Wood Chops and Diagonals As Cardio-Abs Exercise

The wood chops exercise does a wonderful job for that purpose but make sure you follow the written instructions to fully utilize the benefits of this cardio-abdominal calories burning and to emphasize the abdominal core training function.

Diagonals exercise is also another effective for abdominals core workout and have similar effects as the wood chops exercise.

The major difference is that you will perform it side to side or bottom-left to top-right (see illustrated Ab exercises below).

Wood Chop Exercise

- Stand up straight with a hip-width apart stance (or wider)

- Holding an object (ex., medicine ball, dumbbell, a secured grip of half gallon of water, etc) that can weigh 1 to 2 pounds in your hands

- Keep your hands completely or semi straight

- Move the object down below your knees and close to your ankles)

- And then move the object up(overhead)

The trick here is to move at a fairly fast pace BUT slow down before you reach the top (overhead) and again slow down before your reach the bottom (ankles). Why, you may ask?

When you decelerate from a fast to a controlled mannered slow pace, your abdominal muscles will work even harder for this specific task.

Diagonals Exercise

Diagonal Wood Chop Exercise

The diagonals exercise is the same as the regular wood chop, except

You'll move the object from left ankle (bottom)

-And cross your right shoulder (overhead).