Sitting Lotus Pose Woodchoper

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit in the center of a flat bench with your legs crossed in a lotus or half-lotus position.
2. Sit tall with a neutral spine, engaging your core to maintain balance on the narrow surface.
3. Interlace your fingers and extend your arms diagonally upward toward one shoulder.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you rotate your torso and sweep your arms diagonally across your body toward the opposite hip in a 'chopping' motion.
2. Inhale as you reverse the movement with control, returning to the high starting position.
3. Alternate sides by starting the next rep from the opposite shoulder, or complete a full set on one side before switching.
4. Maintain a controlled 2-second tempo for both the chopping and returning phases.

Form checklist

• Keep your spine long and chest lifted; avoid rounding your lower back.
• Initiate the movement from your obliques and torso rather than just swinging your arms.
• Keep your sit-bones firmly planted on the bench to isolate the upper body rotation.
• Follow your hands with your eyes to encourage full thoracic rotation.

Pro tips

• Actively press your palms together throughout the movement to increase tension in the pectorals and anterior deltoids.
• Focus on 'wringing out' your midsection at the bottom of the chop to maximize oblique contraction.

Make it harder

• Perform the movement with a slow 4-second eccentric (return) phase to increase time under tension.
• Hold a light household object or a small medicine ball to add external resistance to the rotation.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the sitting lotus pose woodchoper work?

The sitting lotus pose woodchoper primarily targets the abs, deltoids, obliques, and pectorals, and also works the erector spinae and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the sitting lotus pose woodchoper?

The sitting lotus pose woodchoper requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the sitting lotus pose woodchoper good for beginners?

Yes. The sitting lotus pose woodchoper is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.

Related exercises

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