Core · Cable
Cable High to Low Woodchopper
How to do the cable high to low woodchopper, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set the cable at the top of the column with a handle attached. Stand sideways to the machine and grab the handle with both hands up by your high shoulder. Rotate through your trunk and pull the handle diagonally down and across to the opposite hip, pivoting your back foot, then return under control.
- 1Your obliques driving the diagonal chop, not your arms
- 2Rotation coming from your trunk while your arms stay long
- 3Your hips and back foot pivoting with the motion
Common mistakes
- Don't pull with just your arms; rotate from the core
- Avoid rounding or collapsing your lower back at the bottom
- Don't let the weight snap you back up; control the return
Muscles worked
The cable high to low woodchopper mainly works the obliques, with the upper abs, lower abs, forearms, lats, and lower back assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- LatsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Mid TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the cable high to low woodchopper for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.