Wood Chop Exercise and Progressions

This course discusses the variations, progressions, and regressions of the wood chop exercise. This includes tips and cues for upper body form, lower body form, and arm position (straight arms and bent elbows), as well as variations with bands and cable pulleys. Although this exercise is common in fitness centers and among personal trainers as part of core workouts, it is an exercise that is rarely taught well. This is unfortunate because the wood chop can be an excellent rotational movement (or anti-rotational movement) for core muscles (and when performed with a band, can be a very versatile exercise).

Discussion of core muscle anatomy, core subsystem integration, down chop variations, and inclusion in corrective, fitness, performance, and rehabilitation programming is included in this course. Further, programming the chop exercise during core workouts may aid in setting up more advanced exercises like standing cable chest press, step-up to curl and press, sled push, and variations of medicine ball chest passing. Performing the wood chop exercise with the addition of the drawing-in maneuver may aid in integrating synergies including the Anterior Oblique Subsystem, Posterior Oblique Subsystem, and Intrinsic Stabilization Subsystem, and may contribute to corrective exercise programs designed to address movement impairments like an anterior pelvic tilt or knee varus, and may be included in physical rehabilitation programs for addressing low back pain, hip pain, knee pain, or sacroiliac dysfunction.

Movement and sports medicine professionals (personal trainers, fitness instructors, physical therapists, athletic trainers, massage therapists, chiropractors, occupational therapists, etc.) should consider adding the wood chop exercise to their repertoire with the intent of improving patient/client outcomes for their integrated performance exercise programs and therapeutic (rehabilitation) interventions.

Down Chop

• Kneeling Chop
• Standing Chop
• Single-leg Chop
• Dynamic Chop

Reactive Progressions

• Crunch and Catch

Subsystem Integration:

• Anterior Oblique Subsystem

Pre-approved for Continuing Education Credits for:

• Athletic Trainers
• Chiropractors
• Group Exercise Instructors
• Massage Therapists
• Occupational Therapists - Intermediate
• Personal Trainers
• Physical Therapists
• Physical Therapy Assistants
• Physiotherapists

This Course Includes:

• AI Tutor
• Webinar
• Study Guide
• Text and Illustrations
• Audio Voice-over
• Research Review
• Technique Videos
• Case Study and Sample Routine
• Practice Exam
• Pre-approved Final Exam

Caption: Kneeling chop progression targeting the anterior oblique subsystem

Pre-approved Credits for:

• Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) Certification

Pre-approved for Continuing Education Credits for:

• Athletic Trainers
• Chiropractors
• Group Exercise Instructors
• Occupational Therapists - Introductory
• Personal Trainers
• Physical Therapists
• Physical Therapy Assistants
• Yoga Instructors

This Course Includes:

• AI Tutor
• Study Guide
• Text and Illustrations
• Audio Voice-over
• Research Review
• Technique Videos
• Practice Exam
• Pre-approved Final Exam

1. Ng, J. K. F., Richardson, C. A., Parnianpour, M., & Kippers, V. (2002). Fatigue-related changes in torque output and electromyographic parameters of trunk muscles during isometric axial rotation exertion: an investigation in patients with back pain and in healthy subjects. Spine, 27(6), 637-646
2. Cholewicki, J., Silfies, S., Shah, R., Greene, H., Reeves, N. Alvi, K., Goldberg, B. (2005). Delayed trunk muscle reflex responses increase the risk of low back injuries. Spine. 30(23), 2614-2620
3. Larsen, L. H., Hirata, R. P., & Graven-Nielsen, T. (2016). Effects of unilateral and bilateral experimental low-back pain on trunk muscle activity during stair walking in healthy and recurrent low-back pain patients. In 16th World Congress on Pain.
4. O'Sullivan, P., Twomey, L., Allison, G., Sinclair, J., Miller, K., & Knox, J. (1997). Altered patterns of abdominal muscle activation in patients with chronic low back pain. Australian journal of physiotherapy, 43(2), 91-98.
5. O’sullivan, P. B., Grahamslaw, K. M., Kendell, M., Lapenskie, S. C., Möller, N. E., & Richards, K. V. (2002). The effect of different standing and sitting postures on trunk muscle activity in a pain-free population. Spine, 27(11), 1238-1244.
6. Fujitani, R., Jiromaru, T., Kida, N., & Nomura, T. (2017). Effect of standing postural deviations on trunk and hip muscle activity. Journal of physical therapy science, 29(7), 1212-1215.
7. Granata, K. P., Slota, G. P., & Wilson, S. E. (2004). Influence of fatigue in neuromuscular control of spinal stability. Human factors, 46(1), 81-91.
8. Lehman, G. J., Hoda, W., & Oliver, S. (2005). Trunk muscle activity during bridging exercises on and off a swissball. Chiropractic & osteopathy, 13(1), 14.
9. Ng, J. K. F., Richardson, C. A., Parnianpour, M., & Kippers, V. (2002). EMG activity of trunk muscles and torque output during isometric axial rotation exertion: a comparison between back pain patients and matched controls. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 20(1), 112-121.
   • Gluteus medius and gluteus maximus
10. Brookbush, B. (2018). Lumbo Pelvic Hip Complex Dysfunction (LPHCD). BrookbushInstitute.com. https://brookbushinstitute.com/article/lumbo-pelvic-hip-complex-dysfunction-lphcd/
11. Brookbush, B. (2017). Lower Extremity Dysfunction (LED). BrookbushInstitute.com. BrookbushInstitute.com. https://brookbushinstitute.com/article/lower-leg-dysfunction/
12. Feeney, D. F., Capobianco, R. A., Montgomery, J. R., Morreale, J., Grabowski, A. M., & Enoka, R. M. (2018). Individuals with sacroiliac joint dysfunction display asymmetrical gait and a depressed synergy between muscles providing sacroiliac joint force closure when walking. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 43, 95-103.
13. Franettovich, S. M., Honeywill, C. O. N. O. R., Wyndow, N., Crossley, K. M., & Creaby, M. W. (2014). Neuromotor control of gluteal muscles in runners with achilles tendinopathy. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 46(3), 594-599.
14. Noehren, B., Scholz, J., Davis, I. (2011) The effects of real-time gait retraining on hip kinematics, pain, and function in subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome. Br Journal of Sports Medicine. 45:691-696
15. Ireland, ML., Wilson, JD., Ballantyne, BT., Davis, IM. (2003). Hip Strength in Females With and Without Patellofemoral Pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2003. 33: 671-676
16. Hungerford, B., Gilleard, W., Hodges, P. (2003) Evidence of altered lumbopelvic muscle recruitment in the presence of sacroiliac joint pain. Spine 28(14), 1593-1600
17. Grimaldi, A., Richardson, C., Stanton, W., Durbridge, G., Donnelly, W., & Hides, J. (2009). The association between degenerative hip joint pathology and size of the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and piriformis muscles. Manual therapy, 14(6), 605-610.
18. Cooper, N., Scavo, K., Strickland, K., Tipayamongkol, N., Nicholson, J., Bewyer, D., Sluka, K. Prevalence of gluteus medius weakness in people with chronic low back pain compared to healthy controls. J Euro Spine. 26 May 2015
19. Padua, D. A., Bell, D. R., & Clark, M. A. (2012). Neuromuscular characteristics of individuals displaying excessive medial knee displacement. Journal of athletic training, 47(5), 525.
20. Mauntel, T., Begalle, R., Cram, T., Frank, B., Hirth, C., Blackburn, T., & Padua, D. (2013). The effects of lower extremity muscle activation and passive range of motion on single leg squat performance. Journal Of Strength And Conditioning Research / National Strength & Conditioning Association, 27(7), 1813-1823
21. Smith, J. A., Popovich, J. M., & Kulig, K. (2014). The influence of hip strength on lower limb, pelvis, and trunk kinematics and coordination patterns during walking and hopping in healthy women. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, (Early Access), 1-23.
22. Tateuchi, H., Taniguchi, M., Mori, N., Ichihashi, N. Balance of hip and trunk muscle activity is associated with increased anterior pelvic tilt during prone hip extension (2013) Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology 22 (3). 391-397
23. Teng, H. and Powers, C. (2016) Hip Extensor Strength, Trunk Posture, and Use of the Knee-Extensor Muscles During Running. Journal of Athletic Training, 51(8), 000-000.
24. Bell, D. R., Padua, D. A., & Clark, M. A. (2008). Muscle strength and flexibility characteristics of people displaying excessive medial knee displacement. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 89(7), 1323-1328.
25. Snyder, K. R., Earl, J. E., O’Connor, K. M., & Ebersole, K. T. (2009). Resistance training is accompanied by increases in hip strength and changes in lower extremity biomechanics during running. Clinical Biomechanics, 24(1), 26-34
26. Ramskov, D., Barton, C., Nielsen, R. O., & Rasmussen, S. (2015). High Eccentric Hip Abduction Strength Reduces the Risk of Developing Patellofemoral Pain Among Novice Runners Initiating a Self-Structured Running Program: A 1-Year Observational Study. journal of orthopaedic & sports physical therapy, 45(3), 153-161
    • Secondary Sources
27. Voight, M. L., Hoogenboom, B. J., & Cook, G. (2008). The chop and lift reconsidered: integrating neuromuscular principles into orthopedic and sports rehabilitation. North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy: NAJSPT, 3(3), 151.
28. Holman, P. How To Use The Chop And Lift Patterns To Enhance Core Performance.
29. McGill, S. (2010). Core training: Evidence translating to better performance and injury prevention. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 32(3), 33-46.
30. Mendrin, N., Lynn, S. K., Griffith-Merritt, H. K., & Noffal, G. J. (2016). Progressions of isometric core training. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 38(4), 50-65.
31. Tarnanen, S. (2014). Rehabilitation after lumbar spine fusion: development of an exercise program. Studies in sport, physical education and health, (214).
32. Cook, G (2003). Athletic body in balance: Optimal movement skills and conditioning for performance. Champaign: Human Kinetics.
    • Rotation
33. Stodden, D. F., Campbell, B. M., & Moyer, T. M. (2008). Comparison of trunk kinematics in trunk training exercises and throwing. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 22(1), 112-118.
34. Pope MH, Andersson GB, Broman H, Svensson M, Zetterberg C. Electromyographic studies of the lumbar trunk musculature during the development of axial torques. J Orthop Res 4: 288–297, 1986.
35. Tarnanen, S. P., Ylinen, J. J., Siekkinen, K. M., Mälkiä, E. A., Kautiainen, H. J., & Häkkinen, A. H. (2008). Effect of isometric upper-extremity exercises on the activation of core stabilizing muscles. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 89(3), 513-521.
36. Kim, Y., Kim, J., & Yoon, B. (2015). Intensive unilateral core training improves trunk stability without preference for trunk left or right rotation. Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 28(1), 191-196.
    • Assessment
37. ZEMKOVÁ, E. (2015). Assessment of core performance in athletes. Od výskumu k praxi . Bratislava: STU.
38. Zemková, E., Cepková, A., Uvacek, M., & Šooš, L. U. (2017). A novel method for assessing muscle power during the standing cable wood chop exercise. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 31(8), 2246-2254.
39. Palmer, T. G., & Uhl, T. L. (2011). Interday reliability of peak muscular power outputs on an isotonic dynamometer and assessment of active trunk control using the chop and lift tests. Journal of Athletic training, 46(2), 150-159.
    • Outcomes
40. Ab Razak, R., Mea, K. K., Hussain, R. N. J. R., Kassim, N. A. M., & Othman, N. (2018). The effect of hand grip strength and trunk rotation strength on throwing ball velocity. Malaysian Journal of Movement, Health & Exercise, 7(1).
    • Balance
41. Ali, F. M. H., Abd-Elaziz, A., & Ismail, S. M. (2016). Efficacy of trunk rotation exercises on balance in elderly. International Journal of Therapies and Rehabilitation Research, 5(5), 16.
42. Imai, A., Kaneoka, K., Okubo, Y., & Shiraki, H. (2014). Comparison of the immediate effect of different types of trunk exercise on the star excursion balance test in male adolescent soccer players. International journal of sports physical therapy, 9(4), 428.
    • Low Back Pain
43. Tarnanen, S., Neva, M. H., Dekker, J., Häkkinen, K., Vihtonen, K., Pekkanen, L., & Häkkinen, A. (2012). Randomized controlled trial of postoperative exercise rehabilitation program after lumbar spine fusion: study protocol. BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 13(1), 123.
44. Tarnanen, S. (2014). Rehabilitation after lumbar spine fusion: development of an exercise program. Studies in sport, physical education and health, (214).
45. Ilves, O., Häkkinen, A., Dekker, J., Wahlman, M., Tarnanen, S., Pekkanen, L., … & Neva, M. (2017). Effectiveness of postoperative home-exercise compared with usual care on kinesiophobia and physical activity in spondylolisthesis: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 49.