Time was when you wanted to train for six-pack abs, you'd do crunches.

Well, crunches get a bad rap these days. And honestly, there IS a reason they're not necessarily a great exercise (repeated, high-repetition flexing of the spine with very little resistance can cause issues in the long term).

That being said, if you want six-pack abs, I believe you SHOULD still train spinal flexion, which is the basic purpose of a crunch...

...just don't use a "normal" crunch.

This 3-phase cable crunch exercise is goes beyond simple spinal flexion. Because in addition to spinal flexion, there will be an isometric component (similar to a roll-out) AND a supported spinal extension component (almost like "pushing" crunch).

Don't worry if you can't visualize the biomechanics as I've described them...the good thing is, you don't need to understand WHY it works for it to work!

To perform this exercise, you'll need a bench, a high pulley and a straight bar attachment. Set a moderate weight on the stack. I'm using about 130 lbs on my weight stack, which because of the double pulley setup likely works out to about half of that on a normal pulley (60-70 lbs). You'll need to play around a bit to get the weight right.

Kneel on the bench and set your hands palms-down on top of the bar like you were going to do a pushdown. This hand position is CRITICAL because you actually ARE going to do a pushdown...

Get into position for the cable crunch. Bend at waist, arch your lower back to get extension of the spine (this allows you to get more spinal flexion during the exercise, a.k.a. full range of motion). The handle should be held behind your head.

Crunch down as far as you can, until your upper arms almost touch the bench. Basically, you want to come down as far as you can on this initial elevated cable crunch. This by itself is a great six-pack exercise.

Now comes phase 2...

Hold that position and do a pushdown. This is where the tension feels somewhat similar to the roll-out exercise, as your elbows extend and the resistance shifts forward.

Come all the way down to the bottom until your elbows are fully extended.

Now it's time for phase 3...

"Push Crunch" the bar down until you touch the floor. Then hold for a few seconds.

The biomechanical movement involves some spinal extension. It's excellent (and somewhat different) tension on the six-pack abs, using the abs to "brace" against the resistance while the lower back muscles actually do the moving.

Now reverse the sequence, coming up off the floor a bit, then reversing the "pushdown," then coming back up to the top of the cable crunch.

This exercise puts AMAZING tension on the six-pack abs...aim for about 8-10 reps per set. It's a great way to finish off your abs after a workout.

As you'll see in the video (which I definitely recommend you watch), this exercise should be performed in a very controlled, almost robotic fashion, taking each phase on it's own.

Now, if you're looking for more "six-pack" exercises like this, I have a book that has a TON of them...."The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of"

Enjoy!

Nick Nilsson
The "Mad Scientist of Muscle"