How to do it · start and finish
Left is the start. Right is the finish. Match the shape, then add load.
Core
Cable Woodchop
Rotational core. High-to-low or low-to-high.
beginnerCult Gym floor
Core · Cable
How to handle weight
Carries: pick a load you can walk tall with — if you lean or hike a hip, go lighter. Pallof / chops: the stack should not twist you. Holds: cut the time before the shape dies.
Usual programming
3 × 8–12 each.
Caution
Quality over a long ugly hold. Ribs down, glutes on, neck long. Hanging work: packed shoulders, no pendulum. Ab wheel: stay on knees until the lumbar does not sag.
Setup
Feet planted, rotate through the ribs, arms long, don’t squat the chop.
Cues
- Hips quiet
- Exhale through the chop
- Don’t yank with the arms only
Common mistakes
- Twisting the knees
- Too much load
- Turning it into a sit-up
Home swap
Band chop
