Cable crunch
Also known as: Kneeling cable crunch
A loadable crunch that lets you progressively overload the abs.
What it is
A kneeling exercise where you crunch your torso down against a cable's resistance, flexing the spine. Because you can add weight, it lets you train the abs with progressive overload like any other muscle.
Muscles worked
Primary: Core (rectus abdominis). Secondary: Obliques.
How to perform it
- Kneel below a high pulley with a rope, holding the ends by your head.
- Hinge slightly at the hips to set your starting position with the abs under tension.
- Crunch down by rounding your spine and bringing your ribs toward your pelvis — lead with the abs, not the arms.
- Return under control to a stretch without letting the weight pull you upright by the lower back.
Common form faults
- Turning it into a hip hinge or a lat pulldown with straight abs. Keep the hips fairly fixed and round the spine — the movement is the ribs curling toward the pelvis.
- Yanking with the arms. Anchor the hands by your head and move from the abs, not by pulling the rope down with the arms.
Programming
One of the few ab exercises you can genuinely load, so it suits progressive overload. Train 10–20 reps with a full crunch and stretch; add weight over time as with any lift.
Plan your training
Variations & substitutions
Frequently asked questions
- Should I train abs with weight?
- The abs are a muscle and respond to progressive overload like any other. Loadable movements like the cable crunch let you add resistance over time, which is more effective for building them than endless bodyweight crunches.
- Will ab training give me a six-pack?
- It builds the muscle, but whether it's visible depends on body-fat level. You can't spot-reduce fat, so a visible six-pack comes from overall fat loss combined with developing the abs.
Written and reviewed by Mathew Beale — MSc Biotechnology, University of Reading.
Last reviewed: