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Abs

Horizontal Cable Woodchop

The Horizontal Cable Woodchop is a strength exercise on a cable machine for your abs. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: obliques 52%, upper abs 11% and lower abs 9%.

Level: BeginnerEquipment: CableMulti-joint (compound)Unilateral: one arm or leg at a time

How to do it

  1. Set a pulley at chest height with a single handle and stand side-on to the machine.
  2. Grip the handle with both hands, arms extended toward the pulley.
  3. Rotate the torso away from the machine, pulling the handle across the chest in a level line.
  4. Stop when the hands are in front of the far shoulder.
  5. Rotate back toward the machine under control.

Tips

  • Let the back heel lift and pivot so the hips turn with the shoulders.
  • Keep the handle at chest height the whole time.

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows to pull the handle across.
  • Leaning away from the machine instead of rotating.
  • Letting the stack pull the body back fast.

Muscles worked by the Horizontal Cable Woodchop

  • Obliques Primary52%
  • Upper abs Secondary11%
  • Lower abs Secondary9%
  • Front delts Minor6%
  • Gluteus maximus Minor6%
  • Spinal erectors (lower back) Stabilizer6%
  • Lats (upper) Stabilizer4%
  • Hip flexors Stabilizer3%
  • Serratus anterior Stabilizer3%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

Pure rotation at chest height. Turning the trunk against load trains the obliques as rotators, with the hips and shoulders transferring the force.

Horizontal Cable Woodchop alternatives

Same equipment

Different equipment

No equipment

Make it harder

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Horizontal Cable Woodchop work?

Mainly the obliques. The upper abs and lower abs assist.

Is the Horizontal Cable Woodchop good for beginners?

Yes. The Horizontal Cable Woodchop is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.

What is a good alternative to the Horizontal Cable Woodchop?

For example the Cable Woodchop, Cable Lift and Low to High Woodchop. They train mostly the same muscles.

How do you make the Horizontal Cable Woodchop harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Landmine 180 and Landmine Rotation.

Log your sets in Zulta

Zulta tracks your sets, weights and muscle load next to your running, riding or Hyrox training. The app opens soon.

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