Cable Crossover Exercises

What are cable crossover exercises and what does a cable pulley machine look like? If you're a regular at a gym, then you must have spotted fitness aficionados on this machine. But if you still feel that you've never seen this machine, the next time you go to the gym, search for a machine that has cables on both sides. It will also have different weights and a grabbing cable on it. There's a space provided in the center where a person can stand and perform different exercises.

But you must be wondering, what this exercise equipment is used for? What muscle groups does it work? The cable crossover workouts are ideal for toning your chest muscles. If you have done incline and decline dumbbell fly's before, then these chest exercises will be easy to follow. While performing these exercises, the weights which are attached to the cables will provide appropriate resistance. They help target the pectorals, and provide wider workout grid for your inner chest muscle, thus toning and strengthening them. Well, that was a little about what the machine does.

How to Perform the Exercises

These chest muscle exercises can be done by both men and women. The only difference is that men want bigger, more bulging chest muscles. Which is why, they can adjust the weight according to specific requirements. As for women, their main concentration is to tone their chest, so the techniques will stay the same. And you guessed it right, the weights probably will be lighter.

Exercise 1

• Before we begin, you need to select the weights and adjust the cable height accordingly.
• Now stand in the center of the machine and hold the cables with both hands.
• Don't pull on the cables yet. Raise your arms and keep them so, till we start.
• Keep your feet hip-width apart, one foot in front of the other, and inhale.
• While exhaling, you will pull on the cables. Bring both hands closer to one another.
• As you do so, pull the cables and bring your hands in the front.
• Hold this position for couple of seconds and go back to starting position.
• Do 3 to 4 sets of 15 repetitions. You can increase the sets over time.

Exercise 2

• In this exercise, we will do an upward crossover. Select the weights and adjust the height.
• But here, instead of the cables on top of your head, they will be at the bottom.
• Hold the cables with both hands; feet hip-width apart and one foot in front of the other. Don't pull on the cables too much.
• Inhale and while exhaling, pull on the cables. As you pull the cables up, you will bend your elbows and will do a bicep curl.
• Hold this position for few seconds and go back to starting position.
• Do 3 to 4 sets of 15 repetitions. You can increase the sets over time.

If you have never done any machine or weight training workouts before, I would advice you to consult a fitness coach. This way, while doing these exercises, you can assure that you won't be putting your body through a lot of stress. In various health clubs and gyms, you will find that the crossover cable machines differ from one another. Apart from the standing cable machine, there are some bench cable machines which work on your chest muscles as well. So, depending on the machine, you need to consult a fitness coach or instructor and follow these workouts mentioned in the article.