Chop Wood Carry Water BODi Review – Does it Work?
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The name “Chop Wood Carry Water” is a Zen proverb teaching that greatness and self-awareness comes from patience, repetition and building habits. CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER is a unique combination of functional strength training plus primal movement that helps you gain strength and mobility to bring new power, agility, and ability to whatever comes next – in life and in future workouts. The program was created by Super Trainer Amoila Cesar (The Work, The Prep, 645) so you know it will be effective and challenging. In this 20-workout collection, you’ll focus on strength training, metabolic conditioning, primal movement, and recovery!
What is primal Movement? Primal movement is ground-based, bodyweight movement in which you flow from one position to another, opening your body and using stabilizing muscles to help improve flexibility, mobility, and stability as you go. The basic forms are known as the ABCs: Ape, Beast, and Crab, along with their variations. It’s often called “movement meditation” because it requires concentration. But you’ll love how light, agile, and strong it makes you feel. You will still be lifting weights every day. About 70% of the program is lifting, but dynamic stretching and primal movements are the thread, woven in through warm up and cooldown, to ensure we’re adding that dynamic movement and increasing agility and strength that’ll empower your lifting and life. This all culminates in a final Primal Movement Flow.
Everyone has different starting points, goals, and lifestyles, so CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER has 3 calendar options that let you work out 4, 5, or 6 times a week, allowing you to finish the program in 4-5 weeks. Choose the option that works for you and go at your own pace. The program represents the habits and rituals on which Amoila centers his day: the repetition, the pursuit of mastery, and never giving up on himself. With focused consistency and repetition, you’ll master the movements and see how powerful you can become!
CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER is a collection of 20 workouts with 7 different formats. The program looks to me like a blend of dynamic movements similar to The Prep/Work/645 with a strong focus on expanding the primal ground work. I am definitely excited for primal! The workouts target specific muscles, work your total body, help you master primal movements, develop newfound agility, and ensure proper recovery. It’s designed to help you build strength and power like never before.
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Most of the workouts in this collection will be strength training using body weight and dumbbells, focusing on different body parts. Each workout will always start and end with dynamic stretching complemented with primal moves and flow. Four different workout formats will rotate week by week. For each of those days, a different body part will be highlighted, always on the same day of the week. So while the workout format will change, the muscle focus will remain consistent.
- Tempo Strength: The first 2 blocks of work focus on multiple tempo-based strength exercises, while the 3rd block is an AMRAP focused on conditioning.
- Hot Start: Hot start programming is a quad set of 4 exercises that gets the body moving right away. The first 3 exercises are strength based while the 4th focuses on conditioning/cardio.
- EMOM Circuit: The 1st block of work consists of an EMOM programming and the 2nd block contains a post-activation potentiation superset followed by a plyo/explosive movement. EMOM means targeting reps every minute on the minute.
- Burnout: 5 exercises that are rep- and timed-based meant to “burn/exhaust” the specific muscle group.
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There are also three other formats in the collection: |
- Each week includes a MixMet, a full body Metcon challenge using a format called “Alphabet Soup.” That’s 5 exercises you do in 4–6 min and then change the order each consecutive set.
- Primal Movement Flow: There are hybrids, to include primal movements, so by the end of the collection you have learned what you need for this complete primal movement flow.
- Recovery: Three Recovery workouts focus on Primal Movement Activation, Joint Mobilization, and Full Body Foam Rolling.
CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER is only available as a streaming option on BODi (many great options to get started today!)
(VIP early access for CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER on BODi is available for anyone beginning July 10, 2023, although the pre-sale started June 6th. If your region allows, you can sign-up to become a Preferred Customer or Coach/Partner to get a 25% discount on products and income potential. Please let me know if you have any questions!)
My goal with this detailed CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER BODi Review is to both try the program AND create perspective for you to make a decision on leveraging CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER for your health and fitness goals. I will be doing the 6-day workout calendar version. I am personally excited to do this program since it incorporates dynamic, compound weights plus HIIT/primal for lean mass gain focus. CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER can be leveraged at home or gym. Let’s do this! Be sure to join my PRIVATE SUPPORT TEAM for daily motivation and accountability, the slight edge, for your success. Check out my TESTIMONIALS! Click the JOIN TEAM RAGE button below with any questions to get started with TEAM RAGE!
Again, given that I am a Science guy, I will leverage heart rate analysis for each workout to draw conclusions and comparisons including the data in my perspective. This approach is similar to my popular reviews for P90X3, Insanity Max:30, Hammer & Chisel, 22 Minute Hard Corps, Body Beast, Country Heat, Core De Force, Shaun Week, Shift Shop, LIIFT4, Transform :20, 6 Weeks of THE WORK, 10 Rounds, 645, LIIFT MORE, and Tough Mudder T-Minus 30. I have a Polar OH1 Bluetooth enabled heart rate monitor (chest strap) synced to my iPhone using the free Polar Beat Mobile App and Polar Flow. Warmup and cooldown time is typically included in the heart rate analysis. Add additional time to stretch if needed.
Nutrition is CRITICAL for getting the results you want with this program and the targets are aligned with the CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER clean eating system (Nutrition + Portion Fix recommended) based on your stats and goals (see CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER nutrition guide, oh, and “rewards” are built in!). My supplements include Beachbody Performance Advanced Stack of ENERGIZE pre-workout, HYDRATE during workout, and RECOVER post-workout with Shakeology and Beachbar snacks.
The Workouts
Beachbody on Demand (BODi) Sneak Peak
Chop Wood Carry Water Sample Workout
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
The Data Analysis Summary
I am 100% pleased with my decision to try the Chop Wood Carry Water program. It is a much different style of fitness discipline with the primal movements and flow throughout the monthly workout calendar. Incorporating primal flow has already helped with my mobility, balance, flexibility and coordination in my other workouts and daily activities, in general. I am not aware of any other program like this out there. Amoila does a great job, as usual, with a structured progression of moves to promote mastery with practice and clear instruction on how to perform the primal variations safely with max results. I do like how he involves a lot of weighted work for total body muscle build while focusing on primal as a foundation for Chop Wood Carry Water. There are also ways to enhance difficulty in these workouts, as I call out where applicable in my detailed reviews of each workout. I was able to lift heavy and see lean mass gains in this program along with my mastery of primal flow. Success!
PROS of Chop Wood Carry Water
- The most significant plus for this program, as mentioned, is related to the total body benefits achieved from the primal movements and primal flow. If I wanted a standard weightlifting or HIIT cardio program there are many other programs to select that are focused in these areas. The innovation aspect here is the primal flow, which I haven’t see in any other programs. The weights and cardio are nice-to-have for a more balanced program, but that is not the focus. I have noticed improvements in many areas of my functional life with the mastery of primal flow during this program.
- I enjoyed having music in the background for this program. Many of the recent Beachbody/BODi launches rely on trainer-selected Spotify playlists for background tracks. I prefer having the music built into the actual workouts so I don’t have to balance volumes from multiple audio sources.
- The MixMet Volumes are really effective circuit routines. MixMet Vol. 4 is my favorite since it is the most challenging with the highest number of sets and shortest interval times per round.
- Chop Wood Carry Water will be fantastic in hybrid formats. I will create at least one hybrid for this program, likely with heavy weight training. Another hybrid option could focus on the incorporation of more HIIT.
- The recovery routines are excellent and I will leverage them moving forward, especially primal movement activation and joint mobilization. I didn’t realize how much I really needed to work on my wrists and ankles, for example, to enhance my performance in workouts.
- As always, there is good instruction and queues by Amoila during the technical primal flow work. This is one of his strengths, which I have observed in his other programs such as The Work and 645.
CONS of Chop Wood Carry Water
- Being honest, this is an intermediate program. This is not a bad thing and it will work very well for most people. For those with advanced fitness levels, you will likely need to stack workouts, hybrid the program, and/or ramp the intensity of movements (where applicable, but not primal!). For example, I amped up the 3-1-3 sets by doing the reps for both Team A and Team B, meaning I had no rest for several minutes while performance dynamic compound lifts. Insanely hard if you select weights that challenge you while staying safe!
- There is limited cardio in this program and the cardio that does exist is not very challenging. If you would like more cardio I do recommend a hybrid or stack with alternative HIIT.
- There is no rest or recovery mid-week on the 6-day schedule. I would have preferred the joint mobilization, primal movement activation or foam rolling on Day 3 in the week to allow muscles to recover, especially shoulders which are worked in moves on consecutive days.
- The weight training often includes breaks that are too long and limit the ultimate potential cardio pacing challenge. There IS enough time to add more sets, similar to the end of the program, although the breaks are still fairly long. It would be good to have an advanced schedule overall with shorter breaks and more sets during the same time.
- I believe Week 4 is essentially a recovery week. MixMet Vol. 4 is the only challenging work during Week 4. I would have preferred 4 weeks of tough workouts, and then an optional Week 5.
- There are no pull-ups. Amoila has them in other programs so it would have been nice to mix them in on Back day, although I understand he may be trying to limit the required equipment to do this program. He would do well to at least make them optional with modifier options. It is easy enough to stack your own sets of pull-ups, if you would like. I personally just added some sets at the end of Back days.
Overall, I HIGHLY recommend Chop Wood Carry Water!
Moving on to my final analysis, the table below demonstrates the VERY detailed results from comprehensive heart rate analysis for all 24 workouts for Chop Wood Carry Water including the bonus routines and sample workout (click to expand for easier reading). The data includes calories burned, average heart rate, max heart rate, time in each of 5 workout zones plus the percentage of time in max zones 4 and 5. Normalized calories are also shown (calories/workout time). The data is sorted by week for the program since there are 4 weeks of unique workouts. The subsequent graph also summarizes the workouts with regard to heart rate analysis (calories burned, average heart rate).
I feel really good about the data set and the regression analysis below indicates a very strong correlation to the data set for normalized calories and heart rates, which is a good sign (very close to perfect correlation R2 = 1). Although not shown in graphical format, max heart rates vs. average heart rates for all 24 Chop Wood Carry Water workouts also provides a good fit at y = 1.613x – 33.231 (R2 = 0.919).
You can see from the data set that Chop Wood Carry Water provides a range of beginner to intermediate level workouts that challenge in different ways. (By the way, I know that you are not actually “burning” calories, ha, it is just a term like “expenditure”.) Based on my data I get an average calorie burn of 218 cals/workout over the 24 Chop Wood Carry Water workouts with average workout time approx. 32 min. The Legs workouts, Burnout variations of the various workouts in general, and the Total Body MixMet Volumes provided the highest heart rate response with regard to calorie expenditure, heart rates and time in upper heart rate zones. Weeks 2/3 were the most challenging and then MixMet Vol. 4 from Week 4. There does not appear to be a general progression of higher normalized calorie burns as you move from Week 1 to Week 4, like you see in most programs. This may be a consequence of the primal flow discipline. However, I do believe the program does get more challenging each week.
Check out the comparison below to some key performance indicators relative to other top Beachbody programs P90X3, Insanity Max:30, Hammer & Chisel, 22 Minute Hard Corps, Body Beast, Country Heat, Core De Force, Shaun Week, Shift Shop, LIIFT4, Transform :20, 6 Weeks of The Work, 10 Rounds, 645, LIIFT MORE and Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 (click to expand for easier reading). Numbers shown are averages of all 16 Insanity Max:30 workouts, all 20 P90X3 workouts, all 19 Hammer and Chisel, all 13 22 Minute Hard Corps workouts, all 15 Body Beast workouts, 11 Country Heat workouts, all 14 Core De Force, all 7 Shaun Week workouts, all 11 Shift Shop workouts, all 34 LIIFT4 workouts (excluding B4 LIIFT4), all 51 Transform :20 workouts, all 33 10 Rounds workouts, all 90 645 workouts, all 52 LIIFT MORE workouts, and all 24 Tough Mudder T-Minus 30 workouts relative to all 24 Chop Wood Carry Water workouts. Workout times generally average in the 30-35 minute range for most of the programs compared to 32-min for Chop Wood Carry Water.
The data comparing Chop Wood Carry Water to other Beachbody programs is not surprising considering it is more of an intermediate type program. The comparison results indicate the Chop Wood Carry Water heart rate data comes in around Beachbody’s other technical/functional-based programs including Amoila’s 645. With that said, my Beachbody program comparison is a high level exercise and not always indicative of relative difficulty since these reviews have been performed over time. More specifically, the summary data in the table was generated over a time span of 10+ years when I had varied fitness levels and many other factors that may have contributed to the results. In addition, some programs have more lower impact workouts that may depress the average heart rate data sets including primal flow, stretch, recovery, foam rolling and mobility. As such, I am not surprised Chop Wood Carry Water rates low in most metrics shown in the table including only 6.57 cals/min normalized for the average workout.
So, Does Chop Wood Carry Water Work?
YES! As I always say, I am not going to lie, most if not all of these programs will work if you follow them, especially the nutrition guide and discipline. I know this from my personal experience as well as the experience of thousands on my Team across the World 14+ years as a Team Beachbody/BODi Coach/Partner. I can confirm Chop Wood Carry Water is a great program for strength, mobility, balance and coordination! Chop Wood Carry Water is ANOTHER tool in the toolbox for achieving your health and fitness goals. I suspect it will be amazing in hybrid formats to integrate the primal flow discipline. Check out my Body Beast Chop Wood Carry Water hybrid! I hope you enjoy my Chop Wood Carry Water Review and be sure to reach out to me to get connected to the broad reach of TEAM RAGE and my personal coaching support !!
CHOP WOOD CARRY WATER is only available as a streaming option on BODi (many great options to get started today!)
Favorite Workouts: Total Body MixMet Vol. 4, all Chest & Back, Primal Movement Flow Express
Least Favorite Workouts: Full Body Foam Rolling, TGU-T
Hardest Workouts (for me): Legs Burnout, Legs Tempo Strength, Total Body MixMet Vol. 4
Easiest Workouts (for me): Arms & Flow workouts, Primal Movement Cardio
The Reviews
Chop Wood Carry Water Sample Workout
Up early and pressed play on the much anticipated Chop Wood Carry Water Sample Workout with Amoila on BODi! The full body workout started with a dynamic warmup typical of Amoila’s routines followed by iso-hold ABCs of primal movement (Ape-Beast-Crab) with counter-lateral balance incorporated. Amoila then proceeds with sample blocks of the “Hot Start”, “Tempo Strength” and “EMOM Circuit” disciplines found in the total body workouts of Chop Wood Carry Water. Block 1 is Hot Start with 2 sets of 3 weighted exercises including gorilla rows (20 reps), deep Ape curls (10 reps) and V-Arnold press (10 reps) followed by a 4th plyo-based movement of towel slams (30 sec). Block 2 is 2 sets of Tempo Strength discipline of 2 tempos/speeds including bi-phasic split dumbbell squat (10 reps each side) and heels elevated Goblet squat (10 reps). Block 3 involves EMOM Circuit at 2-minutes of 3-1-3 dumbbell swings (3) to snatch (1) then front squats (3). Amoila split up the cast into partner workout Teams A and B. One team does 3-1-3 at a time while the other rests and they alternate for 2-minutes. The workout finishes up with 2-min primal focus of jumping underswitch crab variations followed by cooldown stretch.
I burned 233 calories in 30-min with average and max heart rates of 125 and 176 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zones 2-3. These numbers are typical of sample workouts for most programs where a mix of exercises found during the program are sampled along with a lot of instruction from the trainer. The blocks were only 2 sets in the sample while there will mostly be 3 sets in the actual program.
I loved this workout! What a great combo of primal movements and dynamic lifts. The 3-1-3 stack at the end was brutal if you select the correct weights. I did all of the sets for Team A and Team B without breaks, which was rough for 2 minutes straight. This is where my heart rate spiked! I used 25-60-lb dumbbells throughout the entire workout and probably could have increased in a few sets. I can tell I will benefit from the primal movement and flexibility work. The sequence at the end was challenging. I will improve once I get this program started. Highly recommended, let’s do this together!
Chest & Back Tempo Strength
Here we go, official Day 1 of Chop Wood Carry Water with Chest & Back Tempo Strength. Awesome workout! Chest & Back Tempo Strength has 3 sets per block (reps in parenthesis). Block 1 is triphasic push-up (12) and chainsaw row (12/12). Block 2 consists of dumbbell floor press (12) and triphasic row (12). Block 3 AMRAP (8-min) involves lateral hurdle (20), single-arm dumbbell pullover (12/12) and hollow chest press (12). The workout finishes up with the basic framework of primal movements to prepare us for the more advanced moves later in the program.
I burned 254 cals in 37-min with ave and max heart rates of 118 and 148 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 2. This is a slower paced routine overall so heart rate elevation is limited, especially with the primal variations. However, it is still a challenging and effective workout! It will take a few days to get dialed into the weights for this program. I used 30-60-lb dumbbells and should be able to increase next time. I love the tempo discipline and the primal work will be much needed to balance my overall performance. The single-arm pullover is my favorite move. I am really impressed by the flow of this workout. Now that I know how the program works, I will pick up the pace in the AMRAP sections and minimize breaks. I did 3.5 sets of the AMRAP circuit this time since I maintained pace with the cast. The tempo slow-count movements were challenging with the proper weight selected. I also expect big improvements with the iso-primal rep finishers. Can’t wait for day 2!
Shoulders Hot Start
Bring on Day 2 of Chop Wood Carry Water! Shoulders Hot Start has up to 4 sets per block. Block 1 is 3 sets of V-sit Arnold press (12), 1/2 knee windmill get-up (4/4), bent over T-raise (12) and shuffle run (60 sec). Block 2 consists of 4 sets of push press (5) and hollow hold rotation (20). The primal movement section at the end of the workout advances to more dynamic and iso-hold variations including underswitch exercises.
I burned 264 cals in 35-min with ave and max heart rates of 123 and 161 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zones 2-3. I used 15-45-lb dumbbells over the course of this workout. The pacing of this routine is excellent and I was active throughout. You need to be very careful on form for the knee windmill get-ups, which may remind many of you of variations from The Work. The weighted moves overall were challenging and I liked the shuffle run incorporated at the end of Block 1 sets. The hollow hold rotation is a new version of Russian twist to work the core and really the entire body. I definitely have some work to do on the underswitch primal moves. Progress, not perfection. This workout was more challenging for me relative to Day 1 and I fully anticipate the difficulty to ramp as the program continues!
Legs EMOM Circuit
My upper body already has some soreness heading into Day 3, as expected with these new movements that target the muscles in different ways. Success! Legs EMOM Circuit has up to 4 sets per block. EMOM means targeting reps every minute on the minute. No primal movements today. Block 1 EMOM (12-min) is goblet side lunge (16), reverse lunge rotational coil (16) and clamshell rotation (8/8). Block 2 consists of suitcase squat (10) and vertical jump (5). Block 3 of 3-1-3 (5-min) involves 3 swings – 1 snatch – 3 front squats. There is a short cooldown at the end.
I burned 252 cals in 32-min with ave and max heart rates of 126 and 175 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 2. I used 25-60-lb dumbbells for this workout. These numbers are comparable to the other workouts in Week 1 thus far and the sample routine. However, max heart rate is the highest yet as I red-lined in the upper zone during the last block of 5-min EMOM. This is not surprising since I did all of the sets for both Team A and Team B. I did this in the sample and it was very challenging. I used 25-lb dumbbells and did not set them down during the 5-min and completed 10 rounds of the 3-1-3 discipline. This may be a good challenge opportunity for those looking to ramp up intensity, otherwise take your breaks! I also think the PAP (post-activation potentiation) work is super effective with the weighted reps immediately followed by explosive plyo movement simulating the same dynamic motion. I had good results using this approach with P90X2. The other thing I like about this workout and others in the program is that Amoila incorporates breathing techniques to help get oxygen to the muscles during difficult blocks of the workout. Good stuff. I am confident my legs will be sore tomorrow since I had trouble walking up the stairs after Legs EMOM! I DEFINITELY recommend the Chop Wood Carry Water program. Join us – Click the JOIN TEAM RAGE button below with any questions to get started with TEAM RAGE!
Arms & Flow Burnout
Arms & Flow Burnout is a rocker! It is called “Burnout” for a reason. There are 4 sets of a superset circuit at 5 moves each set including 1-1/2 curl (12), commando T-plank (12), cross over/soccer tap (60 sec), hammer curl (12) and overhead tricep extension (12). The cross over cardio is done in sets 1/3 and soccer tap in sets 2/4. The last 10-min is the “flow” part of the workout with a series of crab/beast underswitch primal move variations leading up to the jumping progression by the end.
I burned 308 cals in 38-min with ave and max heart rates of 127 and 179 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 2. I used 20-45-lb dumbbells over the course of this workout. I pushed hard today and had my weight selection perfect for going to near failure last reps. 20-lb dumbbells was good for me during the 1-1/2 curls and I may be able to increase to 25-lbs next time. The last set of the weighted superset block was especially challenging since there is very little rest between sets. I double-timed the soccer tap sets to ramp intensity, which is where my heart rate spiked into Zone 5. Good stuff. I still have some work to do on taking Amoila’s direction in the primal flow segments. I can tell my body will benefit from primal focus and I am excited to see how I progress during the program. I definitely have to keep working on the mobility of my wrists and elbows for these underswitch movements. I added a little extra lower body stretch at the end of the workout since I am super sore from Legs EMOM yesterday. That is a great sign. Bring on Total Body MixMet Vol. 1!!
Total Body MixMet Vol. 1
This is the last major workout in Week 1 of the Chop Wood Carry Water calendar since tomorrow is Recovery Primal Movement Activation followed by active rest day. My body is all kinds of sore today from the new exercises this week. Total Body MixMet Vol. 1 is 6 min per 4 blocks of 5 moves each where the order of the moves is “mixed” up each set at 12 reps each. Set 1 is RDL, side plank dip, X bound, lateral sprawl and thruster. Set 2 consists of thruster, lateral sprawl, X bound, side plank dip and RDL. Set 3 involves X bound, RDL, thruster, lateral sprawl and side plank dip. Set 4 is side plank dip, thruster, RDL, lateral sprawl and X bound. There are cooldown moves at the end.
I burned 229 cals in 34-min with ave and max heart rates of 117 and 160 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 2. I used 35-60-lb dumbbells for this workout. I may be able to increase weights next time, although the break between sets will be much less in future weeks so that may be tough. You get 6-min to do all 5 moves in Week 1 and I found I had about 2-min to rest between sets, but the time allocated for sets decreases from 6-min to 5-min and then 4-min the last week. I expect the last week of 4-min sets to be brutal with very little rest during the entire workout. Overall, I really enjoyed the MixMet total body workout. The floor sprawls were effective and the thrusters/RDL challenging for the weighted work. I am looking forward to Primal Movement Activation tomorrow!
Primal Movement Activation
Primal Movement Activation is the first recovery workout that shows up on the 4-, 5- and 6-day calendars for Chop Wood Carry Water. Do not skip this recovery! It addresses better movement for your 5 kinetic checkpoints of head, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. It begins with some stretch and activation followed by 2 blocks of primal movements. The progression of the session is seated cat cow, tuck rolls, butterfly spinal stretch, 90-90 bow hinge bend to heal tap, sideline thoracic reach, heal sit to 45-degree side lunge, and deep Ape walk-out Cobra. The main block is traveling Ape (6 reps), crab underswitch into side lunge (awesome variation!), half kneel adductor rotation, half lunge stretch with leg pull rotation (tough!), QL stretch with alternating hip drop (my favorite move), loaded beast to downward dog/Cobra/child pose, and wide split-leg heal stretch. The second block is faster pace while maintaining smooth flow. Amoila has a lot of focus and instruction on effective breathing in Primal Movement Activation.
I burned 99 cals in 22-min with ave and max heart rates of 101 and 124 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 1. These numbers are consistent with my expectations given the stretch, mobility and flexibility flow focus of the routine. I really needed this session today and I feel AMAZING after working out much of the soreness from Week 1. Interestingly enough, my ankles, wrists and lower back feel much looser/unlocked, which will help with the primal and weighted movements in Week 2. Good stuff. I will be incorporating Primal Movement Activation often moving forward to keep my body primed for peak performance.
Week 1 Chop Wood Carry Water is complete. I am a big fan of this program. There is a lot of lifting like many programs, but the additional discipline of primal exercise adds a whole new dimension to achieving total body progress. Highly recommended. You can even stack or hybrid these workouts in combination to tailor your intensity level. Bring on Week 2 my friends!
Chest & Back EMOM Circuit
Week 2 begins with Chest & Back EMOM Circuit at 3 sets per block for 2 blocks. Block 1 EMOM (12-min) is gorilla row (20), chest fly (10), pullover extension (10) and frogger (10). Block 2 consists of dumbbell press (10) and plyo push-up (5). The workout finishes up with the primal movement segment, which includes a new variation of overhead reach. The jumping crab to overhead reach is the new primal flow that results when putting it all together today.
I burned 220 cals in 32-min with ave and max heart rates of 117 and 146 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zones 1-2. I used 30-50-lb dumbbells over the course of this workout. The average and max heart rates are similar to Week 1 Chest & Back Tempo Strength, although the total calorie burn is lower presumably from less cardio (Week 1 had AMRAP). Overall, calorie burns for Chop Wood Carry Water will be lower than many programs since the primal movements represent a good 10-min or so of the routine. This does NOT mean this is not an effective program. I challenged myself with the weight selection and will look to increase next time where possible. I recommend you use the weight tracker that comes with the program materials so you know what you did previously. The PAP circuit with dumbbell press to plyo-pushup is awesome. Time to recharge for tomorrow!
Shoulders Tempo Strength
Shoulders Tempo Strength has 3 sets per block. Block 1 is biphasic shoulder press (10) and side plank rotation (10/10). Biphasic correlates to the tempo discipline. In this case there are slow count negatives for 5 reps followed by iso-hold at bottom to press for the second 5 reps. Block 2 consists of single-arm tall kneel press (5/5) and biphasic bent over Y-raise (10). The hold during biphasic is at the top of the move for Y-raise. Block 3 AMRAP (8-min) involves high-knee variation (20), single-arm snatch (10/10) and push press (10). The primal movement section advances to loaded beast and wave unload variations in this workout.
I burned 293 cals in 38-min with ave and max heart rates of 124 and 170 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 2. I used 10-40-lb dumbbells today. The 10-lbers were for the bent over Y-raises, mostly since there are iso-holds and slow tempo count. It was more than enough weight. I may be able to increase to 45-lbs on several of the shoulder variations. Amoila paces us to 3.5 sets during the 8-min AMRAP. I feel like I could pick up the pace slightly and do another 0.5-1 set, but the timing is already challenging. The wave unload primal work is excellent and reminds me of yoga flow. Never a bad thing! Great workout and I am looking forward to Legs tomorrow. Let’s do this!
Legs Burnout
Wow. This workout is a ROCKER! I had sweat everywhere by the end. Legs Burnout has up to 4 sets per block. Block 1 is sumo deadlift (10), goblet catch (10), lateral bound (40 sec), single-leg hip thrust (10/10) and clamshell reach (10/10). Block 2 of 3-1-3 (4-min) consists of 3 swings – 1 snatch – 3 front squats. Block 3 involves Ape reach (20 sec/10 sec).
I burned 328 cals in 40-min with ave and max heart rates of 128 and 179 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zones 2-3. I used 25-50-lb dumbbells over the course of this workout. This calorie expenditure is a new high mark for me with this program and the intensity is ramping each successive week. The BURNOUT versions of the Chop Wood Carry Water workouts appear to push the heart rates most, as may be expected by the name. I liked the new sumo deadlift exercise and dumbbell goblet catch. Similar to last week, I did all of the sets for Team A and Team B during the 3-1-3 4-min circuit without dropping the weights for an extra challenge. Insane. I red-lined heart rate again by the end in Zone 5 at 25-lb dumbbells and hit all 12 rounds of 3-1-3. Perhaps I will go for 30-lb DBs next time. The Ape reach was a great way to finish up the workout. Keep up the good work my friends!
Arms & Flow Hot Start
I am feeling good now as the soreness from Week 1 is gone and I continue to push forward in Week 2. Arms & Flow Hot Start has 3 sets of a circuit of 4 moves each including Ape curl (10), diamond push-up (10), half-kneel hammer curl (10/10) and spider climber (40 sec). This is then followed by approx. 15-min of primal flow with a new slide variation and then putting it all together with jumping underswitch, wave and loaded beast discipline.
I burned 235 cals in 39-min with ave and max heart rates of 111 and 146 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 1. I used 25-35-lb dumbbells for this workout. This workout is slower paced so I am not surprised by the lower heart rate analysis, especially compared to the Week 1 Burnout version of Arms & Flow. Next time I may add more diamond push-up reps since the 10 reps alone was not very challenging for me. The Ape curl is a good move and reminds me of a similar exercise in the original P90X. I always try to be careful when doing loaded curls in Ape position to protect my lower back. Use a wall for support if needed. I double-timed the reps for spider climber to ramp intensity. I am improving in the primal flow, although I always seem to end up facing the wrong direction. Haha. Progress not perfection!!
Total Body MixMet Vol. 2
Total Body MixMet Vol. 2 is 5 min per 4 sets where the order of the 5 moves is “mixed” up each set at 12 reps each. In other words, Vol. 2 is amped up relative to Vol. 1 by reducing the timing of sets by 1-min. The order of moves is mixed up compared to Vol 1. and then of course within sets in Vol. 2. Set 1 is RDL, side plank dip, X bound, lateral sprawl and thruster. Set 2 consists of lateral sprawl, thruster, side plank dip, X bound and RDL. Set 3 involves side plank dip, lateral sprawl, RDL, thruster and X bound. Set 4 is thruster, X bound, side plank dip, RDL and lateral sprawl. The workout finishes up with some cooldown stretches.
I burned 216 cals in 28-min with ave and max heart rates of 124 and 166 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zones 1 and 3. Vol 2. is 5-min shorter than Vol. 1 as a consequence of the faster timing of sets. I still found the breaks a bit long and look forward to the future versions of MixMet that reduce the sets to 4-min and/or increases the sets from 4 to 5 total sets. Although the workout was shorter than Vol. 1, the heart rate data is very similar, which supports the intensity level increasing in Vol. 2. I spent more time in the higher Zone 3 as well. I used 35-60-lb dumbbells for this workout. I could probably go up to 70- or 80-lb dumbbells for RDL, but I am trying to protect my lower back. I may try to increase to 40-lb thrusters next week in Vol. 3 (squat to shoulder press cycle). I enjoy the MixMet workouts. Innovative stuff!
Joint Mobilization
Joint Mobilization is the second recovery workout that shows up on the Chop Wood Carry Water schedule. Do not skip this recovery! It addresses the hinges at the joints to promote better movement for your 5 kinetic checkpoints of head, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. The session is mostly a stretch and mobility workout involving neck stretch, neck bends, neck circles, shoulder rolls, elbow circles, arm backstrokes, arm frontstrokes, back scratchers, Egyptian arm screws, tree huggers, cross body reaches, hip tilts, hip bend, hip circles, knee circles, knee bends, single leg side taps, single leg extension taps, ankle scoops, spinal rolls, towel toe touch progression, toe stretch mobility, and toe spacers (important since the foot makes up 25% bones in our body!).
I burned 47 cals in 25-min with ave and max heart rates of 76 and 96 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 0. That is correct, I didn’t even spend one second in Zone 1, ha. Absolutely loved this routine though. It feels like something I should do more often, perhaps twice a week. I actually pressed play on Joint Mobilization right before Total Body MixMet Vol. 2 and it was a GREAT way to loosen up for the more intense workout. I definitely benefited today from the neck, ankle, hip and spine focus. I was able to touch the ground with straight legs during spinal rolls and towel touch progression, which is good for me. Progress, it’s working! Week 2 is done and the program is 50% complete. I highly recommend Chop Wood Carry Water. As always, CONTACT ME with any questions and support for your health and fitness journey! Bring on Week 3!!
Chest & Back Hot Start
Chest & Back Hot Start has 3 sets per block. Block 1 is elevated push-up variation (5/5), single-arm bent over row (10/10), pullover extension (10) and towel slam (45 sec). Block 2 consists of plank row (10) and single-arm hollow press (10/10). The primal flow section at the end introduces loaded beast reach and step-through variations.
I burned 260 cals in 37-min with ave and max heart rates of 118 and 154 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 2. I used 45-60-lb dumbbells for this workout. The heart rate data is almost identical to Chest & Back Tempo Strength version Week 1 and higher than the EMOM Circuit workout Week 2. Good stuff. I challenged myself with the weights today and I was fatigued by the end, although I felt I could have gone another round in the weighted circuits. The weighted moves in this workout require a lot of body control with core focus to stabilize. The shoulders get worked too in plank work plus the loaded beast step-through movements. Overall, great start to Week 3. Bring on Shoulders Burnout!
Shoulders Burnout
Let’s do this! Shoulders Burnout begins with a short warmup including primal APE move progressions. I admit, Amoila could have incorporated more shoulder-specific warmup movements since the workout jumps right into heavy shoulder press in the main circuit. There are 3 sets of a circuit at 5 moves each including rack press (10/10), bent over W-press (10), wood chop step thru (20 sec/20 sec similar to The Work!), rocking chair (20 sec/20 sec) and single-arm snatch (10/10). The primal flow section at the end of the workout focuses on scorpion reach in beast and crab positions.
I burned 267 cals in 37-min with ave and max heart rates of 121 and 175 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 2. I used 10-40-lb dumbbells over the course of this workout. You don’t need much weight for the bent over W-press. What a great shoulder move! The heart rate numbers today are similar to Shoulders Hot Start and Tempo Strength, although the max heart rate was higher with the upper zones achieved during the heavy single-arm snatch using 35-lb dumbbell. The calorie expenditure was higher for Tempo Strength. I did well with the scorpion reach primal variations. I am making progress and definitely more fluid in my primal transitions! I enjoyed this workout overall. I was surprised since it went fast for me and before I knew it my clothes were covered in sweat. Success!!
Legs Tempo Strength
If I created Chop Wood Carry Water I would have modified the schedule slightly. Day 3 of the week is the day on the schedule mid-week that I prefer to have a recovery day or cardio HIIT. This is especially true in this program since the Legs workouts on Day 3 often challenge the shoulder muscles too, which are worked hard on Day 2. Day 3 would be the perfect time to incorporate some of the joint mobilization, stretch and active recovery focus before finishing the week strong. I would then add another recovery-type session at the end of the week.
Anyway, Legs Tempo Strength has 3 sets per block. Block 1 is biphasic split squat (10/10) and heels elevated goblet squat (10). Block 2 consists of kickstand single-leg RDL (10/10) and biphasic single-leg dynamic bridge (10/10). Block 3 AMRAP (8-min) involves side lunge (10/10), lateral jump squat (10) and calf raise (20). Block 4 is 3-1-3 (2-min) of 3 swings – 1 snatch – 3 front squats.
I burned 327 cals in 41-min with ave and max heart rates of 126 and 177 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 2. I used 30-70-lb dumbbells over the course of this workout. The heart rate data is fairly comparable to the Leg workout versions EMOM Circuit and Burnout, although the calorie burn is lower for EMOM Circuit with the shorter total workout time. 327 cals is second highest for me thus far in the program. I enjoyed this workout even though I dislike leg workouts in general, haha. The slow count tempo discipline is challenging. My legs were on fire! I kept up with the pace on AMRAP and finished all 4 rounds with the 30- and 45-lb dumbbells. I finished up with a 35-lb dumbbell for all 4 rounds 3-1-3 circuit (Team A + B reps). I was able to lift heavier for 3-1-3 since it was only 2-min vs. 4-min in previous weeks. I believe I can increase weight on both the AMRAP and 3-1-3 sessions moving forward while staying safe. Overall, awesome workout and I am ready for Arms & Flow EMOM!
Arms & Flow EMOM Circuit
Arms & Flow EMOM Circuit has up to 3 sets of EMOM (12-min) of 4 moves each including tall kneeling iso hammer curl (10/10), pike push-up (10), Zottman curl (10) and walkout (10). The EMOM Circuit is followed by 10-min of primal flow series where you put together most of the moves learned in the first 3 weeks of Chop Wood Carry Water.
I burned 188 cals in 33-min with ave and max heart rates of 109 and 143 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 1. I used 25-30-lb dumbbells for this workout. These are the lowest heart rate numbers I have achieved for any of the weighted workouts in the program. This is not surprising since much of the workout is warmup, primal flow and cooldown. Two of the moves in the EMOM Circuit are also relatively easy including pike push-up and walkout. I would have liked to work my biceps and triceps more to burnout in this routine, but that is not the purpose of this workout. Overall, great workout though! I have finally mastered the primal flow movements in this workout. I actually ended up facing the correct way each flow move and was able to extend my leg straight out for the kick through variations. Progress!
Total Body MixMet Vol. 3
Total Body MixMet Vol. 3 is 5 min per 5 sets where the order of the 5 moves is “mixed” up each set at 12 reps each. Set 1 is RDL, side plank dip, X bound, lateral sprawl and thruster. Set 2 consists of thruster, lateral sprawl, side plank dip, RDL and X bound. Set 3 involves RDL, X bound, thruster, lateral sprawl and side plank dip. Set 4 is X bound, lateral sprawl, RDL, side plank dip and thruster. Set 5 consists of side plank dip, RDL, lateral sprawl, thruster and X bound.
I burned 298 cals in 33-min with ave and max heart rates of 134 and 175 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 3. I used up to 40-70-lb dumbbells over the course of the workout. This metabolic conditioning workout is a ROCKER! My heart rate data is significantly elevated compared to MixMet Volumes 1/2, which is not a surprise with the extra set of circuit moves. I also increased my RDL to 70-lb DBs and thruster to 40-lb DBs. I could probably increase again, but these weights feel right for me to stay safe while moving at the prescribed dynamic pace. Further, MixMet Vol. 4 in the final week will reduce time for sets down to 4-min instead of 5-min. So, it all comes together in Vol. 4 next week with the most sets, shortest time to complete the sets, and highest weights while maintaining good form. I fully expect Vol. 4 to be very challenging. I still had a little more rest than I needed between sets in Vol. 3 today. I am looking forward to the much needed foam rolling recovery routine tomorrow to recharge and finish the Chop Wood Carry Water program STRONG!
Full Body Foam Rolling
Full Body Foam Rolling is a typical foam rolling routine that targets total body mobility improvements and tissue integrity for overcompensated muscles. Don’t skip it! Amoila states this can be incorporated multiple times per week, as needed. Hold the position in any trigger point spots that “stick” or are very tight. However, avoid foam rolling when you are very sore. Tight = yes. Sore = NO. This session focuses on mid-back (roll/extension/flexion), lower back (roll/side QL), lats (roll upper/lower), chest (roll and hold pec major/minor), glutes (roll/rock), hamstrings at glute insertion to knee (roll/rock), IT bands and TFL (roll/rock), quads (roll/rock and flex to windshield wiper), and calf complex (roll/rock).
I burned 58 cals in 24-min with ave and max heart rates of 86 and 100 bpm, respectively, with most of the session in Zone 0, as expected. I used a standard foam roller today. I do have a Rumble Roller for more intense myofascial release, but I was not in the mood for that level of pain today! This was a good routine for me as my body needed the extra stretch and mobility work heading into the last week of Chop Wood Carry Water. I had some very tight spots at the IT bands (ouch!), quads and calves. The quad flex to windshield wiper was brutal! My dominant right side was noticeably tighter than my left side so I really needed the foam rolling today. Feeling good now and more balanced for performance. Let’s finish the program STRONG!
TGU-T Training
Welcome to the final week of Chop Wood Carry Water! The bonus TGU-T is Turkish Get-Up Training to help learn how to effectively get up and off the ground. This workout can be used for body assessment, conditioning, mobility, balance, coordination and strength. In other words, it can be stacked with other workouts during this program or others. After 5 minutes of warmup, Amoila first teaches the proper movements that align with the 6 stations of TGU. To do this, the routine begins with 5 reps each per side of quarter get-up, half get-up, half-kneel windmill, and lunge to stand. These 4 exercises incorporate the 6 total stations. The “T” or “training” part of the workout finishes up by putting it all together in the last 6+ minutes with 6-8 full Turkish Get-Ups (all 6 stations) with a carry-walk-turn between reps (switch arm for dumbbell each turn).
I burned 136 cals in 25-min with ave and max heart rates of 108 and 151 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 1. I used a 20-lb dumbbell for this workout. The heart rate data is much lower than most Chop Wood Carry Water workouts due the significant amount of instruction from Amoila to teach safe TGU form. This is very important. It is still a surprisingly awesome and challenging workout! I was able to add a few reps TGU at the end while the cast was taking a break before the final push. That helped spike my heart rate into Zone 3. Sure, I could have used a heavier dumbbell for some of the variations, but I was trying to stay safe with my lower back as I learned the TGU-T moves. I may push to 30-lb dumbbell next time. I can see how TGU discipline enhances performance for other types of workouts and general mobility in daily life. Good stuff!
Primal Movement Flow
Primal Movement Flow is the final primal workout of Chop Wood Carry Water. This is where we put it all together! After a short warmup, Amoila takes us through the progression from the basic primal foundational moves from the previous weeks to the more advanced variations and ultimately the final flow to finish up the routine. The final flow consists of the progression below!
Set loaded beast
Right leg beast reach
Return to loaded beast
Left leg beast reach
Return to loaded beast
Slide to right leg side kick through
Jump to left leg side kick through
Left leg scorpion reach
Left leg underswitch into right hand crab reach
Return to crab
Right leg scorpion reach
Right leg underswitch into left hand crab reach
Right leg underswitch into loaded beast
Wave unload
Return to loaded beast
Left leg beast reach
Return to loaded beast
Right leg beast reach
Return to loaded beast
Slide to left leg side kick through
Jump to right leg side kick through
Right leg scorpion reach
Right leg underswitch into left hand crab reach
Return to crab
Left leg scorpion reach
Left leg underswitch into right hand crab reach
Left leg underswitch into loaded beast
Wave unload
Return to loaded beast
I burned 162 cals in 32-min with ave and max heart rates of 104 and 132 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 1. I was able to master the flow by the end. It felt good and natural. It took me a few weeks, but I am able to respond to Amoila’s commands for the range of primal moves in the program. This session was awesome. The calorie burn is fairly low, as expected, but, man, my total body was engaged and challenged throughout. My wrist and ankles felt good thanks to the recovery workouts. Progress, not perfection. I definitely recommend primal movements for those that have not tried!
Primal Movement Cardio
Primal Movement Cardio has two sets each of two blocks of work with 30 sec on and 15 sec off transitions. There is a one minute break between blocks. As the workout name implies, there are primal moves contained within the cardio blocks to keep your body active. After a warmup, Block 1 includes shuttle runs and modified side kick through with high hip, forward hops and loaded beast step, and broad jump with primal crawl back. Block 2 consists of lateral bound hop and underswitch reach, lateral Pogo and walk out hop frogger, and double broad jump to crawl back.
I burned 183 cals in 24-min with ave and max heart rates of 124 and 164 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 2. This workout is similar to Tabata-type workouts, which I have always been a big fan. I had a good sweat going today, although I felt I could have pushed for much longer and my heart rates did not achieve the upper difficulty zones. I would characterize this as an intermediate cardio workout. The addition of primal to a fast-paced cardio routine is a cool concept. The broad jumps to primal crawl back were the most challenging for me as I picked up the pace. Adding primal to cardio does bring a more total body workout experience. I may add this Primal Movement Cardio more frequently to my schedule moving forward!
Primal Movement Flow Express
Primal Movement Flow Express is the ADVANCED track bonus of primal flow for Chop Wood Carry Water. I didn’t even know there were more advanced primal moves than what we did in Primal Movement Flow so this will be interesting. Looking forward to the extra challenge! This session can be used for active recovery or stack during the week. After a short warmup, Amoila takes us through basic to advanced progression of primal moves to the the final flow to finish up the routine. The final flow consists of the progression below!
Right leg jumping underswitch into left leg levitating side kick through
Jump to right leg levitating side kick through
Right leg full scorpion
Left leg full scorpion
Right leg jumping underswitch
Left leg jumping underswitch
Left leg underswitch to loaded beast
Right leg front kick through
Pop back to loaded beast
Left leg front kick through
Pop back to loaded beast
Wave unload
Return to loaded beast
I burned 112 cals in 26-min with ave and max heart rates of 100 and 121 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 1. These numbers are lower than Primal Movement Flow earlier in the week, although that session was 6 minutes longer. I suppose that is why this is called the “express” version of primal flow. It was a good session. The jump to levitating combo is a good addition as well as the full scorpion variation. I did well today. I am ready for the final day of Chop Wood Carry Water tomorrow with MixMet Vol. 4. Bring on the heavy weights!
Total Body MixMet Vol. 4
Graduation day, let’s GO! Total Body MixMet Vol. 4 is 4 min per 5 sets where the order of the 5 moves is “mixed” up each set at 12 reps each. Set 1 is RDL, side plank dip, X bound, lateral sprawl and thruster. Set 2 consists of side plank dip, RDL, thruster, lateral sprawl and X bound. Set 3 involves lateral sprawl, thruster, X bound, side plank dip and RDL. Set 4 is X bound, lateral sprawl, side plank dip, RDL and thruster. Set 5 consists of thruster, RDL, X bound, side plank dip and lateral sprawl.
I burned 256 cals in 28-min with ave and max heart rates of 136 and 174 bpm, respectively, with most of the workout in Zone 3. I used 40-80-lb dumbbells for this workout. These are the highest weights I have used in the program for MixMet. This Volume 4 version is the most intense with the most sets (5), shortest time allowed to complete each set (4 min), and presumably most challenging weights. If this workout doesn’t challenge you be sure to reflect on your weights selected (while staying safe with good form!). This was the toughest workout in the program for me. I was pushed hard today. A few of the sets in the middle were brutal with back-to-back weighted moves and near the floor sprawls, which raise the heart rate significantly. The breaks were still 90-sec between sets and I needed most of it, but Amoila could drop the break to 60 seconds to amp up the intensity even more. The heart rate numbers were similar to MixMet Vol. 3 for me, even time in the heart rate zones, although the normalized calorie burn was slightly higher on Vol. 4 just above 9.1 cal/min compared to 8.9 cal/min for Vol. 3. Awesome workout and awesome program. We are DONE!! Congrats my friends. As always, I will create hybrid(s) once I assess the best combinations for optimal results and performance. Be sure to CONTACT ME to let me know what you thought of Chop Wood Carry Water and join TEAM RAGE for daily support and motivation!!
excellent review!