How to do the Cable Crunch
- Kneel facing the machine, attaching a rope to a high pulley.
- Hold the rope near your head, elbows bent, and torso upright.
- Exhale and curl your ribcage down, feeling the pull in your stomach.
- Inhale slowly as you return to the starting position, controlling the movement.
Full technique — 7 steps
- Attach a rope to a high pulley and kneel facing the machine a short distance away.
- Hold the rope beside your head or temples with elbows bent and hips directly over your knees.
- Set your torso tall, keep your hips mostly fixed, and let the cable create tension.
- Exhale and curl your ribcage down toward your pelvis by flexing through your spine.
- Bring your elbows toward your thighs as your trunk folds, without turning it into a lat pulldown.
- Reach the end range when your abs are fully shortened and your torso is curled forward.
- Inhale and uncurl slowly back to the start without letting the weight stack slam.
Common mistakes
- Pulling the rope with arms
- Sitting back into the hips
- Moving from shoulders instead of spine
- Letting the weight yank you up
Form cues
- Curl ribs toward pelvis
- Keep hips mostly still
- Hands stay by head
- Shorten the abs hard
