All Exercises

Cable Judo Flip

Master the Cable Judo Flip to carve your obliques and build powerful rotational strength.

Advanced
Compound
Pull
1 min per set2 min rest

Description

A high-intensity exercise that works the abdominal muscles and obliques. The participant uses a cable machine to perform a 'judo flip' motion.

How to Do Cable Judo Flip

  1. 1
    Setup

    Position a single handle at chest height on a cable machine and select a challenging yet controllable weight. Stand perpendicular to the machine, about arm's length away, with the handle in your outside hand.

  2. 2
    Setup

    Adopt an athletic stance with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and core engaged. Grip the handle with both hands, hands stacked, palms facing each other, and extend your arms towards the machine.

  3. 3

    Initiate the movement by rotating your torso powerfully, pulling the cable across your body and down towards your opposite hip. Pivot on your back foot as you rotate, driving through your hips and core.

  4. 4

    Continue the motion as if performing a "judo flip," extending your arms fully downwards and across your body, finishing with the handle near your opposite knee. Exhale forcefully as you complete the rotation.

  5. 5

    Control the return phase, slowly allowing the cable to pull your arms and torso back to the starting position. Maintain core tension throughout the entire movement.

Tips

  • Engage your core fully throughout the entire movement, visualizing your obliques contracting to drive the rotation rather than just using arm strength.
  • Focus on controlled, fluid motion; avoid simply swinging the weight, which can reduce muscle activation and increase injury risk.
  • Synchronize your breath with the movement: exhale powerfully as you rotate and pull the cable down, and inhale as you slowly return to the starting position.
  • Allow your back foot to pivot naturally during the rotation; this helps generate power from your hips and prevents unnecessary torque on your knees.

Common Mistakes

  • ×Relying on arm strength instead of core rotation: To fix this, lighten the weight and consciously initiate the pull and rotation from your hips and obliques, keeping your arms relatively straight.
  • ×Losing balance or performing uncontrolled swings: Ensure your stance is stable, and actively brace your core throughout the movement, controlling both the concentric and eccentric phases.
  • ×Rounding the back during the downward pull: Keep your spine neutral and chest up by maintaining core engagement, which protects your lower back and maximizes oblique activation.

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