Cable Woodchop

oec:cable-woodchop

A standing core exercise that trains transverse-plane rotational strength and anti-rotational control against cable resistance.

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Also called: Cable Woodchopper, Cable Wood Chop, Standing Cable Twist, Horizontal Cable Woodchop, Cable Woodchoppers

How to do it

Set the cable pulley to approximately chest or mid-torso height and attach a single handle.
Stand sideways to the cable machine with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
Grasp the handle with both hands, clasping one hand over the other, and step away to lift the weight stack and establish tension.
Extend your arms out in front of your chest with a slight, fixed bend in your elbows.

Brace your core and initiate the movement by rotating your torso away from the pulley across your body.
Pivot slightly on the ball of the trailing foot if needed, keeping your hips stable and the rotation centered in your upper torso.
Pause for a moment at the end range of rotation, holding strong abdominal tension.
Slowly reverse the rotation under control, resisting the cable's pull until you return to the starting position.
Complete all repetitions on one side before turning around to train the opposite side.

Exhale sharply as you rotate across your body, and inhale steadily as you return to the starting position.

Pulling primarily with the arms and shoulders rather than driving rotation from the trunk.: Keep your elbow bend fixed and focus on turning your chest and shoulders as one unit.
Letting the cable yank the body back into the starting position without control.: Take two to three seconds on the return phase to work the eccentric contraction of the obliques.
Excessively twisting through the lower back instead of rotating from the thoracic spine and hips.: Brace the abdominal wall tightly and allow the back hip and foot to pivot slightly rather than forcing lumbar torsion.

Avoid using excessive loads that force aggressive twisting through the lumbar spine.

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