Core · Cable
Cable Kneeling Side Crunch
How to do the cable kneeling side crunch, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Kneel sideways to a high cable and hold the handle with your top hand near your head. Crunch your torso down toward the same-side hip, bending through the waist against the cable, then return under control. Keep your hips facing forward the whole time.
- 1Feel the obliques on the working side pull your ribs toward your hip
- 2Keep the bend through your waist, not your arm
- 3Control the return and keep tension on the cable
Common mistakes
- Don't pull the handle down with your arm
- Avoid rotating or letting your hips swing back
- Don't rush; use a slow tempo to feel the obliques
Muscles worked
The cable kneeling side crunch mainly works the obliques, with the upper abs and lower abs assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- QuadsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the cable kneeling side crunch 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.