Cable crossover

3 × 10-15  ·  Equipment: Cables

Muscle groups: Chest

How to do cable crossover

1. Set both pulleys at shoulder height and take one handle in each hand.
2. Step forward with a slight knee bend and your torso leaning slightly forward.
3. With your elbows slightly bent, bring your hands forward and down until they meet.
4. Finish with your hands crossed in front of your chest, squeezing the pecs.
5. Open your arms in an arc outward until you feel a comfortable chest stretch.
6. Keep your torso still and control the weight throughout the range.

Mistakes to avoid

• Do not use momentum from your torso to move the weight; the arms and chest must do the work.
• Avoid stretching your arms too far behind the plane of your torso, which overloads the shoulder and chest.
• Keep your elbows slightly bent and never lock them.
• Only increase the weight when you complete the full range without swinging.

Progression

• Set the pulley height and use light weight to master the movement for 15 reps.
• Add weight in small steps when you complete 3 clean sets.
• Change the pulley angle (higher or lower) to vary the chest stimulus before adding load.
• Shorten your rests to 45-60 seconds to raise intensity progressively.