Exercise · Form & cues

Cable Woodchopper (High to Low) — form guide

Obliques · Rectus Abdominis · Anti-Rotation Core. Equipment: Cable Machine + Single Handle. Difficulty: Intermediate.

TEMPO

1-1-2-1

Trains rotation under load — most core work is anti-rotation only. Hits the obliques in their actual function as power transfer.

Sets & Reps

Programming defaults depend on your goal. Pick the row that matches yours:

Strength4–6 sets3–5 repsRPE 8–93–5 min

Hypertrophy3–5 sets8–12 repsRPE 7–990–120 s

Endurance2–4 sets15–25 repsRPE 6–845–60 s

Cues

Cable set high, stand sideways
Arms straight, rotate from the core (not the arms)
Drive handle from high shoulder to opposite hip
Slow controlled return

Common mistakes

Using arms only — torso doesn't rotate
Going too heavy and losing control

Injury notes

Skip if disc issues — pallof press is safer.

Progression

Add 2.5kg/stack when 12 controlled reps land each side.

Indian gym reality

Cable stations in most tier-2 and tier-3 Indian gyms sit at the back with one shared pulley — expect a queue during peak hours (7–9 am and 6–9 pm). Bring supersets or plan this lift for off-peak windows.

If your gym doesn't have this equipment

Loop a resistance band around a fixed pole or rack — mimics the constant-tension profile of a cable.
Use the free-weight version of the same pattern; the machine's guidance is convenience, not necessity.

Home & hostel version

Bodyweight variants of this movement pattern exist — search the pattern name (squat, hinge, press, pull) plus 'bodyweight' and pick the version that matches your current strength.

Nutrition & recovery around this lift

Isolations recover fast — 24 hours is usually enough. You can hit the same muscle again the next day with a different exercise. For an Indian lifter, land 30–40g of protein within 90 minutes of finishing — 200g paneer, 4 whole eggs, 150g chicken, or a whey shake all work.

Programs that feature Cable Woodchopper (High to Low)

Full workout plans where this lift sits in the main slot — pick the goal, split, and frequency that fits your life.

4-Day Upper/Lower — Recomp

Balanced program with core accessories

3-Day Full Body — Fat Loss

Compound-heavy, core baked in

3-Day Full Body — First Program

The starter template

Eat to support this lift

Recovery and growth happen at the plate. A meal plan matched to the training goal:

1800 kcal Non-Veg — Fat Loss

Protein-first deficit template

Frequently asked

What muscles does Cable Woodchopper (High to Low) work?

Primarily Obliques · Rectus Abdominis · Anti-Rotation Core. Load and rep range shift the emphasis — heavy triples bias the primary mover, sets of 12+ bring more of the secondaries in.

How many sets of Cable Woodchopper (High to Low) per week?

For hypertrophy, 10–20 direct working sets per week across all exercises for that muscle. This exercise usually contributes 3–8 of those sets, depending on where it sits in your program.

My Indian gym doesn't have this machine — what do I do?

See the "If your gym doesn't have this equipment" section above — every variant listed is a legitimate substitute, not a compromise.

How often should I do Cable Woodchopper (High to Low)?

Most intermediates do best with 2× per week frequency on any given lift — one heavier session and one lighter, or two matched sessions with different rep ranges. Beginners can add a third if recovery holds up.