How many reps of the band reverse woodchopper should a beginner do per side?

Do 3 sets of 10 reps per side with a light band, resting long enough between sides that leg fatigue doesn't creep into the quarter-squat start. Progress by holding that bottom position a beat longer before you reach for a heavier band.

What can I use instead of a band for the reverse woodchopper?

A cable machine set to its lowest pulley trains the same upward rotational pattern with steadier resistance; see the cable reverse woodchopper. Without either, a light medicine ball swept diagonally from the hip up past the opposite shoulder builds the same movement pattern.

What does the band reverse woodchopper train and when should you choose a different exercise?

It is a beginner-friendly way to groove the low-to-high rotational pattern used in throwing, swinging, and getting up off the ground, before loading it heavier on a cable stack. Choose a different exercise if you have an active lower back injury, since the combination of a loaded squat position and rotation is demanding on the spine.

Beginner

Band Reverse Woodchopper

This is the band answer to the cable reverse chop, giving you accommodating tension that peaks as you rotate up and open. It is a friendly entry point for grooving the diagonal rotation pattern before loading it heavier on a stack. Anchor low and stand far enough away to keep steady tension throughout.

Equipment: Band
Body part: Abs
Type: Functional, Strength
Browse by muscle: Abdominal External Oblique
Browse by movement: Rotation

How to do it

1
Anchor a band at floor level and stand side-on with the anchor to one side.
2
Grab the free end with both hands and set up in a quarter squat, hands by the near hip.
3
Brace the trunk, then rotate and extend upward, sweeping the hands across to above the opposite shoulder.
4
Allow the rear foot to pivot as the hips open toward the finish.
5
Control the band back down along the same diagonal to the starting hip.
6
Finish the reps, then switch sides and repeat.

Tips

Step away from the anchor until you feel tension even at the bottom position.
Lead with the hips and let the arms follow the line rather than pulling early.
Keep a soft bend in the knees and avoid rounding the lower back at the bottom.

Variations

Common mistakes

Standing too close to the anchor leaves slack in the band at the bottom, so the quarter-squat starting position carries no real load.
The lower back rounds forward at the bottom of the quarter squat instead of staying flat, which is the exact position the setup is meant to protect.
Pulling with the arms the instant the rep starts beats the hips to the punch, so the rotation ends up arm-driven instead of hip-driven.
Some beginners lock the knees straight in the bottom position, which removes the soft base the hips need to rotate through.
The finish gets rushed past the top position instead of controlling the band back down along the same diagonal it came up on.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the band reverse woodchopper should a beginner do per side?: Do 3 sets of 10 reps per side with a light band, resting long enough between sides that leg fatigue doesn't creep into the quarter-squat start. Progress by holding that bottom position a beat longer before you reach for a heavier band.
What can I use instead of a band for the reverse woodchopper?: A cable machine set to its lowest pulley trains the same upward rotational pattern with steadier resistance; see the cable reverse woodchopper. Without either, a light medicine ball swept diagonally from the hip up past the opposite shoulder builds the same movement pattern.
What does the band reverse woodchopper train and when should you choose a different exercise?: It is a beginner-friendly way to groove the low-to-high rotational pattern used in throwing, swinging, and getting up off the ground, before loading it heavier on a cable stack. Choose a different exercise if you have an active lower back injury, since the combination of a loaded squat position and rotation is demanding on the spine.

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