Cable crossover alternative

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Updated On: April 04, You've knocked out your bench press sets and are looking to finish off your chest workout with a serious burn. Cable crossovers are always a great option, but what are the alternatives? The cable crossover is a chest isolation exercise that uses a cable crossover machine to target the pectoral muscles. The most common variation will be the high-to-low crossover, but you can do this exercise low-to-high and at a middle angle as well. The cable crossover mainly targets the pec major, with emphasis on the lower and inner fibers of the muscle. And while you cannot completely isolate one muscle, the cable crossover is considered more of an isolation chest exercise due to it being a single joint movement your elbows should remain pinned in position, so just your shoulder joint is moving.

Cable crossover alternative

The cable crossover is one of the most commonly performed exercises for isolating the chest muscles. It is great for keeping constant tension in the pecs throughout the range of motion. However, you may want to choose an alternative if you get bored or do not have access to a cable machine because your gym does not have one or you train at home. In this article, I will go through what makes a good cable crossover alternative, how to perform each exercise, and how to make the most out of each variation. I have included alternative exercises that use machines, dumbbells, Olympic rings, suspension trainers, free weight plates, and your own bodyweight so you can isolate the pecs regardless of what kind of equipment you have. The primary muscles used in the cable crossover are the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, which are the main chest muscles that you can see on a body. The pectoralis minor assists in the stabilization of the scapula your shoulder blades and helps you bring your shoulders down and forward. The secondary muscles used in the cable crossover are the front deltoids the front of your shoulders and the serratus anterior, the striated muscles underneath your armpit and between your pecs and abs. They work whenever you bring your shoulder blades forward in an exercise. Even though these secondary muscles assist the exercise through stabilizing the larger muscles, the cable crossover movement comes through the squeezing of the pectorals with minimal involvement of the triceps at the elbows. A good cable crossover alternative will work the same muscles by following a similar movement pattern. This is because the bench press works a lot more than just the pecs, as we discussed in our guide on the muscles worked in the bench press. During the whole execution of a cable crossover, the control and loading on the arms on each side are independent.

Muscles Targeted: Pectorals chest Level: Beginner Equipment: Bench, Cable Station Steps to Follow To perform this fun cable crossover alternative exercise, place a flat bench in the center of a cable station with the pulleys set to the bottom. Alongside coaching, he takes an interest in cable crossover alternative powerlifters take their first step into coaching. It does require a steeper learning curve so be careful if you are a newer lifter, cable crossover alternative.

The cable crossover is a cable machine exercise that allows you to work your chest from different angles. In this guide, we will look at a selection of the best cable crossover alternative exercises that you can do to help you achieve similar benefits. The cable crossover is one of the most popular chest exercises in any gym, but it is not always the most practical. In this guide, we will look at what makes the exercise effective. The cable crossover is a cable machine exercise that isolates the pectoral chest muscles. It allows you to work your chest from different angles. It also removes the triceps back of arms and deltoids shoulder muscles from the equation.

Garagegympower is reader-supported. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more. These 9 cable crossover alternatives will help you build mass and definition in your pecs, without the need for an expensive and space-hogging cable crossover machine. The resistance band low fly is an alternative to low pulley cable crossover, which focuses on your inner upper pecs. This move uses two resistance band with handles, like this one. The benefit of resistance bands for this exercise, as opposed to using dumbbells is they provide continuous tension through the entire move, just like a real low cable crossover does. Using resistance bands also means the resistance will get harder as you reach the apex of the move. Anchor one resistance band at each low point on your rig or rack, or find a secure place near floor level about 4 to 5 feet apart, to anchor the bands. Open your arms so your hands are at chest level and in one slow controlled motion, bring your hands together at eye level.

Cable crossover alternative

Home » Alternatives. Firstly they rely on a cable machine which is an expensive and often not practical indulgence for lots of home gym owners. There are more functional and effective exercises out there. A full-range crossover allows you to go from a wide pectoral stretch to the full contraction of the muscle. The internal rotation at the shoulder can be very useful for some people — throwers and swimmers in particular. They also engage the pectoral muscles effectively without using the anterior deltoid as much as other exercises, making it useful for those who are trying to reduce stress on the shoulders. The stretch is also an important element of the lift. Most lifters have tight pectoral muscles, so an exercise that helps to eccentrically contract the muscles and pull them into a full stretch can have potential shoulder pain benefits. Research shows us that a pectoral stretching protocol can help ease discomfort in people with shoulder pain. Internal rotation at the shoulders is a problem if you have chronically tight pectorals.

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Want to bulk up your shoulders more? Push your hips back a little while keeping your back straight, and have a slight bend in your knees. You can perform it as a bodyweight exercise to begin with and when you get stronger, throw on a lifting plate and a weight plate or two for effective progressive overload. Most machine pec fly machines will allow you to adjust the seat height. Pull your arms apart, like you would for a normal cable fly. There are more functional and effective exercises out there. Pull handles out wide. Its main job is to isolate the chest as much as possible, and it does just that in a movement similar to the crossover. Read More. Login to see your wishlist! Updated On: April 04, The plate-loaded pec fly machine is a great isolation exercise for the pec muscles where you can really push to failure safely at the end of a chest workout.

Updated On: April 04,

A Note On Equipment There are a huge number of chest exercises that use bodyweight alone, and they can be a great way to get going on the road to powerful pecs. Keep a slight bend in your arms as you do so. Rest-pauses refer to breaking down one larger set into smaller sets with to second rest periods in between. This means that your stronger arm cannot simply take over during the exercise because each side is working independently, similar to the cable crossover. Rogue Fleck Bumper Plates Read our best bumper plates guide here. Face away from the pole and bend arms slightly. Consider checking out our article on shoulder exercises. Rest your shoulder blades on a flat bench. This adds an extra challenge making it a highly effective yet simple cable crossover alternative with dumbbells. The dumbbell pullover is yet another classic chest targeting free weight exercise performed with the use of only a single dumbbell or weight plate — allowing it to act as a perfect alternative for individuals with limited access to training equipment. This variation on the resistance band crossover is a powerful way to precision-target your upper chest. Related posts. This exercise requires an Olympic barbell and weight plates. The machine pec fly is an easier alternative to the cable crossover that can be used as a regression. Leave a Reply Cancel reply You must be logged in to post a comment.