In this lesson, you will learn how to train your upper and outer abdominal muscles with the cable crunch. This is one of my favorite exercises because it is easy to add extra weight and make it much harder than the average ab exercise. But before you go too crazy with the weight, focus on perfecting your form. You can do this exercise using a rope attachment, a straight grip, a triceps pushdown EZ-grip, a V-grip, or by putting two pulleys together. In my opinion, two pulleys are the best way to perform the cable crunch. Find more abdominal exercises on the weight training main page.
Execution
Lock your forearms firmly against your head. Actually push them into your head. Keep your back rounded throughout the exercise—don’t hollow your back even at the highest point! Your abs should stay contracted the entire time. Look down, not forward, and make sure the weight plates don’t touch each other at the lowest point.
Crunch down until your elbows nearly touch the ground, keeping your back rounded and exhale slowly.
Then slowly return to the starting position and inhale. At the highest point, your back should still be slightly rounded. The upward movement should be slower than the downward movement.
You can push your hips slightly forward at the end, but ensure you keep your back rounded and your abdominals contracted. If you cannot avoid hollowing your back and relaxing your abs, you are moving up too far.
Advice
To add an isometric contraction, push your elbows down as hard as you can. After your last repetition, try this: push your elbows down and lift your knees. Imagine lifting your entire lower body for a moment. Of course, this is impossible in this position, but it will give you a strong isometric abdominal contraction. Hold for about 6 seconds or 3 breaths, then relax. Don’t do this after every repetition.
Use enough weight to reach muscle failure after about 25 repetitions.
And remember—never hollow your back!
To protect your knees, kneel on a mat.
Some people bend to the side to emphasize the outer abdominals. In my opinion, this is unnecessary because the cable crunch already works the outer abs. Bending to the side only makes the exercise uncomfortable for your arms, shoulders, and wrists.
Suggestions
