very little cardio).

I believe I am going to do what you and another poster said and do H&C and perhaps incorporate a little more weights if needed (maybe ICE Muscle Meltdowns or even the 100 Rep challenges or the XTRAIN Burn Sets). However, I do want to add much more cardio than what was in Body Beast.

I did extra cardio with Body Beast. I have contemplated going on with a Hammer rotation after hammer and chisel but add in some extra to the workouts like you said with Burn sets or something where I can choose a body part and do one or two sets where I may feel lacking.

 

[exercise-lover]

I just did Hammer Conditioning today. It was really metabolic. Used lots of compound moves with weights (different from any I've ever done before). My heart rate was up in lots of places, but my muscles got used too with the weights. Maybe that's what the reviewers were talking about. I'd still classify it as weight work tho. I'm liking it!

 

[Jdnara]

Thanks for this post - I was eyeing H/C cause I got bodybeast and LOVED it. Thinking to pass and stick with Beast and some of Cathe's heavier lifts. I'm doing ICE/X-train rotation now and next month ICE/RWH rotation. Will move to bodybeast in the summer and add some Cathe Cardio

 

[Lucia A]

Thanks for this info.

I had briefly considered getting this but I already have so many workouts that it would have to be something really great to spend more.

It was a timely thread for me. Thanks

 

[MsModular]

I have been doing Hammer and Chisel and I like it, but I always pair a Cathe Hiit workout with a Hammer and Chisel weight day, and then do a longer cardio(kickboxing usually) or cardio and weights with Cathe, because it just isn't enough. Frankly, the cardio workouts, agility, and Hammer Plyo are not nearly as difficult as any Cathe workout. I eat on the lower end of the second tier of calories because of this. I should be eating on the first tier without the extra cardio.

 

[exercise-lover]

I've been thru all of the workouts now and definitely have my favorites. I like them for shorter workout days. I always get sore in different ways from Cathe. If they don't work a particular body part enough, I just add some reps in for that part. I'm really loving having some additional total body workouts. Glad I have them for variety.

 

[catwoman7631]

I've been doing Hammer & Chisel (combined with 22 Minute Hard Corps) for a few weeks now and wanted to chime in. Here is something I got in a fitness e-mail:

Do You Push Your Comfort Zone?
If you train for any amount of time you gradually get into a comfort zone – an area where you feel comfortable about your training. And you do make some gains here. However, you don't make as much gains as you could.

Your body gradually adapts to its training environment and ceases to produce gains after awhile. That's why some people train and train but don't get much beyond an initial burst of growth. The body has become so accustomed to the training routine that it doesn't need to make any muscle to handle it.

This training zone phenomenon, by the way, is not just for muscle building but can also apply to the cardio/aerobic or any other type of training as well.

The way to deal with the comfort zone issue is to break out of the same old training approach. You have to hit the body with something new and unexpected. And most of all, it has to be challenging. It has to stimulate the body to grow.

The way to push past your comfort zone can be through more weight, more repetitions or another set. But it must be different and it must be challenging.

Pushing past your comfort zone is also about the mind - it is as much a mental issue as it is a physical one. And it starts in the mind – by your decision to push past your comfort zone.

It doesn't always translate into going harder – it could be simply training different.

If you realize you have been stuck in a comfort zone, make plans to break out with a new workout scheme.

My comfort zone for a long time now has been split workouts with cardio mixed in. Hammer & Chisel has broken me out of that comfort zone, and I am seeing changes. It is a different way to train. I'm not saying it's better, I'm just saying it's different for me, and my body is responding.

Yes, there are a couple of workouts with awkward moves (Hammer Plyometrics) or chance for injury if not careful (Iso Speed Hammer). Yes, there is very little focused bicep and tricep work, which I do miss slightly.

However, overall, I find Hammer & Chisel new, unexpected, different and challenging.

Just my two cents.

 

[nckfitheart2009]

@catwoman7631

Pushing rotations out of the comfort zone bring fun into routine.
It also keep us going, Well for me it does

I agree with your 2 cents above