Written by Sam Coleman | Co-founder
Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute
FACT CHECKED
Updated on December 26, 2023
The cable machine is a real gem in the gym, known for its versatility and user-friendliness. It's a go-to for many exercises targeting the chest, back, shoulders, and arms. However, it's often underutilized or overlooked for core workouts, which is quite surprising considering how effective it is for ab and oblique exercises.
The cable machine's design enables smooth movements and maintains constant tension across the entire range of motion, which can help strengthen and sculpt your core in ways bodyweight exercises and free weights can not.
With that, it's time to explore the diverse array of exercises the cable machine offers for abdominal and oblique training.
Table of Contents:
- Best Cable Exercises for Abs and Obliques
- Cable Ab Workouts
- Benefits of Cable Machine for Ab Workouts
- Rep Range & Weight Load
- Anatomy & Functions of the Core Musculature
- More on Cable Machines
17 Cable Machine Exercises for Abs & Obliques
First, let's introduce all 17 exercises so you have a clear idea of what's ahead. While 17 might sound like a lot, remember that the core consists of multiple muscle groups (discussed further below), and these exercises collectively target each area comprehensively.
The best cable ab exercises are:
- Kneeling Cable Crunch
- Seated Cable Crunch
- Standing Crunch with Straight Bar
- Standing Crunch with Rope
- Seated Cross Arm Twist
- Seated Ab Twist
- Seated Floor Twist
- Standing Oblique Twist
- Cable Side Bend
- Side Crunch on Bosu Ball
- Standing Cable Side Crunch
- Angled Rotational Twist
- Wood Chopper
- Explosive Rotational Twist (Low to High)
- Russian Twist on Stability Ball
- Reverse Crunch
- Hanging Leg Raise
For each exercise, we'll delve into the specific muscles involved, the correct form, and the level of difficulty (the list is in order from easiest to hardest).
It's not recommended to tackle all these exercises in one go. Instead, consider incorporating them into your routine as appropriate. Varying your core training is key to achieving optimal results. After we've covered each exercise in detail, we'll also discuss workout strategies, including a few targeted cable ab workouts.
1. Kneeling Cable Crunch
When you think of cable abdominal exercises, this is more than likely the one everyone thinks about. It's the most straightforward and requires the least room to accomplish. Don't think that makes it any less efficient, it will target your abs better than most, especially the "upper abs".
Main muscles worked: Rectus abdominis (upper abs)
How To Do Cable Kneeling Crunches:
- Use a double-grip rope at the highest slot on the machine.
- You may use a mat if you don't want your knees on the bare floor.
- Kneel down on your knees about three feet from the cable machine.
- Grabbing the handles on the rope, keep your back straight and core tight.
- Bend your torso and head all the way down to the floor. Think about pushing your upper abs to the floor rather than curling your upper back down.
- Make sure to slowly return to the starting position, but do not straighten out your torso.
- Repeat.
Difficulty: Easy
2. Seated Cable Crunch
An alternative to the kneeling crunch, the cable seated crunch is equally as effective, without the need to kneel on the floor.
Main muscles worked: Rectus abdominis (upper abs)
How To Do Cable Seated Crunches:
- Sit on a flat bench, back facing a high pulley with a rope attachment.
- Grasp cable rope attachment
- While keeping hips still, perform a crunch with your abs while holding the rope at the backside of your head.
- Sit back up while holding the rope at the backside of your head.
- Repeat for the desired amount of reps.
- For more intense work out go at a slower pace.
Difficulty: Easy
3. Cable Standing Crunch with Straight Bar
The standing crunch is a great standing ab exercise that allows for more range of motion than the three crunch exercises you were just given. But, keep in mind that it will require the most balance as well. This means that you will be dividing your focus, regardless of the large range of motion is great for engaging the entirety of your rectus abdominis.
Main muscles worked: Rectus abdominis (upper & lower)
How To Do Standing Cable Crunches with Straight Bar:
- Stand in front of a high cable machine facing towards the weights, feet shoulder width apart.
- Grab the straight bar attachment with an underhand grip, palms facing shoulders slightly bend the neck forward with elbows bent and pointing down.
- Tighten your core and bend at the waist until your torso is parallel with the ground.
- Pause, then slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat.
Difficulty: Easy
4. Standing Cable Crunch with Rope
The steps for this are virtually the same as the standing crunch, but the rope allows for even more range of motion. Moreover, this body positioning allows you to come down at an angle that can better target the "lower abs".
Main muscles worked: Rectus abdominis (upper and lower)
How To Do Cable Standing Crunch with Rope Attachment:
- Facing away from the weights, stand in front of the cable machine at the highest slot. Feet shoulder width apart.
- Grab the rope attachment with an overhand grip and bring the rope to ear level with a slight bend forward. Elbows should be facing forward towards the ground.
- Tighten your core and crunch by pushing your chest toward your knees while contracting your abs. Try to down so your upper body is past parallel with the floor.
- Pause, and slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat.
Difficulty: Easy
5. Cable Seated Cross Arm Twist
Anytime you twist your core, you have to be careful not to use a pull and jerk motion. Keep a slow controlled pace for this exercise. It will engage your obliques in a way that other floor ab workouts cannot.
Main muscles worked: Obliques
How To Do Cable Seated Cross Arm Twists:
- Facing away from the pulley, straddling the bench, slightly squeeze legs on sides of the bench to prevent moving.
- Grasp handle from medium height cable pulley with far hand.
- Allow the torso to turn to the side of the near arm.
- Rotate torso through the waist to face opposite side until slight stretch is felt.
- Return to the original side until a slight stretch is felt.
- Repeat. Continue with the opposite side.
Difficulty: Easy-Medium
6. Cable Seated Abdominal Twist
The is a similar exercise but your arms will both hold the handle and be held out straight. It makes the exercise a little harder and involves the abs a little more.
Main muscles worked: Obliques
How To Do Cable Seated Twists:
- Set the pulley to seated shoulder height and straddle the bench, with your feet flat on the floor.
- Twist your torso and grasp the stirrup with both hands.
- Straighten your torso and arms parallel to the ground.
- Keeping your torso and arms straight, exhale as you slowly rotate your torso to the opposite side
- Pause, and inhale as you return to the starting position
- Repeat and then do on the opposite side.
Difficulty: Medium
7. Cable Seated Floor Twist
This seated twist is in case a bench is unavailable. It accomplishes the same as the cable seated twist, but it may require more balance with your feet out in front of you rather than under you. Arguably it may be harder as well.
Main muscles worked: Obliques
How To Do Cable Floor Twists:
- With the pully at floor level, sit facing away from the machine with legs fully extended and separated for balance.
- Twist your torso and grasp the stirrup with both hands
- Straighten your torso and arms. Your arms should be parallel with the floor, and the cable should be pulled taut.
- Keeping your torso and arms straight, exhale as you slowly rotate your torso to the opposite side
- Pause, and inhale as you return to the starting position
- Repeat and then perform the opposite way.
Difficulty: Medium
8. Cable Standing Oblique Twist
A cable twist is the most stable form of the twisting exercises, but you must be careful not to pull and jerk. In this standing form, it's easy to get confident and attempt heavier weights. Stay steady and controlled.
Main muscles worked: Obliques
How To Do Standing Cable Oblique Twists:
- Set the pulley to shoulder height.
- Twist your torso and grasp the stirrup with both hands.
- Straighten your torso and arms. Your arms should be parallel with the floor, and the cable should be pulled taut.
- Keeping your torso and arms straight, exhale as you slowly rotate your torso to the opposite side
- Pause, and inhale as you return to the starting position
- Repeat and do the same on other side.
Difficulty: Medium
9. Cable Side Bend
The cable side bend is a lateral flexion exercise. It's often neglected by most gym-goers, but it's important for stability and building some strong obliques. It will also help target those pesky love handles.
Main muscles worked: Upper Obliques and abdominal muscles
How To Do Cable Side Bends:
- Use a single-grip handle at a low slot.
- Stand sideways parallel to the pully.
- With feet shoulder width apart and chest up, bend your torso sideways until you feel the muscles contract.
- Pause, and inhale as you return to the starting position.
- Repeat and then do the same number of reps on the other side.
Difficulty: Easy
10. Cable Side Crunch on Bosu Ball
The addition of the Bosu ball adds balance to the equation. It's a great tool for strengthening your core compression. Often used in physical therapy, it's a reliable way to train your body control.
Main muscles worked: Obliques, Rectus Abdominis, Transverse Abdominis
How To Cable Side Crunch on Bosu Ball:
- Attach a single-grip handle to both sides on a low setting.
- Using a Bosu Ball, position yourself it in front and center of the machine.
- The small of your back should be arched around the ball. Your butt should be close to the floor but not touching it.
- Both hands should have a cable. With your feet positioned in a wide stance, arms straight out in front of you.
- Keep your arms straight. Elevate your torso in a crunching motion without dropping or bending your arms.
- Crunch to one side then the other, alternating till desired reps.
Note: You can also do this one side at a time.
Difficulty: Easy-Medium
11. Cable Side Crunch
The side crunch is the crunch for your obliques. It is a trunk lateral flexion exercise.
Main muscles worked: Lower Obliques
How To Do Cable Side Crunches:
- Using a single-grip handle, adjust the cable pulley to a high point on the machine.
- Stand parallel to the pulley, with feet shoulder width apart.
- Grip the handle using an underhand grip.
- Engage your core and crunch your obliques to perform the side crunch. Keep your elbow at a 45-degree angle to your body.
- Exhale as you return to the starting position and repeat.
- Switch sides.
Difficulty: Easy
12. Cable Rotational Twist (Low to High Angle)
With the cable machine, it is important to take advantage of angles. Changing the angles of your lift can target either the upper parts of a muscle or the lower.
While this illustration is the low to high variation of the cable rotational twist, you can't have the 'down-up' without the 'up-down', so be sure to do both if utilizing this exercise in your routine (it can be done on different days, just make sure to do it).
Main muscles worked: Obliques
How To Do Angled Cable Rotation Twists:
- Connect any handle of preference to the tower, and move the cable to the lowest pulley position.
- With your side to the cable, grab the handle with one hand and take a step away from the tower approximately an arm's length away.
- Your outstretched arms should be aligned with the cable. With your feet positioned shoulder-width apart, squat down and grab the handle with both hands.
- In one fluid motion, pull the handle up and across your body until your arms are fully extended above your head.
- Keep your back straight as you pivot your back foot and straighten your legs to get the full range of motion.
- Return to the starting position in a slow and controlled manner.
- Do a number of reps and then repeat on the other side.
Difficulty: Medium
13. Cable Wood Chopper
The cable wood chopper will really help with the parts of the oblique that may be hard to target. You can't do this exercise with free weights due to gravity. You can only do it with bands or cables, as you need tension directed correctly.
The biggest difference between this one and the standard rotational twist above is that you'll add a bit of knee drive to create more range of motion and power through the movement. However, like the aforementioned, be sure to move slowly back to the starting position, as this will help you to build strength through both eccentric and concentric contraction.
Main muscles worked: Total core with emphasis on the obliques.
How To Do Cable Wood Choppers:
- Grasp the handle with the cable pulley being slightly above eye level.
- Position feet wide apart with the furthest foot away from the pulley and nearest foot close to the pulley.
- Turn to one side, away from the pulley, until the near arm is extended straight.
- Keeping arms straight, pull diagonally downward around shoulders by rotating torso and gradually lowering arms downward until the cable is just above shoulder
- Gradually bend knees as it makes its way around the body and approaches the bottom.
- Slowly return to the original position and repeat. Continue with the opposite side.
Difficulty: Medium-Hard
14. Cable Explosive Twist (Low to High Angle)
Continuing to take advantage of angles, the cable explosive twist low to high is very similar to the wood chopper, but it is more dynamic and explosive. The difference with this one is that you will go into a bit of a squatting motion for your starting point. It will incorporate your hips and legs into the workout, which your core is needed for explosive work. It is a very athletic movement.
Main muscles worked: Total core with emphasis on the obliques.
How To Do Cable Explosive Twists Low to High:
- Connect any handle of preference to the tower, and move the cable to the lowest pulley position.
- With your side to the cable, grab the handle with one hand and take a step away from the tower approximately an arm's length away.
- Your outstretched arms should be aligned with the cable. With your feet positioned shoulder-width apart, squat down and grab the handle with both hands.
- In one fluid, explosive (yet controlled and safe) motion, pull the handle up and across your body until your arms are fully extended above your head.
- Keep your back straight as you pivot your back foot and straighten your legs to get the full range of motion.
- Return to the starting position in a slow and controlled manner.
- Repeat till desired reps are hit.
- Repeat on the other side.
Difficulty: Medium-Hard
15. Cable Russian Twist on stability ball
Russian twists are hard enough as is. With the cable, it will burn your core like never before.
Main muscles worked: Obliques, Rectus Abdominis, Transverse Abdominis
How To Do Cable Russian Twists on Stability Ball:
- Using a standard handle attachment, position the cable in the middle pulley slot.
- On a stability ball, lie on your back perpendicular to the cable and grab the handle with one hand. You should be an arm’s length away from the pulley.
- Now using both hands, fully extend your arms above your chest. (Your arms should be at the same height as the pully)
- Elevate your hips and engage your abs. Twist your torso away from the pulley, keeping body should be flat from head to knees.
- Pause for a moment and, in a slow and controlled manner, reset to the starting position. (There should be tension even in the starting position)
- Repeat the same movement for a number of reps.
- Then, reposition and do the same on the opposite side.
Difficulty: Medium-Hard
16. Cable Reverse Crunch
The reverse crunch, which is a form of a leg raise, targets the lower abdominals that often get ignored. It's difficult enough by itself, but with the weights, it's going to be a bitter-sweet nightmare.
Main muscles worked: Rectus Abdominis (lower)
How To Do Cable Reverse Crunches:
- Begin by taking an ankle strap and connecting it to a low pulley cable machine. The stirrup handles should also work just fine to place your feet in them if no ankle strap is available.
- Sit down in front of the machine and attach the cable to your ankles, then lie down and elevate your legs up, bending your knees at a 90-degree angle.
- Keep your hands behind your head or under your butt and bring your knees inward towards your core until you feel tension on your abs.
- Hold this position for a count, then slowly bring your hips and legs back to the 90-degree angle and repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.
Difficulty: Medium-Hard
17. Cable Hanging Leg Raise
Last but not least is the cable hanging leg raise. This is perhaps the showiest of these exercises, and by far the hardest. A hanging leg raise itself is super hard, so add some resistance and it's next level. The hanging leg raise is often considered the ultimate ab exercise, along with planks and ab rollouts.
If you can't do hanging leg raises with just your bodyweight, don't bother with this one.
Note: Hanging leg raises require a pull up bar, which most cable machines have, but not all.
Main muscles worked: Rectus Abdominis (particularly the lower fibers)
How To Do Cable Hanging Leg Raises:
- Begin by taking an ankle strap and connecting it to a low pulley cable machine. If you don't have an ankle strap, you should be able to stick your shoes through a stirrup handle all the same. Another option is to just connect the two pulley's carabiners together and then place your feet under the line.
- Use an overhand or neutral grip with thumbs wrapped around the pull up bar or neutral grip bar.
- lift your feet off the ground outward in front of you.
- You don’t necessarily have to lift them to the point that they are parallel with the ground, but just enough to challenge yourself.
- Lower your legs back down slowly to the starting position.
- After you have achieved desired reps, be very careful dismounting. If the weights are too much, it might pull your legs from under you.
Difficulty: Very Hard (only expect to get several reps).
Easy Variation: Lying leg raises with pulley attached to your feet.
Other good cable core exercises:
- Lying Leg Raises
- Lying Rope Crunches
- Pallof Press
- Hollow Hold Pallof Press
- V-Ups with Straight Bar (Cable Pulley Low)
- Knee Tucks (Cable Pulley Low)
- One Arm Plank (Side Tension, Pulley In Hand w/ Elbow Tucked)
You can really get creative too! Just be safe.
CABLE AB WORKOUTS
If you want to do a core workout using only a cable machine, we have two great, well-rounded cable ab workouts for you.
The first is designed to be a proper core workout (like you would any other muscle group) and the second is more of an "ab finisher".
And since we typically recommend variety in both exercises and equipment, we will also run through a core workout that includes bodyweight ab exercises and other common gym equipment and machines.
Cable Core Workout:
- Standing Cable Crunch: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Kneeling Cable Crunch: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Cable Side Crunch: 2 sets x 10-12 reps (each side)
- Cable Side Bend: 2 sets x 10-12 reps (each side)
- Cable Standing Oblique Twist: 1 set x 6-10 reps (each side)
- Cable Rotational Twist (Up-Down): 1 set x 6-10 reps (each side)
- Cable Rotational Twist (Down-Up): 1 set x 6-10 reps (each side)
Cable Ab Workout Finisher:
- Standing Cable Crunch x 10 reps
- Cable Side Crunch x 10 reps (each side)
- Rest 30-60 seconds then repeat 2-3 more times
Total Core Workout (Mixed Equipment):
- Hanging Leg Raise (or Lying Leg Raises): 3 sets x 5-10 reps (10-15 reps if lying leg raises)
- Barbell/Ab Roll Out: 3 sets x 5-10 reps
- Cable Twist: 2 sets x 8-12 reps (each side)
- Cable Kneeling Crunch: 3 sets x 8-12 slow reps
- Back Extensions: 3 sets x 8-12 reps
Note: Ab Rollouts are one of the best core/ab exercises because it works you for trunk flexion (hitting both the upper and lower fibers of the abs effectively), anti-flexion (great for your low back) and anti-extension (again, great for your abs)1. Like the hanging leg raise, it is difficult and hits many muscles at once. We highly recommend adding ab rollouts and hanging leg raises to your routine when you build up enough core strength to perform them safely and correctly. The good news is the cable machine is a great tool to build up to that strength level!
Here are some ab stretches for before and after your workout!
Are cable machines good for abs?
Yes! Cable machines allow for consistent time under tension, incremental progression, greater range of motion, and the ability to work your core through many different angles. Something as simple as cable crunches can greatly enhance your core strength and stability.
To go into more detail...
Benefits of doing cable abdominal exercises:
- Versatility & Angles: You can manipulate the motion of the cable to add resistance to virtually any natural bodily mechanic2. This means you can work your core through all of its actions (trunk flexion, extension, lateral flexion, anti-flexion, anti-extension, anti-lateral flexion, rotation and anti-rotation).
- Attachments & Variables: Cable machines come with a plethora of grips for you to utilize (rope, v-bar, straight bar, handle, etc.). Switching up the grip and holding position allows you to target muscles differently. It can also create a greater range of motion, which allows you to play around with different weight loads3.
- Smooth, Consistent Resistance: Thanks to the pulley system and weight stack, you will have consistent time under tension. In other words, the resistance remains the same throughout the entire movement. This isn't possible with gravity-based exercises (i.e. bodyweight or free weight exercises). This is only possible with cable machines and bands.
- Incremental Weight-Stack: The increments of weight are slow and steady, allowing for a clear path of progression.
- Easy Adjustments: If you really want to exhaust a muscle, the cable machine is the best. You can quickly adjust the weight and get right back into the set. This takes "going to failure" to another level.
- Beginner-Friendly: The machine is very simple to understand. If you've never used one before, you will pick up on it fairly quickly.
- Safe & Joint-Friendly: Perhaps the biggest and best part of the cable machine is that it is safe. Unless you stick your hands under the weight stack (please don't), it's one of the safest machines at the gym. This is because you're actually lifting separate from the weights themselves. If you fail a set, you are not at risk of getting caught under the weights because of the pulley system. More than that, the flat consistent resistance allows for less wear and tear on your joints.
Rep Range & Weight Load For Cable Ab Exercises
In the case of the cable machine, it's more about hypertrophy rather than strength. In other words, you're not trying to lift heavy. Instead, you want to lift for fatigue. Ideally, you want to do at least 6-8 reps at a minimum, and that's if you're really pushing the weight or it is a difficult exercise. The optimum amount of reps would be 15 plus or even to failure.
The abs are a muscle that can be trained to failure. Keep rest time low and tension high and you will not need to do tons of reps to reach that.
In terms of progression, you will find that your core strength progresses rather quickly in comparison to other muscle groups. This is because it's engaged in almost every other exercise as well. It is the source of your balance and stability, making it arguably the most important aspect of health.
Feel free to challenge yourself a little more every time you engage in an ab workout. Just as long as you do not compromise your form and repetitions. Keep this in mind when you progress in any form of weight lifting.
Anatomy and Function of Your Abs & Core
Six major muscles make up your core, and they aren't only your abdominal muscles. Your core consists of muscles that cover the front, sides and back of your mid-section (abdomen and low back).
These muscles are:
- Rectus Abdominis (abdominal muscle)
- Transverse Abdominis (abdominal muscle)
- External Obliques (abdominal muscle)
- Internal Obliques (abdominal muscle)
- Multifidus (low back)
- Erector Spinae (low back)
Among those, the transverse abdominis, internal obliques and multifidus are deep muscles that rest beneath the others. So, while the stars of the show are the rectus abdominis (your "packs") and the obliques, because they are visible (if you have lower body fat), it is paramount that you work your core from the inside out, meaning that you train your core through all planes of motion and actions. After all, there is no point in putting up walls without a strong pillar to hold them up.
On that note, let's look at each muscle and what their main responsibilities are. That way you will understand which muscles are being worked when doing cable core exercises.
Rectus Abdominis:
When you think of "abs", this is the muscle. The rectus abdominis is your "six pack" (or 2, 4, 8, or even 10 pack depending on your ab structure, as everyone is different). Needless to say, it is a superficial muscle, meaning it is close to the skin, so it is visible with low body fat.
Now, regardless of whether you have 4 pack abs vs. 6 pack vs. 8 pack, the muscle is long, extending from your sternum to the bottom of your pelvis. The muscle is divided into two halves (left and right side) by a band of connective tissue known as the linea alba.
It's main job is trunk flexion and anti-extension, and it assists in lateral trunk flexion as well. So, it is responsible for bending forward, curling up, resisting bending backward, and bending side to side. It also helps to hold your internal organs in place!
Note: trunk flexion means you are moving the body between the ribcage and pelvis (i.e. crunches and leg raises). And while there really is no such thing as upper abs and lower abs, it's simply one muscle, the upper fibers of the abs will be more activated when you bring your shoulders toward your legs (i.e. crunches) and the lower abs will be more activated when your bring your legs up toward your upper body (i.e. leg raises)1. As for anti-extension (i.e. planks), the entire rectus abdominis will be activated.
Transverse Abdominis:
The transverse abdominis, also called the tranversus abdominis, is a deep muscle that wraps all the way around your abdomen to your spine. It is underneath all the abdominal muscles.
It plays the very important role of abdominal compression, which means drawing your belly button toward your spine, as well as protecting your internal organs by keeping them in place. Moreover, it plays a big role in spinal and pelvis stability. Think of this as your deep stabilizer muscle and protector of your guts! It plays an important role in many exercises because of this (i.e. planks, crunches, rotational exercises, etc.). A bulletproof core starts with the transverse abdominis.
External Obliques:
The external obliques run along the sides of the rectus abdominis from the ribs to the pelvis. It is also a superficial muscle, but it's going to take quite a low body fat percentage for them to be noticeable, even if they are well-developed.
Its main job is to twisting and bending your the body side to side, and to also resist twisting and bending - so, trunk rotation, anti-rotation, lateral flexion, and anti-lateral flexion. Moreover, it assists and contracting the abdomen and keeping your guts in place, nice and safe.
Internal Obliques:
The internal obliques are located beneath the external obliques, running along the sides of the rectus abdominis as well. It is a deep muscle that can't be seen, no matter how low your body fat percentage is. But, that doesn’t mean they are not equally as important.
They take on the same responsibilities as your external obliques. However, the muscle fibers run in opposite directions of the external obliques5. So, they work opposite to each other. When rotating to the right, your left external oblique is working with your right internal oblique. This means the internal oblique is a same side rotation muscle whereas the external oblique is an opposite side rotation muscle. Don't worry too much about this, as you will be working both obliques when doing rotation, anti-rotation, and lateral flexion and anti-lateral flexion exercises. It's just interesting to note.
Erector Spinae:
Your erector spinae is more than just your core as the muscle group (it's made up of three long muscles) runs from the sacrum (bottom of your spine/top of pelvis) to the bottom of your skull, right along your spine and back.
Needless to say, it plays a vital role in spinal stability. If you want a strong lower back, which is technically part of your core, then your need to work on your erector spinae.
The erector spinae's main responsibilities are trunk extension, lateral trunk flexion, and anti-flexion. Thus, exercises like back extensions and reverse planks will work your erector spinae.
Multifidus:
The multifidus is a posterior core muscle (lower back). It is a deep muscle, running up the spine on both sides from the sacral bone.
Its main job is lumbar spinal stability. It works with the transverse abdominis and the pelvic floor muscle to protect and stabilize the spine. One of the main causes of low back pain is a weak multifidus muscle.
Note: While the cable core exercises above involve some lower back work, you need to do low back-specific exercises too! (Yes, most trainers like to think of the lower back as part of the core.) Check out the 18 back extension exercises to train your erector spinae and multifidus.
Your core is arguably the most important part of your body leading into old age. Set yourself up for a long healthy future by training your core in its entirety. However, do not exert yourself to the point of injury. It's a marathon, not a sprint!
Understanding The Cable Machine and How to Best Use It
If you've been to literally any commercial gym before, you've seen the cable machine somewhere. It's one of, if not the most, common exercise equipment in a gym, second only to the treadmill, barbell, and dumbbells.
Sometimes called the pulley machine, it's primarily made of an adjustable pulley system with stacks of weighted plates. Moreover, the machine is equipped with two separate pulley towers, independent from one another. You could choose to only use one or utilize both, depending on the exercise.
Everything from the height of the pulley, the weight, and the plethora of grips is adjustable. This allows for a huge variety of exercises, which you arguably can't find in other machines at the gym.
It's important to know that the resistance you receive from the machine will always be consistent with the weight you choose. Unlike free weights, leverage is not really a factor with cables. 20 pounds will feel like 20 pounds throughout the entirety of the exercise. This is because the resistance curve is flat.
For example, with curls, when you curl with free weights, there is a high point of tension when the weight is farthest from your arm at a 90-degree angle, but then a low point of tension when you finally cross that plateau and bring the weight more towards you.
With a cable machine, you will feel the same resistance through the entirety of the curl; there are no high and low points of tension. This helps with consistent and continuous time under tension, overall improving muscle engagement. The same would be true with any cable machine exercise, including core & abdominals.
Related:
- Cable Leg Exercises
- Cable Chest Exercises
- Cable Back Exercises
- Cable Shoulder Exercises
- Cable Arm Exercises
Most people don't have a cable machine at home, but there are plenty of options that are affordable and high quality. Checkout the best cable machines for home gyms.
References:
- Escamilla RF, Babb E, DeWitt R, et al. Electromyographic analysis of traditional and nontraditional abdominal exercises: implications for rehabilitation and training. Physical Therapy. 2006;86(5):656-671. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16649890/
- Signorile JF, Rendos NK, Heredia Vargas HH, et al. Differences in Muscle Activation and Kinematics Between Cable-Based and Selectorized Weight Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2017;31(2):313-322. doi:https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001493
- Rendos NK, Heredia Vargas HM, Alipio TC, Regis RC, Romero MA, Signorile JF. Differences in Muscle Activity During Cable Resistance Training Are Influenced by Variations in Handle Types. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2016;30(7):2001-2009. doi:https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000001293
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Sam Coleman
Author