Core Training: Woodchopper Video

In core training, a woodchopper exercise requires a weighted ball or medicine ball to be used while twisting the torso. Do woodchopper exercises to work the entire body with tips from a gymnast in this video on exercises and core training.

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Muscles worked: Core, obliques & lats
Vary sets & reps for cross training
Use controlled action & avoid swinging
Great exercise for golf, tennis & baseball conditioning
Enjoy a V-shaped torso

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Mimi Saraiva is a former gymnast for the Brazil national team. Mimi moved to Los Angeles 10 years ago and is now a certified and licensed personal trainer and a trainer for iTRAIN.com. iTRAIN provides more than 275 workouts in its library ranging from treadmill to elliptical, cycling, strength training, and many more.

Hi everybody I'm Grace Lazenby and welcome to Pilates Core Training. Today we are going to do an exercise called the neck pull. For the couple of props grab a nice hand towel and come all the way down onto your mat. Now I want you to place your feet about hip distance apart. The first set we are going to use a hand towel, second set we're going to use the body bar. You can take the towel right behind your head and then pull your elbows in. Then I want you to roll your body down all the way onto the mat. Now from here the towel is only here to support your head and neck so make sure that you don't pull on the towel to lift your body up. You're going to pull your chin to your chest. You're going to roll up one vertebrae at a time, and then you're going to stretch your body forward. Point your hamstrings and then you're going to lift up and exhale from your navel. Pull it back to your spine then roll all the way down. Good, here we go, we're going to do about 4 repetitions. Chin to chest, up, stretch, back to center, straight back and then roll down. Again chin to chest, roll through the spine, and lower. Now you may feel that your feet may come up off the floor, but I'm going to give you a prop in just a minute to help you keep your feet down. Engage your glutes, make an imprint into the mat. This is your last one everybody, roll up and relax good! Please drop the hand towel. Another prop that you can use is find a weighted bar. You can place it onto your heels to help your lower body stay nice and stable. Hands behind the head nice and light and lets exhale, roll down, good. Pull the chin to the chest, up, and then stretch your body forward, inhale, straight back and lower again. Make sure that your hands lightly rest behind your head and neck that you don't pull on the head and neck. The energy comes straight from your core. Exhale, lift up and stretch forward. This is your last one everybody. Come on up, stretch forward, now this time I want you to grab your body bar; I want to give you a little challenge. Bring the body bar straight up, pull your knees to your chest, hold. Now, this is level one holding here. Level two can rise the body bar up, hold. Now lets go to level three, I want you to balance for four breaths. 4, 3, steady, relax your shoulders and then exhale. Lower down, drop the body bar, and then come on up. Excellent work you guys! That was your pilates core training. Great pleasure we'll see you next time.

Core Training: Woodchopper Video

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