Cable Judo Flip

Overview

Difficulty

Medium

Required equipment

• Cable pull station

Main muscles

• Abdomen: Straight abdominal muscle
  (Musculus rectus abdominis)
• Abdomen: External oblique abdominal muscle
  (Musculus obliquus externus abdominis)
• Abdomen: Transverse abdominal muscle
  (Musculus transversus abdominis)

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Training plans

Cable Judo Flip is a suitable substitute for similar exercises in Abs workout or as a supplement to various training plans.

Cable Judo Flip: Basics and alternatives

Involved main muscle groups:
Cable Judo Flip

The cable judo flip is a diagonal curl for your abs and obliques, not a throw or complete judo technique. With the pulley set low, lift the rope over one shoulder and curl downward with a small turn, keeping the rope close.

Standing cable crunches use the same forward curl, just with no diagonal turn. Standing cable lifts go the other way, moving the handle from low to high with your arms held farther out. With standing abdominal twists, you can practice a standing turn with no cable behind your shoulders.

Correct execution

This version follows a diagonal path over one shoulder. Learning the turn and the abdominal curl with a light weight helps you keep the movement from becoming a straight-arm pull.

Attach a rope to the low pulley and start with a light weight. Stand side-on with your left side toward the station, your feet apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold the rope ends in both hands near your left hip.

Try the movement without resistance first, then check the cable path with a light load. As you turn away and bring the rope over your left shoulder, it should pass beside the shoulder without crossing your neck or throat.

Turn away from the station while bringing the rope over your left shoulder and shifting your weight forward. Exhale and curl your ribs toward your pelvis while turning gently toward the front of your right hip. Keep your hands close and your elbows bent as you go down. Let your hips and feet turn a little if needed, with your knees in line with your feet. A short movement you can control is enough; you don’t have to fold all the way to the floor.

Slowly reverse the curl, then turn back toward the station and lower the rope to the side-on starting position near your left hip. Keep the cable under control throughout the return. Complete your repetitions, let the stack come to rest and change sides. Mirror the movement with your right side toward the station and the rope passing over your right shoulder.

Video tutorial

Step-by-step instructions

Attach the rope to the low pulley and choose a light weight.

Stand side-on with your left side toward the station, feet apart and knees slightly bent. Hold the rope ends in both hands near your left hip.

Turn away from the station while bringing the rope over your left shoulder and shifting your weight forward. Keep the cable clear of your neck.

Exhale and curl your ribs toward your pelvis while turning gently toward your right hip. Allow your hips and feet to turn a little as needed.

Reverse the curl slowly, turn back toward the station and lower the rope to the side-on starting position near your left hip.

Let the weight stack rest before changing sides or putting the rope down. Mirror the movement on the other side.

Common mistakes

Bending only at your hips leaves out much of the abdominal curl. Use a smaller movement and bring your ribs toward your pelvis, keeping your hands near your shoulder.

Don’t yank the rope with your arms or force a big twist with your feet fixed. Let your hips and feet turn a little, and use less weight if you can’t reverse the movement slowly. If the rope crosses your neck, stop and change your position; dodging it with your head every rep isn’t a fix.

Control the return as well as the downward movement. Finish upright without letting the stack pull you farther backward.