How To: Tone abs with a wood-chopper exercise

The "wood-chopper" isn't just for lumberjacks. You can get the full woodsman workout yourself, without the axe! Men's Health shows you how to do the wood-chopper exercise, and when you power through this move, your upper and lower body, along with your core muscles, are working to the max.

Attach a handle to a high-pulley cable and stand with your left side towards the weight stack. Your feet should be slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Grab the handle with both hands, and keeping your arms straight, bend your knees as you pull the handle down and across your body until your hands reach the outside of your right lower leg.

Reverse the motion and finish the reps before switching sides and repeating the move.
This exercise requires quite a bit of co-ordination and can be very tiring as you are using the upper body, lower body and core muscles to execute the move. We recommend that you start off very light and very slowly.

Only increase the weight and speed of the move when you have perfected your technique. Try to be explosive during the chop and exhale. Breathe in as you return to the starting position and once again execute an explosive chop.