Cable Standing Wood Chopper

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Set the cable pulley to the highest position and attach a D-handle or rope attachment.
2. Stand sideways to the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
3. Reach across your body with both hands to grasp the handle, ensuring your arms are fully extended.
4. Step away from the machine until there is tension on the cable and your torso is rotated toward the pulley.

How to do it

1. Exhale and pull the handle diagonally downward across your body toward the opposite knee by rotating your torso.
2. Pivot your inside foot slightly as you rotate to protect your knees and allow for a full range of motion.
3. Inhale and slowly return the handle to the starting position, maintaining tension and control for a 2-3 second count.
4. Perform all repetitions on one side before switching your stance to train the opposite side.

Form checklist

• Keep your arms relatively straight with only a slight bend in the elbows to ensure the core does the work.
• Follow the handle with your gaze to encourage proper thoracic rotation.
• Maintain a braced core and flat back; avoid rounding the shoulders forward.
• Keep your hips facing forward as much as possible to maximize the stretch and contraction of the obliques.

Pro tips

• Initiate the movement by 'crunching' your ribcage toward your opposite hip to engage the obliques before the arms move.
• Focus on the mind-muscle connection by imagining you are swinging an axe, using your torso as the primary driver of force.

Make it harder

• Pause for 2 seconds at the bottom of the movement (near the hip) to maximize peak contraction.
• Perform the exercise from a half-kneeling position to eliminate lower-body momentum and increase core isolation.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the cable standing wood chopper work?

The cable standing wood chopper primarily targets the abs, deltoids, and obliques, and also works the erector spinae, lats, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the cable standing wood chopper?

The cable standing wood chopper uses cable.

Is the cable standing wood chopper good for beginners?

The cable standing wood chopper is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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