Core · Cable
Cable Twist
How to do the cable twist, 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
- Accessory
How to do it
Stand sideways to a cable machine, holding the handle with both hands. Rotate your torso, pulling the cable across your body. Return with control and repeat.
- 1Stand sideways to the machine and rotate your torso away from the anchor while keeping your hips facing forward; you should feel your obliques generating the rotation
- 2Hold your arms straight and focus on rotating through your thoracic spine
- 3Control the return and maintain tension through your core
Common mistakes
- Don't rotate your hips or knees, keep your lower body stable
- Avoid using your arms to whip the weight around; the power comes from your core
- Don't jerk or over-rotate beyond your comfortable range
Muscles worked
The cable twist mainly works the obliques, upper abs, and lower abs, with the lats, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and side delts assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- LatsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- GlutesSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- Upper TrapsMinor
Cable Twist strength standards
See how your cable twist ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM10 lb
Silvere1RM17.5 lb
Golde1RM25 lb
Platinume1RM40 lb
Diamonde1RM57.5 lb
Champione1RM70 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the cable twist 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 April 2026.