Cable Reverse Crunch
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1Connect an ankle strap attachment to a low pulley cable and position a mat on the floor in front of it.
- 2Sit down with your feet toward the pulley and attach the cable to your ankles.
- 3Lie down, elevate your legs and bend your knees at a 90-degree angle. Your legs and the cable should be aligned. If not, adjust the pulley up or down until they are.
- 4With your hands behind your head, bring your knees inward to your torso and elevate your hips off the floor.
- 5Pause for a moment and in a slow and controlled manner drop your hips and bring your legs back to the starting 90-degree angle. You should still have tension on your abs in the resting position.
- 6Repeat the same movement to failure.
table_chartRecommended sets and reps
These ranges vary depending on your training goal — adjust the load accordingly.
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| boltStrength | 3–4 | 6–8 | 2–3 min |
| fitness_centerHypertrophy | 3–4 | 10–15 | 60 s |
| timerEndurance | 2–3 | 15–20 | 30–45 s |
About Cable Reverse Crunch
The cable reverse crunch is an advanced isolation exercise that applies constant resistance to the legs to intensify lower-ab training. Sitting in front of a low pulley fitted with an ankle strap, you lie back and, with your hands behind your head, pull your knees toward your torso while lifting your hips off the floor against the cable's tension. Unlike the bodyweight reverse crunch, the pulley's resistance keeps the abs under tension even in the bottom position, making it an excellent progressive overload tool for lifters who have already mastered basic ab movements.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleKeeps constant tension on the lower abs
- check_circleAllows progressive overload through adjustable resistance
- check_circleStrengthens control of the hips and pelvis
- check_circleAn effective alternative to the bodyweight reverse crunch
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbAdjust the pulley height so the cable aligns with your legs
- lightbulbLift your hips fully off the floor, not just your knees
- lightbulbKeep light tension on the abs even in the bottom position
- lightbulbControl the descent instead of letting it drop
- lightbulbChoose a moderate load to preserve good technique
warningCommon mistakes
- warningUsing too heavy a load that breaks down control of the movement
- warningNot actually lifting the hips off the floor
- warningFully releasing tension in the bottom position
- warningPulling on the head with the hands instead of keeping the arms passive
helpFrequently asked questions
Why choose this cable version over the bodyweight one?expand_more
The pulley's constant resistance keeps the abs under tension through every phase of the movement, unlike gravity alone.
Should I go to failure on every set?expand_more
Not necessarily; adjust intensity to your level, though keeping some technical margin is generally better than pushing to total failure every time.
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