How many reps of the half-kneeling band chop should a beginner do?

Start with 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side using light band tension, controlling both the chop down and the return back up. Move to a slightly heavier band once the pelvis stays still through every rep at the current one.

What can I use instead of a band for the half-kneeling chop?

Resistance tubing looped around a sturdy pole or anchored in a door hinge works the same way if you have no dedicated band. With nothing to anchor at all, do the same half-kneeling chop motion holding a light book or filled water bottle for feedback, without external resistance.

What is the half-kneeling band chop good for and when should you move on from it?

It teaches the trunk-driven diagonal pattern of a chop with cheap, adjustable resistance, making it a good entry point before loading the same movement on a cable stack. Move on from it once the band's resistance feels too light to challenge you even at the top of the range, since a cable can keep loading you further.

Beginner

Half-Kneeling Band Chop

Dropping to half kneeling takes the lower body out of the equation and makes the obliques work harder to control rotation and resist tipping. Band tension keeps the setup simple for home or warm-up use. It is a great teaching drill before loading heavier chops on a cable stack.

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 high and set up half-kneeling with the inside knee up and the outside knee down, anchor to your side.
2
Grip the free end overhead with both hands on the side of the anchor.
3
Brace the trunk and glutes so the hips stay square and steady.
4
Chop the band down and across to the outside of the down knee.
5
Control the band back up along the same diagonal without twisting the hips.
6
Complete the reps, switch legs and sides, and repeat.

Tips

Keep the down-side glute squeezed so the pelvis does not rock during the chop.
Pull with the trunk turning, not by rounding the shoulders forward.
Stop the descent when the hands reach the knee rather than collapsing the torso.

Variations

Common mistakes

The band's low point of resistance near the top of the chop tempts a fast, loose start that only gets controlled once the band tightens near the bottom, so the easiest part of the rep gets the least attention.
The anchor height sits too low for the stance, so the diagonal flattens out toward horizontal and stops training the same top-to-bottom chop pattern.
The grip narrows toward one hand doing most of the holding, turning a two-hand trunk drill into an uneven single-arm pull.
Because the band pulls back on its own, the return trip speeds up and skips the controlled resistance that trains the trunk just as much as the way down.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the half-kneeling band chop should a beginner do?: Start with 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side using light band tension, controlling both the chop down and the return back up. Move to a slightly heavier band once the pelvis stays still through every rep at the current one.
What can I use instead of a band for the half-kneeling chop?: Resistance tubing looped around a sturdy pole or anchored in a door hinge works the same way if you have no dedicated band. With nothing to anchor at all, do the same half-kneeling chop motion holding a light book or filled water bottle for feedback, without external resistance.
What is the half-kneeling band chop good for and when should you move on from it?: It teaches the trunk-driven diagonal pattern of a chop with cheap, adjustable resistance, making it a good entry point before loading the same movement on a cable stack. Move on from it once the band's resistance feels too light to challenge you even at the top of the range, since a cable can keep loading you further.

Related exercises

Other movements among FitRay's 2,000+ exercises that load the same target muscle — same equipment and level first.

All Abs exercises