How to do it
- Kneel facing the cable and hold the rope beside the head.
- Keep the hips still and high over the knees.
- Curl the ribs down towards the pelvis, rounding the spine.
- Uncurl slowly to the start.
Common mistakes
- Sitting the hips back so it becomes a hip hinge.
- Pulling with the arms.
- Too much load for a full curl.
Breathing and tempo
Breathe out as you lift and in as you lower. Lift in about 1-2 seconds, pause briefly where the muscle is shortest, and lower in 2-3 seconds.
Make it harder or easier
Harder: More load or a pause at the bottom.
Easier: Crunch on the floor.
Sets and reps
Beginners: 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps, stopping 2-3 reps short of failure.
Building muscle: 3-4 sets of 10-20 reps, stopping 0-2 reps short of failure.
Safety
- Move smoothly; jerking adds nothing.
Swaps
Full gym: Crunch, Hanging leg raise, Ab wheel rollout, Dead bug, Bird dog