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Cable Crunch strength standards

What is a good Cable Crunch?

The Intermediate Cable Crunch standard is about 178 lb (0.99x bodyweight) for a 180 lb man and 123 lb for a 140 lb woman. Advanced starts around 277 lb for men and 197 lb for women. Enter your bodyweight below for your exact standard. These are estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, not averages of what people lift in the gym.

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Cable Crunch Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 16 50 107 186 281
120 20 58 119 201 299
130 25 65 129 215 316
140 29 73 140 228 333
150 34 80 150 241 348
160 39 87 160 253 363
170 43 94 169 265 377
180 48 101 178 277 391
190 53 108 187 288 404
200 57 115 196 298 416
210 62 121 204 309 429
220 66 127 212 319 440
230 71 134 220 328 452
240 75 140 228 338 463
250 80 145 235 347 474
260 84 151 243 356 484
270 88 157 250 365 494
280 92 163 257 373 504
290 97 168 264 381 514
300 101 173 271 389 523
310 105 179 277 397 532

The Cable Crunch standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Cable Crunch Standards by Age

How the Cable Crunch standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 34 78 144 229 329
20 39 90 165 262 377
25 40 92 169 269 386
30 40 92 169 269 386
35 40 92 169 269 386
40 40 92 169 269 386
45 38 87 160 255 367
50 36 82 150 240 344
55 33 76 139 222 318
60 30 69 127 202 290
65 27 62 115 183 262
70 24 56 103 164 235
75 22 50 92 147 211
80 20 45 82 131 188
85 18 40 74 118 169
90 16 36 66 106 152

The Cable Crunch standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Cable Crunch Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 178 lbs (0.99x bodyweight) on the Cable Crunch is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
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What the Cable Crunch Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning the movement path and resistance curve on the Cable Crunch, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.

Novice

You can perform the Cable Crunch with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.

Intermediate

Your Cable Crunch is performed with excellent control and targeted tension. You use RPE to manage isolation work intensity and program it strategically within your training split.

Advanced

You have built significant strength on the Cable Crunch through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Your Cable Crunch strength is at the upper end of what most lifters achieve. You have maximized the target muscle development through years of focused, periodized isolation work.

How to Progress Your Cable Crunch

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Cable Crunch to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Cable Crunch 2x per week with slow, controlled reps.
  • Focus on full range of motion and eliminating momentum or swinging.
  • Keep sets at RPE 6-7 to develop proper movement patterns.
  • Build the mind-muscle connection - feel the target muscle working on every rep.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the Cable Crunch.
  • Program 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps at RPE 7-8.
  • Add a variation (different grip, angle, or equipment) to address development gaps.
  • Place isolation work after your primary compound movements.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Advanced Isolation Techniques
  • Use drop sets, paused reps, and partial reps to break through Cable Crunch plateaus.
  • Train at RPE 8-9 with advanced intensity techniques on your last 1-2 sets.
  • Manipulate tempo to increase time under tension without compromising form.
  • Manage total volume for the target muscle group across all exercises.
Calculate working set loads →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize Cable Crunch strength through precise programming and fatigue management.
  • Use periodized blocks to cycle between volume, intensity, and deload phases.
  • Quality of contraction matters more than load at this level.
  • Continuous refinement of technique will yield the remaining gains.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Cable Crunch

Cable Crunch demonstration
Primary Muscles Obliques, Rectus Abdominis, Hip Flexors
Equipment Cable Machine, Rope Handle
Difficulty Beginner
Type Isolation
  1. Attach a rope handle to a high pulley on a cable machine.
  2. Kneel down facing the machine and grip the rope handles, positioning them at the sides of your head.
  3. Keep your hips stationary, contract your abs, and curl your torso down towards your knees.
  4. Pause at the bottom, then slowly return to the starting position.
  5. Exhale as you crunch down and inhale as you return to start.

Tips

  • Maintain a neutral spine to avoid lower back strain.
  • Focus on using your abs to lift the weight, not your arms.
  • Avoid pulling with your hands; they should simply hold the rope in place.
  • Start with a lighter weight to master the form before increasing resistance.

Read the complete Cable Crunch guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Cable Crunch Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Cable Crunch table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Cable Crunch itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Cable Crunch depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Cable Crunch after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Cable Crunch table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.