The cable twist is an exercise targeting the abdominal muscles, particularly the obliques, using a cable machine. It involves twisting the torso against resistance, which helps build core strength and stability.
Also Works
Obliques
How to Perform
1
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing the cable machine.
2
Hold the cable handle with both hands in front of your chest, keeping your arms slightly bent.
3
Engage your core and twist your torso to the right, pulling the cable across your body.
4
Pause for a moment at the end of the movement, feeling the contraction in your abs and obliques.
5
Slowly return to the starting position, resisting the cable's pull.
6
Repeat the movement to the left side.
7
Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Set the cable at chest height and stand sideways to the machine. Rotate your torso away from the machine while keeping your arms in a fixed position relative to your chest.
•Drive the rotation from your core and hips, not your arms. Your hands should stay at the same distance from your chest throughout.
•Control the return phase slowly. The eccentric (resisting the cable pulling you back) is where the obliques work hardest.
Common Mistakes
•Pushing and pulling with the arms instead of rotating the trunk, which turns this into an arm exercise and misses the core entirely.
•Rotating at the lower back instead of the thoracic spine, which can cause lumbar strain.
•Moving too fast and using momentum, reducing the time under tension for the obliques.