Kneeling Cable Crunch
The kneeling cable crunch is a weighted isolation exercise that targets the abdominal muscles by using a cable machine to provide constant tension. It is effective for thickening and strengthening the rectus abdominis through controlled spinal flexion.
Because core training is often performed with improper intensity, AI coaching optimizes this exercise by tracking your weight and RPE to ensuring you are achieving progressive overload rather than just high-rep fatigue. The app analyzes your daily recovery data, such as HRV and sleep quality, to adjust volume and intensity, preventing lower back strain on days when your core stability might be compromised. Additionally, if the app detects a history of hip flexor pain, it can suggest form modifications or alternative exercises to ensure the load remains focused on your abs.
Form Cues
- Lock your hips in a stationary position throughout the set
- Round your upper back to curl your chest toward your thighs
- Exhale all your air at the bottom of the movement
- Hold the rope handles securely next to your ears
- Control the ascent slowly to feel the stretch in your abs
- Don't pull the weight down using your arms or shoulders
- Don't sit your glutes back onto your heels during the rep
- Don't keep your back flat; spinal flexion is necessary
- Don't use momentum to jerk the weight downward
- Don't let your hips sway back and forth
Common Mistakes
- Hinging at the hips instead of the spine
- Pulling with the arms
- Using too much weight
- Limited range of motion
- Sitting back on heels
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily isolates the rectus abdominis, specifically targeting the upper region, by forcing the spine to flex against constant resistance. Unlike bodyweight movements, the cable keeps tension on the abs throughout the entire range of motion, while the forearms and obliques act as secondary stabilizers.
Primary
Secondary
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