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Cable Woodchopper strength standards

What is a good Cable Woodchopper?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Cable Woodchopper is about 89 lb (0.49x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 148 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Cable Woodchopper Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 28, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 7 28 65 116 179
120 9 31 69 121 186
130 10 33 72 126 192
140 11 36 76 131 198
150 13 38 79 136 203
160 14 40 83 140 209
170 15 42 86 144 214
180 16 45 89 148 218
190 18 47 92 151 223
200 19 49 94 155 227
210 20 50 97 158 231
220 21 52 100 162 235
230 22 54 102 165 239
240 24 56 104 168 243
250 25 58 107 171 246
260 26 59 109 174 250
270 27 61 111 177 253
280 28 63 113 179 256
290 29 64 116 182 260
300 30 66 118 185 263
310 31 67 120 187 266

The Cable Woodchopper standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Cable Woodchopper Standards by Age

How the Cable Woodchopper standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 13 37 75 126 187
20 15 42 86 144 214
25 15 43 88 148 220
30 15 43 88 148 220
35 15 43 88 148 220
40 15 43 88 148 220
45 15 41 83 141 209
50 14 39 78 132 196
55 13 36 72 122 181
60 12 33 66 111 165
65 10 29 60 101 149
70 9 26 54 90 134
75 8 24 48 81 120
80 8 21 43 72 107
85 7 19 38 65 96
90 6 17 35 58 87

The Cable Woodchopper standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Cable Woodchopper Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 89 lbs (0.49x bodyweight) on the Cable Woodchopper is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
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What the Cable Woodchopper Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning the movement path and resistance curve on the Cable Woodchopper, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.

Novice

You can perform the Cable Woodchopper with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.

Intermediate

Your Cable Woodchopper is performed with excellent control and targeted tension. You use RPE to manage isolation work intensity and program it strategically within your training split.

Advanced

You have built significant strength on the Cable Woodchopper through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Your Cable Woodchopper strength is at the upper end of what most lifters achieve. You have maximized the target muscle development through years of focused, periodized isolation work.

How to Progress Your Cable Woodchopper

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Cable Woodchopper to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Cable Woodchopper 2x per week with slow, controlled reps.
  • Focus on full range of motion and eliminating momentum or swinging.
  • Keep sets at RPE 6-7 to develop proper movement patterns.
  • Build the mind-muscle connection - feel the target muscle working on every rep.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the Cable Woodchopper.
  • Program 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps at RPE 7-8.
  • Add a variation (different grip, angle, or equipment) to address development gaps.
  • Place isolation work after your primary compound movements.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Advanced Isolation Techniques
  • Use drop sets, paused reps, and partial reps to break through Cable Woodchopper plateaus.
  • Train at RPE 8-9 with advanced intensity techniques on your last 1-2 sets.
  • Manipulate tempo to increase time under tension without compromising form.
  • Manage total volume for the target muscle group across all exercises.
Calculate working set loads →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize Cable Woodchopper strength through precise programming and fatigue management.
  • Use periodized blocks to cycle between volume, intensity, and deload phases.
  • Quality of contraction matters more than load at this level.
  • Continuous refinement of technique will yield the remaining gains.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Cable Woodchopper

Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Obliques, Core, Legs, Back
Equipment Cable Machine
  1. Attach a handle to the high pulley of a cable machine.
  2. Stand sideways to the machine, feet shoulder-width apart, and grasp the handle with both hands.
  3. Start with your arms extended upward, hands above one shoulder.
  4. Engage your core and pull the handle diagonally downward across your body to the opposite hip.
  5. Rotate your torso and pivot your back foot as you pull.
  6. Slowly return to the starting position with controlled movement.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

Tips

  • Maintain a tight core throughout the movement to avoid injury.
  • Perform the exercise in a controlled manner to maximize muscle engagement.
  • Avoid using excessive weight; focus on form and technique first.
  • Use a full range of motion for optimal benefits.
  • Ensure your feet pivot to protect your knees and lower back.

Where Do These Cable Woodchopper Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Cable Woodchopper table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Cable Woodchopper itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Cable Woodchopper depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Cable Woodchopper after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Cable Woodchopper table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.