One-arm cable crossover: thou shalt not covet another man's chest. Build your own

WE CONFESS. Lock us up and throw away the key (and get us Gloria Allred as our attorney). We didn't start it, but we're certainly guilty of spreading the epidemic. Of course, we're talking about chest envy. Because we always feature guys with thick, striated chests, naturally that's what you covet. But if there were a Ten Commandments of Fitness, Do not covet another man's chest would probably be at the top of the list. Instead, we want you to build your own, and the single-arm cable crossover may be your savior. This challenging, constant-tension gem allows for a fantastic stretch and a great squeeze, which should have you shopping for larger suit jackets by summer's end. It might take a little bit more body control than you're used to, so follow these steps to get it right.

START

* Attach a D-handle to the high pulley on each side of a cable crossover station.

* Grasp just one of the high-pulley cables and stand equidistant between the stacks with a wider--than--shoulder--width stance.

* Pull down slightly until your working arm is almost parallel to the floor, keeping a slight bend in your elbow.

* Keep your back arched and chest up, with your head in a neutral position and your free hand on your hip. This is your starting position.

ACTION

* Keeping your chest up and your working arm slightly bent, slowly pull the handle down and in front of you, keeping it close to your body.

* Once the handle reaches your midline, pause and squeeze your chest hard for a couple of seconds.

* Keeping the slight bend in your arm, slowly return to the top position. Repeat for reps, then switch sides.

POINTERS

* Going heavy is not the objective during this exercise; instead, it's an opportunity to concentrate on controlling the weight through the entire range of motion, squeezing and feeling your chest contract. If you find yourself falling over to the working side, try a wider stance or reduce the weight.

* During the standard cable crossover, you'd typically bring the handles out and in front of your midsection, as if you were hugging a barrel, but this version has you almost completely upright as you bring the handle just in front of you. You'll feel an extra degree of stress on your core throughout, and you'll use the opposite hand on your hip for balance and support.

* For an even stronger contraction, bring the handle past the middle of your body to your opposite hip and hold the contraction for a few seconds.

ADVANCED TECHNIQUE

Getting perfect form down on complex moves

BY DAVID ARMAYOR, MAT, CSCS

Source Citation:Armayor, David. "One-arm cable crossover: thou shalt not covet another man's chest. Build your own." Joe Weider's Muscle & Fitness 68.4 (April 2007): 62(1). Academic OneFile. Gale. BROWARD COUNTY LIBRARY. 11 Aug. 2009
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Gale Document Number:A160814428

Disclaimer:This information is not a tool for self-diagnosis or a substitute for professional care.