Core · Cable
Cable Horizontal Pallof Press
How to do the cable horizontal pallof press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Set a cable to chest height and stand sideways to the column, holding the handle at your chest with both hands. Press your hands straight out in front of you and resist the cable's pull to rotate you, hold briefly, then bring it back to your chest under control.
- 1Obliques and deep core bracing hard to resist the rotation
- 2Your hips and shoulders staying square to the front
- 3Constant tension as you press out and return
Common mistakes
- Letting your torso twist toward the cable column
- Leaning or shifting your weight to fight the load
- Locking the elbows out instead of pressing smoothly
Muscles worked
The cable horizontal pallof press mainly works the obliques, upper abs, and lower abs, with the glutes assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- GlutesSupport
- TricepsMinor
- ForearmsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the cable horizontal pallof press for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.