Zirv Fitness
Strength exercise

Medicine Ball Woodchop

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width, holding a medicine ball in both hands up near one shoulder.
  2. Set a tall stance with soft knees and your weight balanced so your legs form a stable base for the rotation.
  3. Brace your core and rotate your trunk to drive the ball diagonally down and across your body toward the outside of the opposite knee, powering the chop with your obliques.
  4. Feel your obliques squeeze at the bottom of the chop, then rotate back up under control to return the ball to the starting shoulder.
  5. Exhale sharply as you chop down and inhale as you return, keeping the rotation smooth and continuous.
  6. Avoid driving the movement with your legs or rounding your lower back, since the twist should come from your trunk while your legs only stabilize.

Muscles worked

CoreThe group of trunk muscles across the abdomen, sides, and lower back that stabilize the spine and pelvis and transfer force between the upper and lower body. All Core exercises
External ObliquesMuscles on the sides of the abdomen responsible for trunk rotation and lateral flexion. All External Obliques exercises

Related Core exercises

Cable High-to-Low Wood ChopCable Low-to-High Wood ChopCable Rotational ChopCable Wood ChopDumbbell WoodchopHanging Knee Raise (Oblique)
Type
Strength
Equipment
Medicine Ball
Primary muscles
Core, External Obliques
Measured in
Reps and weight