Road Test: ChopFit Chopper

The ChopFit axe — the hot new workout apparatus from the US — makes a bold promise.

ChopFit Chopper.

I see you’ve got an axe in your gym bag. Is this a cry for help? No, it’s a hot new workout apparatus from the US. There’s no cutting edge on the axehead; it’s simply a block of reinforced plastic.

So it’s a clubbing weapon? Look, you don’t hit anything with it. You swing it around in a suite of exercises dictated by the ChopFit app. It “works all the muscles you never knew you had”, the firm says.

What kind of exercises? Everything from simple chopping motions to diagonal slicing and round-the-head stuff. Some incorporate boxing-style footwork. The app has 10 pre-built circuits and various difficulty levels.

Vital statistics: It’s 52cm long and weighs 1.8kg – but depending on where you grip the handle it can feel up to four times heavier.

Can I use that old axe in the shed instead? Absolutely! Bring the broom too, to sweep up any fingers.

$US139 plus shipping, chopfit.com