The 10 Best Cable Ab Workouts to Carve Your Core From Every Angle

Most people agree—aside from building bigger arms and bulging pecs, there's nothing that screams I'm in shape than abs. While a six-pack starts in the kitchen (even more so for an eight-pack), cable ab workouts are key to building V lines and getting the lower abs to pop since they can target the deeper abdominal muscles.

If you're ready to advance from easy ab workouts, see how this machine—available in nearly every gym—can transform your core. Because you can adjust the height, you can work your midsection from all angles: standing, kneeling, twisting, and crunching.

P.S. if you really want to define your abdominals, here's how much body fat you need to lose to see abs.

Related: Want Shrink-Wrapped Abs? Here's How to Get Shredded in Just 7 Days

Best Cable Ab Workouts: 10 Effective Exercises to Carve Your Core

1. Stiff-Arm Pulldown

How to Do It

1. Set a cable-pulldown bar to the highest setting or use a lat-pulldown machine. 
2. Stand facing the cable and grab the bar with your arms fully extended. 
3. Keep your arms locked and pull the bar to your hips without rounding forward. 
4. That's 1 rep. 

2. Kneeling Pallof Press

How to Do It

1. Get on both knees and set a cable handle to chest height. 
2. While facing perpendicular to the cable, bring the handle to your chest. 
3. Brace your core, squeeze your glutes, and keep your shoulders and hips directly over your knees. 
4. Push the handle straight forward and hold for three seconds. 
5. Bring it back to your chest and repeat for desired amount of reps. 
6. Switch sides and repeat.

3. Weighted Rope Crunch

How to Do It

1. Kneel in front of a high cable stack with a rope attachment. 
2. Hold the rope with your hands on either side of your head.
3. Crunch forward while bringing your elbows toward your stomach.
4. That's 1 rep.

4. Horizontal Wood Chop

How to Do It

1. Set the cable machine to chest height. 
2. Grab the D-handle with both hands, arms extended, and stand in a split stance perpendicular to the machine. 
3. Turn your shoulders and hips at the same time, while keeping your arms straight throughout. 
4. Pivot your feet and twist your hips as you move the cable to the side.
5. That's 1 rep.

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5. Cable Push-Pull

How to Do It

1. On a cable-crossover machine, set the cable handles to chest height, grab both handles and stand so you’re facing one weight stack and your back is facing the other stack. 

2. The front arm should be extended forward and the back hand at your side. 

3. Simultaneously punch forward with the back hand and pull front hand to side. 

4. Keep your shoulders and torso still.

6. Plank With Cable Row

How to Do It

• Start in a plank position with core tight and glutes squeezed facing a cable handle set to the lowest height. 
• Keep your lower back flat. 
• Reach forward with one arm, grab the handle, and row it to your rib cage while keeping your body rigid.
• That's 1 rep.

Pro Tip

Rather than using the plank as a boring isometric exercise, add a cable row to engage more muscles—now, you’ll have a smaller base of support for more ab work while building strong, healthy shoulders.

7. Cable Twist

How to Do It

1. Stand with pulley on right, and hold the D-handle with both hands at right hip. 
2. Extend arms out and rotate torso left, driving arms up until the handle is at head level, then slowly lower for 1 rep. 
3. Complete reps on right side, then switch to left.

8. Cable Reverse Crunch

How to Do It 

1. Start by setting the cable machine at its lowest point and attach an ankle strap. 
2. Sit facing the machine with the strap around both ankles. 
3. Lie on the floor and lift your knees up so you’re legs are bent at a 90-degree angle. 
4. Lay your arms flat on the ground. 
5. Brace your core and pull your knees into your chest.
6. Slowly drop your hips and move your legs forward in the starting 90-degree legs bent position. 
7. That's 1 rep. 

9. Cable Pallof Press With Overhead Reach

How to Do It

1. Start by setting the cable machine at chest height and attach a pulley grip. 
2. Stand sideways next to the cable, gripping the attachment with both hands and holding it fully extended in front of your chest. 
3. Brace your core and extend your arms pushing the pulley away from your chest. 
4. Complete the rep by bringing the pulley back towards your chest. 
5. Once your arms are fully extended during a Pallof press, reach directly overhead while keeping your arms straight. 
6. Don’t let your body lean or bend.

10. Side Plank With Cable Row

How to Do It

1. Get in a side plank position so there’s a D-handle on the cable stack in front of you perpendicular to your body. 
2. With your free arm, grab the cable handle and row it toward your ribcage, as if forming a “T” with the cable and your body.
3. That's 1 rep. 

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