Rope Crunch

Rope Crunch is a beginner-level isolation in the strength category that primarily works the abs. It is performed with cable.

How to do it

1. 1Kneel 1-2 feet in front of a cable system with a rope attached.
2. 2After selecting an appropriate weight, grasp the rope with both hands reaching overhead. Your torso should be upright in the starting position.
3. 3To begin, flex at the spine, attempting to bring your rib cage to your legs as you pull the cable down.
4. 4Pause at the bottom of the motion, and then slowly return to the starting position.
5. 5These can be done with twists or to the side to hit the obliques.

Muscles worked

Primary muscles in filled badges, secondary in grey. Tap for more exercises per muscle.

Tips and common mistakes

• •Focus on the muscle contraction and control the eccentric (lowering) phase.
• •Add load only once you complete all reps with good form — progressive overload.
• •Initiate the pull from the target muscle rather than jerking with body momentum.
• •Prioritize full range of motion over heavy weight with partial reps.

Sets and reps

For hypertrophy: 3–4 sets × 8–12 reps with 1–2 reps in reserve (RPE 7–9) and 1–2 minutes rest. For strength: 3–5 × 4–6 with longer rest.