Putting the Block in Blockbuster

Just as a lever can move enormous objects, the Chop Block is a simple machine that does a lot. Using a ten-pound aluminum bat to hit the foam-and-rubber cube, you can recreate the motion of splitting wood with an axe. This activity has multiple benefits:

  • A full body workout, from lifting with your arms and core to squatting with your legs as you strike down.

  • A dramatic rise in testosterone. A study of men aged 16 to 80 found a 48.6% increase in their testosterone after an hour of woodchopping. The same group of men experienced only a 30% increase after playing a game of soccer. ¹

  • The creation of fast-twitch muscle fibers, which generate greater power and strength.

The Science of Success

Muscle fibers can be separated into two different types: fast-twitch and slow-twitch. Slow-twitch muscle fibers are useful for endurance, which is necessary for athletes like marathon runners. Fast-twitch muscle fibers are crucial for applying power in many different sports, including:

  • Baseball

  • Football

  • Boxing

  • Mixed martial arts

  • Sprinting

  • Golf

  • Volleyball

  • Swimming

Fast-twitch muscle fibers are activated by using heavy weights or performing explosive movements like – you guessed it – chopping wood.

The Next MVP

The most similar equipment to the Chop Block is the tractor tire and sledgehammer, which – if a gym even has them – have a bulk and awkwardness that often leaves them underused. “This had to be gym-friendly,” Mario says of the Chop Block. “It had to be easy to use, it had to be portable, and durable, too. And I think it solved all those things.”

The Chop Block’s versatility goes still further, as the cube can be used as a plyometrics box. Mario envisions, “I really feel like it should be as regular a part of a gym as kettle bells and medicine balls.”

1. Benjamin C. Trumble et al, “Age-independent increases in male salivary testosterone during horticultural activity among Tsimane forager-farmers,” Evolution and Human Behavior 34, no. 5 (2013): 350-57. Full Study Details