- EquipmentCable
- PatternCore
- Reps10 to 20 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
- One side at a time
Set a cable high. Stand side-on to it, feet wide, and hold the handle with both hands above the near shoulder.
First cueKeep the arms fairly straight.
How to do the Cable Woodchop
Set up. Set a cable high. Stand side-on to it, feet wide, and hold the handle with both hands above the near shoulder.
- Pull the handle down and across your body toward the opposite hip.
- Turn the hips and pivot the back foot as you go.
- Return under control.
- Finish the set and switch sides.
Form cues
- Keep the arms fairly straight.
- Turn from the hips and torso together.
- Control the return.
Common mistakes
- Pulling with the arms only.
- Twisting the lower back without turning the hips.
Muscles worked
Main target: Obliques. The obliques wrap the sides of the waist. They turn and bend the trunk, and resist being turned or bent, which is the rotation work most gym programmes leave out.
On the way: Abs and Front delts.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Cable Woodchop, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Reverse Hyperextension Same core session: it trains the lower back.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Cable Woodchop first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Cable Woodchop 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Reverse Hyperextension 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Cable Crunch 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Pallof Press 3 × 10 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Russian Twist
Bodyweight
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Do before it: Pallof Press (same movement, lighter) and Thoracic Rotation (upper back range).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Cable Woodchop is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Cable Woodchop?
Set up: Set a cable high. Stand side-on to it, feet wide, and hold the handle with both hands above the near shoulder. Steps: 1. Pull the handle down and across your body toward the opposite hip. 2. Turn the hips and pivot the back foot as you go. 3. Return under control. 4. Finish the set and switch sides. Form cues: Keep the arms fairly straight. Turn from the hips and torso together. Control the return. Common mistakes: Pulling with the arms only. Twisting the lower back without turning the hips.
What muscles does the Cable Woodchop work?
It trains the obliques as its main target and works the abs and front delts on the way.
What can I do instead of the Cable Woodchop?
At home: Russian Twist. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Cable Woodchop with?
Good partners in the same workout are Reverse Hyperextension.
How heavy should the Cable Woodchop be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.