Cable Crossover Guide For Chest Gain 2023

You are not worried because you know that there are many other great accessories and machines in the gym that you can use for maximum chest gain during your workout.

But the bench press is amazing and should be in every workout routine for massive chest gain.

Cable Crossover is another effective movement that stands out in real meaning. But, exercise movements such as the cable crossover get ignored or undervalued in workout programs to bulk up and tone your chest.

On the other hand, many people think of the cable crossover as the last set or just a workout for getting a great pump.

But the cable crossover’s effectiveness has appeared as a great surprise to many.

Here we will describe how you can use the cable crossover machine to increase muscle hypertrophy(1) and chest strength.

Cable Crossover For Muscle Hypertrophy

According to some researchers from the University of Wisconsin, Cable Crossover compared 6 of the most common chest exercises. They desired to learn how useful each movement was for activating the Pectoralis.

These are the following exercises:

• Barbell Bench Press
• Pec Dec Machine
• Bent-Forward Cable Crossover
• Chest Press Machine
• Inclined Dumbbell Fly
• Dips

It means you can train your pecs using all these exercises. These exercises will give you the same size of muscle activation in the chest and are very useful.

How To Utilize Different Angles With Cable Crossover?

Here are some tips to assure you are utilizing your angles accurately.

• To gain a lower chest, your hands should come down and gather at the lowest point.
• Take the cables as high as possible to hit the upper pec muscle tissues to gain the upper chest.
• For the impartial position, your arms should fit directly out in front of you.

It’s most useful to use a sequence during a chest workout to hit all angles.

How To Prevent Injury While Doing Cable Crossover?

The cable crossover can put your shoulders in a weak position. This can cause impingement problems that are no fun and keep you out of work for a while.

Here are some tips to save you in the gym and away from injuries.

• Preparing your shoulder joint warmed up is very important. A relaxed muscle has a much higher chance of occurring in an injury.
• If you are a beginner, you should use light weights and get the form down before even considering training for muscle and strength benefits.
• If you know what you’re doing well, then great for you. But don’t get too much and become careless because you can injure your shoulder no matter how skilled you are.

Who Should Do The Cable Crossover For Chest Gain?

Anyone in good physical health can safely perform the cable crossover during one’s workout. But the concerning word here is “safely,” which means practice according to your level of training experience.

If you have a shoulder injury, you should not be doing Cable Crossover because it can be dangerous for the joint or shoulder. 

Workout Instructions

Here are the step-by-step instructions for the Cable Crossover workout.

Mid Chest Cable Crossover

• Combine a single grip holder to each side of the machine at armpit or shoulder level.
• Take both handles and stand between the blocks.
• Take a few steps forward and place your leading foot in front for stability.
• With your elbows slightly bent, bring both hands together by moving your arms in a round motion while getting your chest.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Turn the motion and bring your arms back until you feel a slight extent in your chest.
• Repeat this movement for your coveted number of repetitions.

Low Cable Crossover

• Connect a single grip handle to the below notch on the cable machine.
• Take both handles and stand between the blocks.
• Flex your joints slightly and place one foot forward.
• Now, bring both arms upward above your upper chest while getting your upper chest.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Drop your arms back down until you feel a slight extent in your chest.
• Repeat this movement for your aspired number of repetitions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• The most famous mistake with the low-block cable crossover is molding your arms so much that it becomes a bicep curl.
• Putting too much weight so that you do not complete a full range of motion at the top of the action.

High Cable Crossover

• Connect a single clutch handle to the highest notch on each side of the cable machine.
• Take both handles and stand between the blocks.
• Flex your elbows and place one foot forward.
• Make your chest muscles and bring both blocks down to mid-thigh level.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Put both arms back up with elbows splayed out until you feel a short stretch in your chest.
• Repeat this movement for your aspired number of repetitions.

FAQs: