Cable cross over (high)

Exercise overview

Primary muscle group: Chest

Exercise type: Cable

Exercise goal: Strength

Key metric: Weight

Average per rep (kg)*: 44

Average per rep (lbs)*: 97

Weight counts twice!

Description: Stand between two high pulleys, positioning yourself centrally. Grasp the stirrup of the left pulley with your left hand and the stirrup of the right pulley with your right hand, using an overhand grip. Bend forward slightly by flexing your hips and knees. Rotate your shoulders internally so that your elbows are at shoulder height. With your elbows slightly bent, exhale and slowly pull the stirrups together in a downward hugging motion. Hold the position for a count of two and squeeze your chest. Inhale and slowly reverse the motion until you feel a slight stretch in your chest. Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.

Exercise ID: 00371

Community rating:

*Remark: The average values are calculated based on exercise data from the Blaze community. For more statistics and analysis, please download the Blaze app.

Exercise tips and tricks

Focus on Form: Ensure that your clients maintain a slight bend in their elbows throughout the movement. This will help target the chest muscles more effectively while preventing unnecessary strain on the elbow joints.
Controlled Movement: Advise your clients to use a slow and controlled motion both during the concentric (bringing the cables together) and eccentric (returning the cables to the start position) phases. This enhances muscle activation and reduces the risk of injury.
Mind-Muscle Connection: Encourage them to concentrate on feeling the contraction in their chest muscles. This focus will help ensure that the chest, and not the shoulders or arms, is doing most of the work.
Maintain Tension: Remind clients to keep constant tension on the cables throughout the exercise. Avoid letting the weights rest between reps; this keeps the chest muscles engaged continuously.
Adjust the Pulley Position: The pulley should be set at a high position, ideally above shoulder level. This alignment is crucial for targeting the upper chest muscles effectively.
Neutral Spine: Clients should keep a neutral spine throughout the exercise, avoiding excessive arching or rounding of the back. Proper posture helps distribute the workload appropriately and prevents lower back strain.
Optimal Foot Positioning: A staggered stance (one foot slightly in front of the other) can offer better balance and stability. Encourage them to find a comfortable and solid stance before starting the exercise.
Breathing Technique: Teach your clients to exhale as they bring the handles together and inhale as they return to the starting position. Proper breathing aids in maintaining performance and stability.
Progressive Overload: Advise gradual increases in weight or resistance over time to continually challenge the chest muscles and promote growth and strength gains. Small, incremental adjustments are key to safety and effectiveness.
Warm-Up and Cool Down: Emphasize the importance of warming up the chest and shoulder muscles with dynamic stretches and light cardio before performing the high cable crossover. Follow with a proper cooldown including static stretches to help with recovery and reduce muscle tightness.

Exercise overview

Exercise tips and tricks

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