The cable crunch is an abdominal training exercise that is performed using weighted resistance from the lat machine or cable machine. Bodybuilding.com notes that the cable crunch is an isolation exercise, meaning it isolates the abdominals. The cable crunch is one of the few ab exercises that you can perform with heavy weighted resistance.
Step 1
Kneel below a high pulley on a lat pulldown or cable machine. Grab the bar or rope and pull it until your hands are against the top of your head. Bodybuilding.com notes that you should flex your hips slightly and allow the weight to hyperextend your lower back. This means that as you flex your hips, the machine weight will force your back to bend in a bit. This flexed hips, hyperextended lower back will be the starting position.
Step 2
Contract your abs and at the same time flex your waist and crunch your abs down as far as you can go. Bodybuilding.com notes that the waist flex will force your elbows to travel to the proper point in the middle of your thighs. ExRx.net reminds you that you should keep your hips stationary during this part of the movement.
Step 3
Hold the contracted final peak point for a second before returning to the starting position to complete one repetition. Repeat the process for the desired number of repetitions. Bodybuilding.com notes that using a handle allows the variation of twisting to the side to work the obliques. In addition you can perform the exercise standing up for another variation.
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