Uploaded March 2024 | Updated September 2026, 7 hours ago
Ever since starting training at MBSC the cable lift progression has been one of my favorite exercises both personally and for my athletes.
As far as trunk strength, stability and power exercises go I’m not sure there are many exercises that provide more value than the cable lift progression when followed from beginning to end.
🔹Tall Kneeling: This is a great starting place to teach clients how to create tension in the trunk muscles while managing sagittal and transverse plane forces.
🔹1/2 Kneeling: Exercises done in half kneeling are extremely useful for developing both hip and trunk stability. 1/2 Kneeling posture creates a frontal plane stability demand for the hips while inserting the transverse plane demand at the trunk.
🔹ISO Hold: I love the ISO Hold variation for athletes. Getting a bonus ISO split squat hold is great to continue to strengthen the split stance position. If you have Gen Pop clients who struggle to hold a split squat I would recommend just skipping to standing.
🔹Standing Static: Once you get to standing you can likely increase the external load do to the change in stance. Load is up heavier and challenge the trunk to manage rotational forces across the body.
🔹Dynamic: Now that you’ve progressed through the static variations we want to focus on speed and power output and and begin incorporating some pelvic rotation into the exercise. Move it fast and be sure to use @ancoretraining or @keiserfitness rather than a traditional weight stack.
🔹Step-Up: I love the step up variation because it allows us to get some unilateral loading to develop power in single leg stance.
🤓 Quick Cues:
☑️ Follow the hands with your eyes (this will help create some natural thoracic rotation)
☑️ Pause at the chest on the way up and down on Tall Kneeling, 1/2 Kneeling, ISO and Standing Static
☑️ Add Hip and Trunk rotation for the Dynamic Variations
@certifiedfsc
Ever since starting training at MBSC the cable lift progression has been one of my favorite exercises both personally and for my athletes.
As far as trunk strength, stability and power exercises go I’m not sure there are many exercises that provide more value than the cable lift progression when followed from beginning to end.
🔹Tall Kneeling: This is a great starting place to teach clients how to create tension in the trunk muscles while managing sagittal and transverse plane forces.
🔹1/2 Kneeling: Exercises done in half kneeling are extremely useful for developing both hip and trunk stability. 1/2 Kneeling posture creates a frontal plane stability demand for the hips while inserting the transverse plane demand at the trunk.
🔹ISO Hold: I love the ISO Hold variation for athletes. Getting a bonus ISO split squat hold is great to continue to strengthen the split stance position. If you have Gen Pop clients who struggle to hold a split squat I would recommend just skipping to standing.
🔹Standing Static: Once you get to standing you can likely increase the external load do to the change in stance. Load is up heavier and challenge the trunk to manage rotational forces across the body.
🔹Dynamic: Now that you’ve progressed through the static variations we want to focus on speed and power output and and begin incorporating some pelvic rotation into the exercise. Move it fast and be sure to use @ancoretraining or @keiserfitness rather than a traditional weight stack.
🔹Step-Up: I love the step up variation because it allows us to get some unilateral loading to develop power in single leg stance.
🤓 Quick Cues:
☑️ Follow the hands with your eyes (this will help create some natural thoracic rotation)
☑️ Pause at the chest on the way up and down on Tall Kneeling, 1/2 Kneeling, ISO and Standing Static
☑️ Add Hip and Trunk rotation for the Dynamic Variations
@certifiedfsc
