Low-to-High Woodchop

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1Set a cable pulley to its lowest position and attach a single handle or rope.
2. 2Stand sideways to the machine with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
3. 3Reach down and grasp the handle with both hands, arms extended toward the low pulley.
4. 4Brace your core and pull the handle diagonally up and across your body toward your opposite shoulder.
5. 5Allow your back foot to pivot naturally as you rotate your torso and hips.
6. 6Slowly resist the weight as you reverse the path back to the start, then switch sides.

COMMON MISTAKES

• Pulling with the arms and shoulders instead of rotating the torso and driving with the hips.
• Using momentum to swing the weight up rather than controlling the ascent.
• Letting the lower back twist while the hips stay locked.
• Shrugging the shoulder toward the ear at the top of the chop.
• Standing too upright and losing the diagonal line of the movement.

TIPS

• Drive the movement from the hips and torso, letting the arms follow rather than lift with the shoulders.
• Keep the arms fairly straight and let the rotation come from the trunk.
• Exhale as you chop upward to reinforce core contraction.
• Keep the hips level and pivot the back foot to protect the knee and lower back.

SAFETY

• Avoid twisting through the lower back; rotate from the thoracic spine and hips.
• Keep the load light enough to control the full upward path, and avoid shrugging or straining the shoulder at the top of the movement.

DETAILS

Muscles

ObliquesAbdominals

Equipment

Cable Machine

Type

Strength Training

Difficulty

Intermediate

Tracked as

Weight & Reps