Summary
Jeff Cavalier introduces the Double-Edge Wood Chopper, a cable machine exercise designed to simultaneously develop rotational power and shred the obliques and abs. The movement is inspired by athletic training principles — particularly the rotational demands seen in baseball players like Josh Hamilton. The exercise emphasizes core integration, unilateral balance, and engaging multiple muscle groups at once.
Key Points
- Core integration should be present in virtually every exercise — the core is the center through which all force is channeled.
- Training on your feet is foundational to athleticism; most exercises Jeff advocates are performed in a standing position.
- Unilateral training (one arm or one leg at a time) helps correct the muscular imbalances created by daily life and sport.
- Rotational power is a key athletic quality — loading up and unloading through rotation is central to sports like baseball and translates to overall strength.
- The Double-Edge Wood Chopper hits both sides of the core in a single movement by working the obliques concentrically and eccentrically at the same time.
- Do not clasp your fingers when gripping both cable handles — keeping hands separate forces the chest and biceps to actively engage and stabilize.
- After completing reps in one direction, reverse the arm setup to train the opposite rotational pattern.
Exercise Details
Double-Edge Wood Chopper (Cable Machine)
-
Target Muscles: Obliques, abs, chest, biceps, and the broader core musculature
-
Setup:
- Load a cable machine with one handle set high and one handle set low
- Stand between or beside the cable station
- Grab the high handle with one hand and the low handle with the other
-
Proper Form Cues:
- Hold both handles in front of your body without clasping your fingers together — this ensures each hand works independently
- Drive the top arm down using the obliques and abs concentrically
- Eccentrically control the return of the top arm as it travels back up
- Simultaneously, eccentrically control the lower arm on the way down while concentrically driving it back up
- Both sides of the core are loaded at the same time — one concentrically, one eccentrically
-
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Clasping fingers together — this reduces muscle engagement by using the hands as a mechanical advantage rather than forcing the muscles to work
- Losing eccentric control on the return phase — the slow, controlled portion is critical for full muscle development
-
Sets/Reps: Not specifically mentioned; Jeff notes he loads the cable with four plates per side when training athletes, suggesting it is performed with significant resistance