cable seated crunch: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of cable seated crunch

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Sit on a cable machine with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent.
Step:2 Hold the cable handle with both hands and position it behind your head.
Step:3 Engage your abs and slowly curl your upper body forward, bringing your chest towards your knees.
Step:4 Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly return to the starting position.
Step:5 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Cable machine
Body part: Abdominals
Target muscle: Rectus abdominis
Secondary muscle: Transverse abdominis Internal obliques External obliques

Hypertrophy grade

Good8 / 10

Nemeo’s take

This movement allows good isolation of the rectus abdominus with the possibility of managing the load and going to failure in complete safety, which promotes excellent muscle recruitment. Stability remains correct, limiting the intrusion of accessory muscles and minimizing joint fatigue. Unlike classic bodyweight crunches, the pulley allows for real progressive overload, but the technique must remain strict to avoid compensating with the hips or arms.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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cable seated crunch

How to do this exercise

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