Cable Chop
A standing diagonal cable pull across the body, with both hands sharing a handle and the obliques highlighted through the turn.
How to do it
- Set the cable above shoulder height and stand sideways to the stack.
- Hold one handle with both hands and take a comfortably wide stance.
- Brace the trunk with the hands near the high-pulley side.
- Turn smoothly while guiding the handle down across the body.
- Finish near the opposite hip without pulling the shoulders upward.
- Control the return to the high starting position before repeating.
Key technique cue
Pull the handle diagonally across the body — turn the torso, don't yank.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Moving the handle vertically instead of across the body.
- ✕ Jerking the handle with the arms while losing trunk control.
- ✕ Allowing the cable to pull the body back abruptly.
- ✕ Arching the lower back to reach a larger range.
Benefits
- ✓ Trains control of a diagonal movement against resistance.
- ✓ Engages the abdominal complex during rotation.
- ✓ Teaches cross-body cable loading.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 -
Step 2 You are here
About the exercise
The cable chop moves a shared handle from the high pulley side across the front of the body toward the opposite hip. A wide stance provides support as the arms and torso turn together. The elbows stay softly bent and the handle returns along the same diagonal under control. This is an upright standing version with a single cable handle, rather than a kneeling rope variation.
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