Skip to main content

ClapMove · clapmove.com

Exercise handout — move better, feel better.

Back

Bodyweight Standing Wood Chop With Clasped Hands

IntermediateStrengthTier T3

You stand with feet shoulder-width apart and clasp your empty hands together as if gripping an axe handle. You raise your hands up and across your body, then chop them down diagonally.

Targets: Spine Chain (Full Spine)
Muscles: Obliques

Stop if

Choose an easier exercise if pain reaches 6 out of 10 or becomes sharp. Stop and rest if pain reaches 8 out of 10.

This is the general ClapMove rule. This exercise has no extra stop rule of its own.

  • Pain 6 out of 10 or more: choose an easier exercise.
  • Pain 8 out of 10 or more: stop and rest.

Equipment needed

  • Works at home
  • Works at the gym

none

Home Options

  • bodyweight

Dosage

3

Sets

8

Reps / Time

60 sec

Rest

controlled

Tempo

Step-by-Step Guide

Set up

  • Raise the clasped hands up over the head to the right, then swing the clasped hands down and across the body toward the left leg; return to the raised position.
  • Keep clear space around you on a plain flat floor.
  1. A woman standing with her feet shoulder width apart, her clasped hands raised above her head toward her right and her torso turned slightly right.

    Step 1 of 3

    Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Clasp your hands together and raise them up over your head to the right, turning your torso slightly to the right.

  2. The same woman with her clasped hands swung down across her body to in front of her left knee, her torso turned to the left, her knees slightly bent and her feet pivoted.

    Step 2 of 3

    Swing your clasped hands down and across your chest toward your left leg. Turn your torso to the left, bend your knees slightly and pivot your feet.

  3. A woman standing with her feet shoulder width apart, her clasped hands raised above her head toward her right and her torso turned slightly right.

    Step 3 of 3

    Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Clasp your hands together and raise them up over your head to the right, turning your torso slightly to the right.

Safety Information

Swing only as far as is comfortable for your own range of motion, fit the movement to the range you have and stop where muscle tension begins. If you have a back, shoulder, hip, knee or balance problem, ask a physical therapist or physician before attempting this exercise, because it turns the trunk through a swinging arm path while the knees bend and the feet pivot. Stand on a flat, clear floor with space on every side, and stop if you feel pain or lose your balance. Stop if the exercise causes pain or you become unwell. Seek appropriate professional advice about symptoms or suitability.

Get your free personalized program at clapmove.com/register

Printed from clapmove.com. ClapMove is not a replacement for professional medical advice — always consult a healthcare provider before starting any exercise program.