One-Arm High-Pulley Cable Side Bends

How to perform

1. 01Connect a standard handle to a tower. Move cable to highest pulley position.
2. 02Stand with side to cable. With one hand, reach up and grab handle with underhand grip.
3. 03Pull down cable until elbow touches your side and the handle is by your shoulder.
4. 04Position feet hip-width apart. Place free hand on hip to help gauge pivot point.
5. 05Keep arm in static position. Contract oblique to bring the weight down in a side crunch.
6. 06Once you reach maximum contraction, slowly release the weight to the starting position. The weight stack should never be unloaded in a resting position. The aim is constant tension during the set.
7. 07Repeat to failure.
8. 08Then, reposition and repeat the same series of movements on the opposite side.

Form cues

• —Lead with the elbows and finish by squeezing the target muscle.
• —Control the lowering phase — that is where most of the growth stimulus lives.

Common mistakes

• —Using momentum instead of the target muscle.
• —Cutting the range of motion short to add load.