Multiple workouts can target your chest and claim to dominate proper upper body shape. For muscle growth, no doubt, you can include those exercises in your routine. But if you really want to give value to your chest and dream of making a rounded chest then give yourself a challenge of Cable Crossover. This exercise will always test your pulling skills and guarantee a bigger and wider chest. In this short article, we will go through some important aspects of this exercise and find some alternatives to cable crossover.
Basic Workout
Cable Crossover is chest-oriented workout that can be carried in fitness centers through a Cable machine. All you need is to pull the cables while pressing the chest and engaging the core. through this exercise, you will not only gain strong chest but also train other muscle groups. However, you can increase/decrease the exercise intensity according to your stamina.
Before doing Cable Crossover, you must do some warmup to be sweaty so that you can bear heavy loads. Moreover, this exercise has different variations and you can adopt any of the variations to get positive results. Instead of using cables, you can bring resistance bands in use for better results.
Benefits of Cable Crossover
Crossover means to divide something into two equal frequencies so that it may give fruitful results. This machine-based workout does the same thing using cable to pull equal weight. Cable Crossover gains significance for providing different advantages over human health and fitness. Let’s explore some of the main benefits and experience them in real life:
Isolated Workout: Cable Crossover is popular due to the worth it provides to your chest (upper, middle, lower). However, it also trains other muscles but mainly it generates energy through your main muscle.
Muscle Imbalances: Cable Crossover does justice to your muscles by sharing the weights equally. This property helps prevent muscle imbalances as you are targeting the muscles proportionately.
Safe & Secure: All the machine-based exercises like Cable Crossover and Seated Row are harmless. It is because you are not lifting weight up/down directly. Instead, you are using support like cables/handles to make it secure.
Strong Hand Grip: Throughout the movement, you have to grip the cables firmly which directly provides power in your palms. It increases your gripping ability and lets you hold heavy weight for long time.
Better Range of Motion: Cable Crossover involves a greater range of motion as it forces you to bring cables down enough to meet at one spot.
Body Posturing: Cable Crossover requires you to plant your feet tightly on the ground so that you may not move. It helps to provide body balancing and also forces you to position yourself properly.
How to Perform
Whether you are doing a simple workout or experiencing machine exercises like Cable Crossover, you must know their proper form. An exercise is beneficial and helpful only if you can perform it in a proper manner. Follow some major steps to gain positive results and avoid making mistakes.
- Set up the machine weight and install the cables accordingly. Make sure to set the cable height just higher than your height to make it safe.
- Position yourself by holding the cables and embracing the core. make sure to keep one step ahead and go with a neutral spine.
- Maintain the overall body balance and pull the cables by pressing the chest. Core engagement is compulsory and try to pull the handles down to let them touch each other.
- Shoulder muscles must be in detraction and feel some pressure in your biceps.
- Bring yourself to the starting position in a slow manner and repeat the steps.
- Try to perform 12-15 reps in every set and you must go with three sets at least for better performance.
If you feel pain in your muscles or back, then stop doing this hard exercise. You must consult to your fitness coach before switching to this challenging workout and must take appropriate cautions.
Common Mistakes of Cable Crossover
Some of the minor mistakes may lead to muscle imbalances or cause pain in your joints. You must avoid making those mistakes and gain the full-fledged advantage of this movement.
Don’t Bend too much: It’s better to keep one step ahead but don’t bend down so much. Because it may shift load to the lower back and you will not get the results you are aiming.
Handle Height: Try to adjust the handle height in such a way that is feasible to you. Make sure to pull the cables from an average height otherwise your joints have to bear them.
Alternatives to Cable Crossover
Cable Crossover is of great significance for perfectionist but beginners can also gain benefit from this workout. But relying on a single exercise is not good for muscles and joints too. therefore, you must have access to multiple advanced exercises that is quite gentle for your muscles. Here are some primary alternatives to cable crossover that you must consider:
1. Chest Machine Fly
Cable Crossover requires you to generate power extra power through legs but this particular exercise forces you to sit down. Keeping the elbow straight, you have to use arm muscles and upper body to gain strength. Hold the handles tight, adjust the weight, and make sure to have a neutral spine.
Now press the handles in front of the chest by engaging the core and chest. Relax all of your muscles except for your arms and chest. Maintain your balance and breathing rate throughout the movement.
2. Bench Press
The bench press is one of the best strength training workouts and is considered as alternatives to cable crossover. Along with your chest, it also improves your arms and shoulders quite moderately. It also increases your gripping power just like Cable Crossover and offers a wider wrist. you need a bench and a barbell to carry this particular exercise.
However, you can hold the barbell from different positions and adjust the angle of the bench consequently. Some variations like Incline Bench Press or Decline Bench Press does the same thing but the targeted muscle groups are different. While doing bench press your blood circulates all around the body which will make you feel mentally satisfied.
3. Dumbbell Fly
If you want to train your chest while lying flat on the bench then Dumbbell Fly is the best choice. This upper-body movement will not only strengthen your chest but also train biceps/triceps. Moreover, the rounded shape of the upper pecs will get improved as you are pressing those muscles significantly.
Perfect form is the key to success otherwise it can put pressure on your shoulders. Start with low weight and focus on making a perfection in your movement. However, you don’t have to flare your elbows and open your arms freely to increase the range of motion.
If you want to get strong chest without any machine, read this article: Alternatives to Bicycle Crunches
4. Machine Chest Press
Another significant exercise targets the similar muscle groups as Cable Crossover does is Machine Chest Press. for beginners, this workout is not recommended but if you have mastered the basic chest exercise you can consider this worthy one. with this exercise, you are bringing tension to the upper chest muscles and pressing the arms deeply.
All you need is to sit down and load the machine with weighted plates. Make sure to sit at an average height otherwise, it will shift load to the shoulders if your seat is very low. By squeezing the shoulders and bringing the chest upwards, press the handles to the top and bring them back.
5. Dumbbell Bench Press
A Dumbbell Bench Press can be the best alternative to cable crossover as it targets the pecs deeply. However, bench press is also effective but the dumbbell bench press prevents you from muscle imbalances.
You can make a mistake in holding the barbell which will drive more weight to one side and less to the other side. But in this case, you are pressing a similar weight for each muscle and both the pecs gain equal results. Moreover, this workout also boosts your mental health and improves body balance.
Ending Lines
Cable Crossover is one of the best workouts for your chest that increases your range of motion. It not only improves your athletic performance but also shapes your chest and shoulder blades deeply. But people may have problems with standing exercise as it includes your lower muscles.
But don’t worry, the same thing can be done with alternatives to cable crossover while seating and lying too. experience cable crossover first but if you feel any discomfort with it, try to include other main workouts.