10 Best Standing Cable Wood Chop Alternatives for Rotational Strength

The Standing Cable Wood Chop is done standing with a cable machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the 45° Side Bend, the Incline Twisting Sit-up and the Crab Twist Toe Touch.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Standing Cable Wood Chop

Standing Cable Wood Chop
Primary muscle
Abs
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound

Secondary muscles: Shoulders

How to perform Standing Cable Wood Chop
  1. Connect a standard handle to a tower, and move the cable to the highest pulley position.
  2. With your side to the cable, grab the handle with one hand and step away from the tower. You should be approximately arm's length away from the pulley, with the tension of the weight on the cable. Your outstretched arm should be aligned with the cable.
  3. With your feet positioned shoulder width apart, reach upward with your other hand and grab the handle with both hands. Your arms should still be fully extended.
  4. In one motion, pull the handle down and across your body to your front knee while rotating your torso.
  5. Keep your back and arms straight and core tight while you pivot your back foot and bend your knees to get a full range of motion.
  6. Maintain your stance and straight arms. Return to the neutral position in a slow and controlled manner.
  7. Repeat to failure.
  8. Then, reposition and repeat the same series of movements on the opposite side.
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Ranked Standing Cable Wood Chop Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Standing Cable Wood Chop on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

  1. Best match
    45° Side BendPlay demonstration

    1. 45° Side Bend

    64% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the abs with bodyweight alone.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms extended straight down by your sides.
    2. Keeping your back straight and your core engaged, slowly bend your torso to one side, lowering your hand towards your knee.
    3. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly return to the starting position.
    4. Repeat on the other side.
    5. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Standing Cable Wood Chop
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Standing Cable Wood Chop
  2. Incline Twisting Sit-upPlay demonstration

    2. Incline Twisting Sit-up

    60% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
    2. Lie down on the bench with your feet secured under the foot pads.
    3. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
    4. Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the bench, curling forward.
    5. As you curl up, twist your torso to one side, bringing your elbow towards the opposite knee.
    6. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    7. Repeat the movement, this time twisting your torso to the other side.
    8. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Standing Cable Wood Chop
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying on your back, not standing
  3. Crab Twist Toe TouchPlay demonstration

    3. Crab Twist Toe Touch

    58% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start by sitting on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
    2. Place your hands behind you, fingers pointing towards your feet, and lift your hips off the ground.
    3. Extend one leg straight out in front of you while simultaneously reaching your opposite hand towards your toes.
    4. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
    5. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Standing Cable Wood Chop
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: seated, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Standing Cable Wood Chop
  4. Side Hip (On Parallel Bars)Play demonstration

    4. Side Hip (On Parallel Bars)

    58% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand between two parallel bars with your feet shoulder-width apart.
    2. Place your hands on the bars and lift your body off the ground, supporting your weight on your arms.
    3. Engage your abs and slowly lift your legs to the side, keeping them straight.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Standing Cable Wood Chop
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Standing Cable Wood Chop
  5. Hanging Straight Twisting Leg Hip RaisePlay demonstration

    5. Hanging Straight Twisting Leg Hip Raise

    58% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your legs straight.
    2. Engage your core and lift your legs up towards your chest, keeping them straight.
    3. Once your legs are parallel to the ground, twist your hips to one side, bringing your legs towards that side.
    4. Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat the movement, but this time twist your hips to the opposite side.
    6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Standing Cable Wood Chop
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Standing Cable Wood Chop
  6. Oblique CrunchPlay demonstration

    6. Oblique Crunch

    57% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head or cross them over your chest.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your shoulder blades off the ground, rotating your torso to one side.
    4. Pause for a moment, then lower your shoulder blades back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat on the other side.
    6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Standing Cable Wood Chop
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying on your back, not standing
  7. Seated Side Crunch (Wall)Play demonstration

    7. Seated Side Crunch (Wall)

    57% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on the floor with your back against a wall and your legs extended in front of you.
    2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
    3. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    4. Engage your abs and lean to one side, bringing your elbow towards your hip.
    5. Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
    6. Repeat on the other side.
    7. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Standing Cable Wood Chop
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: seated, not standing
  8. Gorilla ChinPlay demonstration

    8. Gorilla Chin

    57% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
    2. Grasp a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    3. Hang from the bar with your arms fully extended and your palms facing away from you.
    4. Engage your core and pull your body up towards the bar, bringing your chin above the bar.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Standing Cable Wood Chop
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: hanging, not standing
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Standing Cable Wood Chop
  9. Decline Sit-upPlay demonstration

    9. Decline Sit-up

    55% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your knees bent.
    2. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the bench, curling forward towards your knees.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Standing Cable Wood Chop
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying on your back, not standing
  10. CocoonsPlay demonstration

    10. Cocoons

    55% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Standing Cable Wood Chop
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying on your back, not standing

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