Core · Cable
Cable Standing Lift
How to do the cable standing lift, 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
- Compound
How to do it
Set a cable pulley low and grip a single handle with both hands at hip height, standing side-on to the stack. Brace your core and lift the handle diagonally up and across your body to above the opposite shoulder, rotating through your trunk, then return with control. Complete the set, then switch sides.
- 1Obliques and deep core rotating your trunk through the lift
- 2Hips and shoulders turning together as you drive up
- 3Core staying braced to control the return
Common mistakes
- Lifting with your arms instead of rotating your trunk
- Letting your lower back overarch at the top
- Rushing the rep and losing core tension
Muscles worked
The cable standing lift mainly works the obliques, with the upper abs, lower abs, and front delts assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower BackMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the cable standing lift 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.