Cable Low-to-High Woodchop - How to Perform, Muscles, Variants | SatisFIT Skip to main content

Cable Low-to-High Woodchop

Step by step instructions, muscle activation and variants for the Cable Low-to-High Woodchop.

MediumObliques

About this exercise

A rotational cable exercise where the handle travels diagonally from a low position near one hip up to a high position above the opposite shoulder, training the obliques through their full range of rotational motion. Unlike the standard high-to-low woodchop, the reverse direction emphasizes the upward-rotation function of the core.

How to Perform

  • Attach a single-D handle to a low cable pulley
  • Stand sideways to the machine with feet shoulder-width apart, gripping the handle with both hands near the outside hip
  • Keep your arms mostly extended and your core engaged
  • Rotate your torso and swing the handle diagonally upward from your hip to the opposite shoulder in a sweeping arc
  • Allow your back foot to pivot naturally as your hips rotate
  • Control the handle back to the starting position against the cable resistance
  • Complete all reps on one side before switching

Muscle Activation

Primary
Obliques
Secondary
AbsCoreFront shoulders

Common Mistakes

Common mistakes content is coming soon.

About the Cable Low-to-High Woodchop

The Cable Low-to-High Woodchop is a foundational movement that builds strength and muscle through controlled, progressive overload. Train it 1 to 2 times per week with 3 to 5 working sets per session, gradually adding weight or reps as form holds up.