Cable Crunch
Muscles worked: Abs.
How to do it
- Kneel below a high pulley that contains a rope attachment.
- Grasp cable rope attachment and lower the rope until your hands are placed next to your face.
- Flex your hips slightly and allow the weight to hyperextend the lower back.
- With the hips stationary, flex the waist as you contract the abs so that the elbows travel towards the middle of the thighs.
- Slowly return to the starting position as you inhale.
Coaching cues
The two cues IronPack shows on this exercise's card mid-workout:
- Crunch the ribs to the hips
- Hips stay still - it's a spine curl, not a hip hinge
Logging it
IronPack suggests working in the 10 to 15 rep range, progressing in 2.5 kg jumps when you own the top of the range. Records are tracked automatically at every rep count from 1 to 12. Check your estimated 1RM from any hard set.
Related exercises
- Hanging Leg Raise - abs
- Ab Wheel Rollout - abs
- Ab Crunch Machine - abs
- Decline Sit-Up - abs
Track the cable crunch properly
IronPack logs every set, tracks your records at every rep count, shows these form photos mid-workout, and turns the training into a card game you play with your mates.
Get IronPack free on the App StoreFree download, iPhone. Currently on the New Zealand App Store, wider rollout to follow.
Photos and steps: free-exercise-db (public domain). Cues, muscle weighting and logging guidance are IronPack's own app data. Last generated 2026-07-17.