Cable Crunches

Technique

Setup

Attach a rope to the high pulley and kneel facing the machine about an arm's length away. Hold the rope ends beside your head and keep your hips high, stacked over your knees.

Movement

Curl your ribs toward your hips, rounding your spine to bring your elbows toward your thighs. Pause, then uncurl slowly back to the start while your hips stay still.

Form Tip

Your hips stay high and still the whole set. Sitting back onto your heels turns the crunch into a hip hinge and lets your bodyweight pull the stack down.

Increase Difficulty

Pause for 2 seconds at the bottom, or slow the return to 3 seconds.

Decrease Difficulty

Use a lighter stack, or switch to Crunches on the floor.