Pallof Press
Stand sideways to a cable set at chest height and hold the handle at your sternum with both hands. Brace the core, press straight out, and keep your torso square without letting the cable rotate you. Hold briefly, then bring the handle back in under control.
Muscles worked
Equipment

How to do it
- Set a cable at chest height and stand sideways to the stack with feet shoulder-width.
- Hold the handle at the sternum with both hands and step away until the cable is taut.
- Brace the core and press the handle straight out from the chest until the arms are extended.
- Hold for one to two seconds while resisting the cable's pull to rotate you.
- Bring the handle back to the sternum under control without letting the torso twist.
- Finish the reps on one side, then turn around and match them on the other.
Watch for
- Letting the rib cage rotate toward the cable.
- Hips shifting to fight the cable instead of the core.
- Shrugging the shoulders to brace through the upper back.
Breathing
Inhale before the press, exhale slowly as you hold the lockout.
Tip
Pick a load you can hold without rotating for the full hold. Anti-rotation work is judged by stillness, not by weight on the stack.
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