Core · Bodyweight
Sitting Woodchopper on a Chair
How to do the sitting woodchopper on a chair, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Sit tall on a chair with feet flat and hands clasped together. Swing your arms diagonally from high on one side down across to the opposite hip, rotating your torso through the chop, then return up and repeat before switching sides.
- 1Rotate from your core and obliques as you chop across
- 2Drive the motion with your trunk, not just your arms
- 3Brace your midsection so the twist is controlled
Common mistakes
- Don't move only your arms while your torso stays still
- Don't slouch or round your back at the bottom
- Don't let your hips slide on the seat
Muscles worked
The sitting woodchopper on a chair mainly works the obliques and lower abs, with the upper abs and lats assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- LatsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the sitting woodchopper on a chair 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.