How to do it
How do you do the Pallof Press?
- Stand side-on to a cable set at chest height, feet hip width apart and knees soft.
- Hold the handle with both hands against the middle of your chest.
- Tighten your stomach and press the handle straight out in front of you.
- Hold for 2 seconds without letting your body turn.
- Bring the handle back to your chest, finish the set, then switch sides.
Cues
- Press straight, do not turn.
- Ribs stacked over hips.
- Hands stay in line with your chest.
Common mistakes
- Twisting towards the cable: use a lighter weight and tighten your stomach.
- Leaning away from the cable: stand tall with weight even on both feet.
- Hands drifting to the side: keep them in front of your breastbone.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
The version in our demo
Standing Pallof press with a single cable handle, pulley at chest height on the lifter's right, feet hip width apart, 2 s hold with the arms straight. This is ACE's "standing anti-rotation press"; half-kneeling and split-stance versions are variations, not shown.
Starting position
Standing side-on to a cable column, pulley set at chest height directly to the right. Feet hip width apart (15–20 cm), toes forward, knees slightly bent, hips square to the front. Both hands hold the handle (fingers laced) against the centre of the chest, elbows tucked by the sides. Trunk tall, ribs stacked over the pelvis, shoulders level.
The movement
Press the handle straight forward from the chest until the arms are straight, the handle in front of the breastbone. Hold while the cable tries to turn the trunk towards the column, then bring the hands back to the chest along the same straight line. The trunk, hips and feet do not turn or lean; only the arms move.
Breathing
Breathe out as you press, breathe steadily through the hold, in as the hands return.
Tempo
1.5 s press, 2 s hold, 1.5 s return (5 s).
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
- End: elbow flexion 0°, shoulder flexion about 90°, hands at chest height directly in front of the sternum (source: cable parallel with the chest).
- Trunk rotation and side lean under 5°; shoulders and hips stay level.
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Pallof Press is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
Sources
