Cable Woodchop (Explosive)
The Elite Hockey Drills app builds drills like this into your personalized off-ice program, week by week. Your first week is free.
How to Do It
Set the cable HIGH (shoulder height or above). Stand sideways, feet wide. Grip the handle with both hands. Load the hips toward the machine. Explosively rotate AWAY from the machine — drive the back hip through first. Arms follow the rotation in a downward diagonal arc — hips lead, shoulders follow, arms last. End in a low diagonal position, weight on the front foot. Reset slowly (3 seconds) back to start. Explosion is ONLY on the way down.
Why It Works
The explosive cable woodchop trains the high-velocity rotational power that produces slap shot speed. Unlike slow cable chops, the explosive version forces the nervous system to recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers in the rotational chain. Shot velocity studies show the fastest shooters in the NHL produce trunk rotation speeds exceeding 700°/second — training this system explosively is the direct path there.
Hockey Transfer
Trains the high-to-low rotational chain used in slap shots. Cable provides constant tension through full ROM. Pair with med ball rotational throws for full rotational-power coverage. Cable adds constant tension; med ball adds release.
Coaching Cues
- "Cable set high"
- "Rotate diagonally down explosively. Drive with hips first"
- "Arms follow. Control return."
Common Mistakes
Using arms to pull instead of hips to rotate — arms are just connectors, hips produce force. Going heavy — this must be FAST. Drop weight until the movement is explosive. Stopping at the end instead of decelerating through it — follow through like a slap shot. Equal speed both ways — slow reset, explosive chop. Not a reciprocal movement.
Progression / Regression
Add a shuffle step into the chop (one lateral step before the rotation) — adds momentum like a real slapshot wind-up.
Slow cable chop — master the rotation pattern at controlled speed before going explosive.
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Alactic/ATP-PC
Put it to work
on the ice.
The Elite Hockey Drills app builds exercises like this into a personalized off-ice program — created by a sport scientist and former national-team coach. Your first week is free.
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