The cable crossover is one of the most effective upper-body exercises around, especially for anyone who's trying to build a stronger, more developed chest.
In this short guide, we will tell you all about the little things you may have been missing while trying to perform the optimal cable crossover.
Cable Cross Focus: Keep a slight bend in your elbows, stretch the chest as far back as you can, and control the movement throughout.
What Do You Need?
Just two things, which are most likely already included in your gym:
- 1. Two cable machines
- 2. Two handles
Before the Cable Crossover (Warm-Up Stage)
Before pulling weights on a cable crossover exercise, you should focus on increasing your blood flow, warming up the muscles. To warm up the muscles, perform lighter sets of cable crossover.
Adjust the Pulley Height
Performing the Perfect Cable Crossover
Ready to get going? This is what you should keep in mind:
Pulley Positioning
To start, make sure the pulleys (the "strings" you're supposed to pull) are positioned above your head. To do so, it's usually common to have to set the pulleys as high as possible, but it depends on how tall you are. You can also do variations by adjusting the pulley height.
Body Positioning
Make sure you stand in an upright position in the middle of the two cable machines. Before pulling the weight, make sure that your body, although standing upright, is slightly leaning forward. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, but not directly below them, as you're supposed to be moderately tilted forward, i.e., away from the cable machines.
Performing the Crossover
Crossover Sculpt: Maintain a slight bend in your elbows, focus on controlled movements, and stretch your chest for maximum effectiveness.
Your hands should meet in front of your chest, almost as if you were hugging a tree.
At the final stage of the movement (i.e., when your arms are right in front of you), we recommend that you make a small pause. This helps your chest muscles to contract, therefore maximizing pectoral activation and making the cable crossover more effective.
Finally, don't forget to breathe while you're pulling the weight! Exhale as you bring your arms forward and exhale as you return to the deep, DEEP stretch.
Specific Cable Crossover Risks
To keep things safe, consider the following specific cable crossover risks:
- • Slack cables: The cable crossover cables should be 100% tense, as slack cables can increase the risk of injury. If a sudden snapback occurs, you can end up having real trouble… Slack cables can cause uneven load distribution across the movement.
- • Too much weight: The movement should be smooth and controlled. If you're struggling to maintain proper form, lower the weight. Lifting too heavy can increase the risk of injury.
Other Great Chest Exercises
Looking for more chest exercises that are actually worth your time? We have three great suggestions for you:
- • Barbell bench press: Great for engaging other upper-body muscles in addition to the chest (namely, the deltoids and triceps);
- • Incline dumbbell bench press: Due to its high range of motion, the incline dumbbell bench press is the ideal exercise for activating several upper-body muscles, making it a perfect starting point for a localized chest workout;
- • Pec deck: Not as embracing as the other two exercises, but incredibly effective for isolating the chest muscles.
For more high-value exercises (including lower-body programs), please check out HermQ's workout programs!