Hammer and Chisel Review

If you didn’t catch it already, I’m a Beachbody Coach. But this Hammer and Chisel Review recognizes that not all programs are the same or are for the same audience. I fully support the programs, equipment, and Nutritionals like Shakeology. But this doesn’t mean that all programs are for everyone or that every client of mine is going to love the same workouts I do. It doesn’t even mean I do all the workouts. What I try to do, as a Beachbody Coach is direct my clients and visitors to the programs that will help them the most. For a program to be truly effective, it has to meet a few criteria.

The first test is simple, and all the Beachbody programs meet it. It has to be a quality program put together by fitness professionals. Check. The second is that it must be accessible. This means it must not only be available for you to use but requires the right equipment for your budget. Most programs meet this easily, but a few are best done with some real weights and a bench. The final criterion is the most overlooked: you must enjoy it! If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, chances are good you won’t be doing it for long.

Hammer and Chisel Review

With all that caveat in mind, let’s dig into what this Hammer and Chisel Review is all about. Let’s find out if this program is right for you.

Hammer and Chisel is a program designed by two elite fitness trainers and athletes, Autumn Calabrese and Sagi Kalev. Sagi, a professional competition weight lifter, represents the hammer. Autumn, a trainer and also a professional bikini competitor, is the chisel. The idea behind this program is to build and sculpt your muscles at the same time.

This program represents what was so successful about P90X. It’s tough with moderate weight lifting and circuit style cardio. The workouts are not easy, and you should be at least an average fitness fan before attempting most of the exercises found in these workouts. All of the workouts seem to be a full body blend of weights and circuit cardio. You’ll likely get your heart rate up in most of the workouts, but the downside is you’ll never do serious body building.

This program aims to be an all-around fitness program that incorporates weights and in an unstable environment. I shouldn’t say it, but this is what P90X2 should have been. Most of the workouts work all of the major muscle groups in succession while challenging your balance, which causes your core to work constantly.

The ultimate effect is amazing and completing the program leaves you with a real sense of accomplishment. This is the first program in a long time that forced me to modify to keep up and to finish the reps. Not a program I would recommend doing doubles on until you have completed it once.

Final Thoughts

This program excels when you have weights and a bench, so that dings it a bit for accessibility. But it is fun. If you enjoyed P90X, Body Beast, P90X3, or 21 Day Fix, you’re going to love this. But be aware that the cardio and lifting are all mixed, there isn’t a focus on either one on any specific day. If you like to lift but know you need a bit more cardio or need to add some weights to your cardio, this is the program for you. Don’t expect huge muscle gains or intense cardio, expect the perfect mixture of both.

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