While free weights like dumbbells and barbells are staples for building muscle and strength, the cable machine shouldn't be overlooked. It’s a game-changer for unlocking new gains and enhancing your routine.
Also known as the pulley machine, the cable machine offers a variety of exercises with adjustable pulleys and attachments. Its unique movement pattern targets muscles in ways free weights can’t, helping to fatigue your muscles for better growth.
Ready to level up your workout? Here are 12 of the best cable exercises to include in your routine– and don't forget your UPPPER Ankle Straps, you'll be needing them!
Biceps Cable Curl
Dumbbells are excellent for isolating the biceps, but the cable machine will give your biceps a different challenge to overcome. Plus, this exercise also works your shoulders and upper back muscles!
How to do it:
- Set up a cable station with a straight bar attachment connected to the low pulley.
- Stand close to the station, feet shoulder-width apart. Grip the bar with a shoulder-width underhand grip. Keep your elbows close to your sides.
- Curl your arms up from the elbows in a steady arc. Continue until your forearms are vertical with your palms facing your shoulders. Hold for a count of one while flexing your biceps.
- Lower the bar back to the starting position in a steady motion.
Overhead Cable Curl
Now, this is one bicep exercise you can't really do with free weights! Aside from targeting mainly your biceps, this exercise engages the deltoids, forearms, and core. You can do it by using one cable at a time (works your core more, and helps fix muscle imbalances), or use two cables at a time to work both biceps at once.
How to do it:
- Stand between two overhead pulleys and grasp a handle in each hand. Raise your arms so that they are parallel to the floor.
- Supinate your forearms (turn your palms upward). Keeping your upper arms still, exhale as you flex your elbows and curl the handles toward your ears.
- Hold the contracted position and squeeze your biceps. Inhale as you return the handles to the starting position.
Cable Lateral Raises
If you want to work your anterior deltoids and build better-rounded shoulders, then include cable lateral raises into your shoulder workouts! This exercise works similarly to the dumbbell version and works your deltoids along with your trapezius muscles.
How to do it:
- Start by standing to the right side of a low pulley row. Use your left hand to come across the body and grab a single handle attached to the low pulley with a pronated grip (palms facing down). Rest your arm in front of you. Your right hand should grab the machine for better support and balance.
- Make sure that your back is erect, and your feet are shoulder-width apart from each other. This is the starting position.
- Begin to use the left hand and move it across your body out until it is elevated to shoulder height while exhaling.
- Feel the contraction at the top for a second and begin to slowly lower the handle back down to the original starting position while inhaling.
Cable Chest Flyes
Dumbbell chest flyes and bench presses can be particularly tough on your joints. One way to work your pectoral muscles while sparing discomfort in your joints is by using the cable machine to isolate your chest muscles. Cable chest flyes work primarily your chest, but secondarily work your shoulders and upper back.
How to do it:
- Stand between two cable stations with the dumbbell grip handles attached to the high pulleys on each side of you.
- Hold the handles with an overhand grip. Your arms should be outstretched. Bend your knees and hips slightly so that you are leaning forward, but not too far. Bend your elbows slightly and rotate your shoulders towards the center of your chest a little. Your elbows should be slightly behind you.
- Use a hugging motion, keeping your elbows in a fixed, bent position to bring the grip attachments together in front of your chest.
- Slowly return to the starting position until you feel a slight stretch in your chest muscles.
Single-Arm Cable Lat Pulldowns
This exercise works the rhomboid, trapezius, and rear deltoid head. It also engages the middle deltoid, which is ideal for maintaining a stable shoulder joint!
How to do it:
- Place the pulley in a high position above your head and grab a handle with one arm. Kneel on the floor with your arm stretched out in the alignment of the cable.
- Begin with your palm facing forward and pull the handle by moving your elbows into the side of your body.
- Once you have reached full contraction of your back, return your arm back into the starting position.
Straight Arm Pulldowns
Challenge your lat muscles differently by using the straight bar attachment on the cable machine! Straight bar pulldowns activate the lat muscles and also engage the posterior deltoids, triceps, and rhomboids.
How to do it:
- Attach a straight bar to a high pulley and adjust the weight. Stand a couple of feet back from the pulley with your feet staggered and grip the bar with both hands, palms facing down.
- Lean forward from the hips, keeping your back straight, with your arms extended in front of you. This will be your starting position.
- Keeping your arms straight, extend your shoulders and pull the bar down toward your thighs.
- Pause at the bottom of the motion, squeezing your lats.
Triceps Pushdown
Triceps pushdowns are one of the best isolation tricep exercises because they hit all three tricep heads: the long head, the lateral head, and the medial head.
How to do it:
- Stand under the pulley and grasp each end of the rope with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
- Pull your elbows down to your sides and lean forward a little at the hips, keeping your back straight.
- Exhale as you extend your elbows and push the rope down. As your arms extend, twist your wrists so that your palms face down at the end of the movement.
- Inhale as you reverse the motion and return the rope to the starting position.
Glute Pull-Throughs
Romanian deadlifts are a key compound exercise that targets the hamstrings and glutes for maximal growth. However, if you need to switch things up and place a greater focus on your glutes, then do glute pull-throughs! This exercise strengthens your posterior chain without adding the heavy stress that deadlifts place on your lower back!
How to do it:
- Begin by standing a few feet in front of a low pulley with a rope or handle attached. Face away from the machine, straddling the cable with your feet set wide apart.
- Begin the movement by reaching through your legs as far as possible, bending at the hips. Keep your knees slightly bent.
- Keeping your arms straight, extend through the hip to stand straight up. Avoid pulling upward through the shoulders; all of the motion should originate through the hips.
Side Leg Raises
Side leg raises are also known as standing abductors because they involve pushing the leg away from your midline. This is an excellent glute exercise that not only works the gluteus medius and minimus, but also helps strengthen your hip abductors and outer thighs!
You'll need a pair of comfortable ankle straps for this exercise.
How to do it:
- Stand shoulder-width apart with one shoulder next to the cable machine. The ankle strap will be on the leg opposite the cable machine.
- Place one hand on your hips and hold the machine with the other for support. Lift your weighted leg out to the side as far as possible, but avoid leaning into your standing leg to try and raise your leg higher. Concentrate on only using your outer thigh and gluteus medius muscles.
- Lower your leg down and complete your set reps before switching to the other leg.
Cable Hamstring Curls
Spice up your usual hamstring routine by doing cable hamstring curls! This exercise allows you to isolate one leg at a time and focus on proper form, which will help you better target your hamstrings.
How to do it:
- Wrap an ankle strap around your ankle and connect it to the cable machine. Stand facing the machine while holding on to it with one hand for balance, with your other hand resting on your hip.
- Use your weighted hamstring to lift your foot as high as you can. Try bringing your heel as close to your glutes as possible without straining your hamstring.
- Lower your leg back down and complete your reps before switching to the other leg.
Glute Kickback
For those who don't know, glute kickbacks are one of the best exercises that isolate the entire glute muscle group! Cable glute kickbacks are a great warm-up exercise to activate your glutes before squats, hip thrusts, and deadlifts. Or you can save it for after your workout to fully fatigue your glutes!
How to do it:
- Wrap an ankle strap around your right ankle and stand facing the weight stack. Grasp the cable tower for support.
- With your knees slightly bent and your abs drawn in, slowly kick your right leg back until your hip is fully extended back with your glutes contracted.
- Pause for 1-2 seconds, then slowly bring your right leg back to the starting position and repeat.
Woodchoppers
Woodchoppers are the best core exercise that also works your upper gluteal muscle. Building a stronger core is essential for heavy lifting, so throw in some woodchoppers after or before your workout!
How to do it:
- Start by standing perpendicular to the cable machine while the cable is placed in the top position.
- With both hands, grab the cable and bring it across your body from the top to the bottom.
- Only use your torso to do the exercise.
Now you can start utilizing the cable machine and reaping the benefits they have that you won't get from free weights! Use these cable exercises instead of the dumbbell versions to help change things up in your workout routine. You'll drive better growth and bust through workout boredom.
And don't forget to pack a pair of UPPPER Ankle Straps in your gym bag, so you don't have to rely on the flimsy pair of straps at the gym!