Cable exercise

Pallof Press (Cable) form, muscles worked, and workout tracking

The Pallof press is an anti-rotation exercise performed standing side-on to a cable stack, pressing the handle straight out from the chest while the obliques, transverse abdominis, and glutes resist the machine's lateral pull. Popularized by physical therapist John Pallof, it is a standard prescription for building rotational trunk stability that carries over to heavy carries, unilateral lifts, and injury-resistant lower backs.

Pallof Press (Cable) illustration

How to do Pallof Press (Cable)

  1. 1Set a cable pulley to chest height, grip the handle with both hands, and stand side-on to the machine with feet shoulder width apart and knees soft.
  2. 2Step laterally away from the stack until the cable is taut, holding the handle at the center of your chest.
  3. 3Brace your core and exhale as you press the handle straight out until your arms are fully extended in front of your sternum.
  4. 4Do not let the cable rotate your torso, tip your shoulders, or pull your arms off the centerline.
  5. 5Pause briefly at full extension, inhale as you draw the handle back to your chest under control, and complete all reps before facing the other way.

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Track Pallof Press (Cable) in Plates

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