Two warnings.

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1.)Do not do the “woodchop” abdominal exercise with a medicine ball. I strained my hamstring a bit doing it and when I think about it for a second it makes sense that it is a very dangerous exercise.

2.)Do not buy the TIMEX Rush VO2 watch in the hope that you will be able to use it for timing. It doubleclicks, this is my second one (I thought the first was just doubleclicking because of wear) and the same thing is happening. If you have it and have been experiencing the same thing try to use your index finger to start, I’ve found that to be more effective.

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thanx! :cool:

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Don’t blame the exercise pete! Perhaps you can share more about the random accident…wood chops are fine in my book.

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I am with Clemson on this one. I love woodchops. I use a cable in the gym and a 12kg mediball when I am outside (with the option of a 4kg ball for my younger athletes).

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If a controlled gym one is dangerous imagine the real thing!!!

I don’t reccomend everyone go out and do it - but the real thing - i.e. a heavy hammer or axe - is a one of the best power exercises I every did.

Its’ wonderful whole body, head to toe, controlled-power workout (as I found out through accident).

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Can someone please describe the woodchop exercise or show a link with a pict of it? especially with a med ball. thanks

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Vito,
http://138.9.1.58/athleticperformance/exercise%20videos/Ab%20exercise%20videos/medicine_ball_exercises.htm

no23,
I use a sledgehammer in GPP circuits especially and have never had a problem with that.

Clemson and Herb,
I think you guys are right, and it was not smart to blame the exercise. But I would caution athletes to really think about what they are doing in the exercise and not just watch and go perform without thinking like I did. What I ended up doing was more like the traditional ballistic hamstring stetch with a forceful pushdown. Obviously, this could lead to injury.

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can someone please explain the benefits of this exercise? I look at it and it just doesn’t look like a necessary exercise to do (with the med ball).
I mean, if the intention was to throw the med ball in the air (upwards) forcefully till release, I can then see the benefit, but by simply moving up and down with respect to the hip, I just don’t see the benefit of application.
Can someone please elaborate.
If the Woodchops were done with a cable like Herb said with the weight/resistance being done as you pull down I can see some benefit, but even then, I don’t know if its a necessary exercise that perhaps might be more effecient being done with another type of exercise to achieve the same objective. (I really don’t know which tho)

thoughts?

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With a medball its an LI core exercise, not a power exercise. Sledgehammering can probably be used as a power exercise, but I use it for LI core work.
With the cable its probably a power exercise.

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Forgive me, LI?

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Low intensity