Women's Health May 21, 2026 0 Comments

Why Everyone’s Losing Their Mind Over Cable Crunches – And The Trainer Trick That Actually Works!

So TikTok’s got everyone obsessing over cable crunches, huh? It’s like the latest gym fad that’s blowing up faster than a protein shake spill on your new gym gear. But here’s the kicker—are these weighted cable crunches really the abs game-changer creators claim them to be? Sure, they promise that chiseled six-pack glory, but is doing a bunch of these on a cable machine the secret sauce, or just another flashy trend? As someone who’s dipped toes in fitness and digital marketing pools for years, I’ve gotta say: there’s always more than meets the eye. Cable crunches isolate those rectus abdominis muscles alright, but building a rock-solid core? That’s a different beast. Ready to find out how to nail this move without falling into common traps—and carve out a truly balanced core that keeps you moving strong all year round? Let’s dive in and get to the muscles behind the hype. LEARN MORE

3 min read

TikTok has a new fitness hyperfixation: cable crunches. Several creators are hyping them up for growing definition in your abs, and claim they’re way more effective than doing a ton of random core exercises—but is that really true?

Cable crunches are exactly what they sound like: using a cable machine with your hands gripping a rope on the highest level of the pulley, and crunching down toward your hips, says Patricia Greaves, CPT, a personal trainer based in Long Island, New York and a member of the WH Strength in Diversity initiative. They isolate the abs and help grow the rectus abdominis muscles that create the “six-pack.”

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So, while it’s still important to have a well-rounded core routine (more on that below), the TikTok-ers are onto something: “If you want added definition on your abdominals, [cable] crunches are good,” especially if you’re loading them with weight, she adds.

Ahead, Greaves explains exactly how to do cable crunches properly, common mistakes to avoid when learning the exercise, and how to build 360-degree core strength.

How to Do Cable Crunches

Instructions: Start by adding 5 to 10 lbs of weight as the resistance, and test it out. It should feel challenging to do 10 to 15 reps, and you should really be exerting effort to finish three sets.

How to:

Attach the rope to the high pulley on the cable machine.
Pull the rope down as you kneel facing away from the machine. Make sure you’re far enough away so you have room to crunch.
With your chest lifted and holding the rope at the sides of your head near your temples, engage your core to crunch and pull down towards your hips and pelvis, rounding your upper body, almost like a C-curve.
Pause for a second or two at the bottom, then release to come back up with control. That’s 1 rep.
Complete 10 to 15 reps.

Common Cable Crunch Mistakes—And How to Fix Them

Going too fast. “Tempo is everything. I’ve seen some people just rush through these and you’re not really doing anything because it’s all momentum,” says Greaves. Move slowly, pause at the bottom, and “don’t let the weight pull you.” That’s how you’ll actually work the abs.
Not engaging the core. “Brace the core, focus on the abs muscles actually bending or crunching in and flexing to cause the movement, not bending from the neck” or arms, Greaves says.
Moving the hips. “If your hips are moving all around, the weight’s probably too heavy,” Greaves says. Make sure to choose a weight that allows you to keep your hips still throughout the movement.

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Other Tips for Growing Total Core Strength

Cable crunches are great for hypertrophy, but they don’t have many benefits beyond aesthetics because they really only work the localized abs, not the total core (which also involves the lower back, obliques, and pelvis). “You can have strong abs, but a weak lower back, and that’s going to throw off your posture,” she says. “That’s also going to possibly cause you to get injured when you do a heavy squat because you’re not strengthening your back.”

So, cable crunches should only be a supplement for your core training—not the only exercise you do. To grow 360-degree core strength, she recommends also adding planks, side planks, bird dogs, and bicycle crunches into your routine. That’s how you’ll grow true core strength to help you move well this summer and beyond.

Addison Aloian is the associate health & fitness editor at Women’s Health, where she writes and edits across the health, weight loss, and fitness verticals. She’s also a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). In her free time, you can find her lifting weights at the gym, running on the West Side Highway in New York City—she recently completed her first marathon, the 2025 New York City Marathon—and watching (and critiquing!) the latest movies that have garnered Oscars buzz. In addition to Women’s Health, she’s made an appearance on the Oprah Podcast and her work has also appeared in Allure, StyleCaster, L’Officiel USA, V Magazine, VMAN, and more.