Unlike rigid machines and free weights, which often isolate muscles and restrict the range of motion, cable machines offer a dynamic and fluid approach to a full-body workout.
With their adjustable pulleys and versatile attachments, cable machines allow for smooth, continuous movements that mimic real-life activities and engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This makes them excellent for enhancing strength, balance, and coordination.
In this article, we’ll review the benefits of using a cable machine, including the top 10 full-body cable machine workouts designed to ignite your muscles, torch calories, and leave you feeling stronger.
Cable machines offer many benefits essential to a well-rounded fitness regimen. Here are six detailed benefits of using cable machines:
1. Versatility
Unlike traditional cable exercises, which often focus on a single muscle group with a fixed range of motion, full-body cable workouts target multiple muscle groups.
With adjustable pulleys on the cable machine, you can modify the angle of resistance to engage muscles from various directions, making it possible to perform isolation and compound movements.
This versatility is further enhanced by the ability to attach different handles, bars, and ropes, which you can use to perform exercises such as chest presses, rows, lat pulldowns, tricep pushdowns, and leg kicks.
2. Cable Machines are Safe
Cables provide a controlled form of resistance that minimizes the stress on joints and connective tissues, making these workouts suitable for individuals of all fitness levels, including those recovering from injuries.
This feature also promotes better joint stability and can contribute to overall functional strength, essential for everyday activities and athletic performance.
Additionally, quickly adjusting the weight settings without loading or unloading plates makes it easier to manage progressive overload and avoid overexertion.
3. Efficient
Working out with traditional gym equipment such as barbells or dumbbells is excellent for strength training; however, these types of equipment require multiple sets of isolated exercises and more resting time between sessions.
Cable machines, on the other hand, make workouts more efficient by allowing you to perform compound movements that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously with a shorter resting period within sets. You can also do supersets and tri-sets, which are more efficient at activating muscles during strength training.
The continuous tension provided by the cables ensures that muscles remain activated throughout the entire range of motion, leading to better muscle fatigue and growth in less time.
4. Adaptable for All Fitness Levels
Cable machines are highly adaptable, making them suitable for individuals at any fitness level. For beginners, the controlled movements and adjustable weight settings allow for a gradual increase in resistance, helping them build strength and confidence without the risk of overloading their muscles.
Intermediate and advanced users can use cable machines’ versatility to incorporate more complex and varied exercises into their fitness routines, enhancing muscle development and overall performance.
Cable machines also can be used for rehabilitation, helping you recover from injuries with controlled resistance that can be precisely adjusted to your needs.
5. Time Efficiency
Cable machines enable you to perform a full-body workout in less time. Since you can quickly switch between exercises without changing equipment, you can maintain a higher intensity throughout your workout. This time efficiency benefits those with busy schedules who need to maximize their workout in a limited time.
The ability to perform compound exercises that target multiple muscle groups simultaneously further enhances the efficiency of your workout.
Below are 10 full-body cable workouts you should add to our fitness routine.
1. Cable Lat Pulldowns
Cable lat pulldowns are excellent full-body exercises for strengthening and building back muscles. They also improve posture and upper body strength, which is crucial for strength training.
This full-body cable workout allows you to apply various grip positions and widths to target the lat muscles.
How to Do It:
- Sit at a lat cable pulldown machine and adjust the pads to fit snugly over your thighs to hold your lower body in place.
- Grasp the bar with a wide grip, palms facing forward.
- Keep your hands more than shoulder-width apart
- Lean back slightly and pull the bar towards your upper chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together to engage your lat muscles fully.
- Hold the position for a few seconds before slowly returning the bar to the starting position by fully extending your arms.
2. Cable Crossover
Cable crossover is one of the most popular and effective cable machine exercises for building and strengthening the upper body muscles, including the chest and front delts. It does so by providing a great stretch and contraction throughout the movement.
How to Do It:
- Stand in the center of a cable machine with pulleys set at the highest position.
- Grab the handles with your arms outstretched and slightly bent.
- Step forward, placing one foot in front of the other for stability and tighten your core.
- With your head in a neutral position and your elbows slightly bent, pull the handles together in front of your body, crossing them slightly.
- Hold briefly and slowly return to the starting position.
3. Standing Biceps Cable Curl
Standing biceps cable curls target the biceps muscles, making them stronger and more defined.
How to Do It:
- Stand with your feet flat on the floor before a low pulley cable machine with a straight bar attached.
- Grasp the bar with single or both hands, shoulder-width apart.
- Harden your core and keep your back straight
- Keep your elbows close to your body and curl the bar up towards your shoulders using your forearms only.
- Hold for seconds and slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
- Repeat 10-15 reps of 3 sets.
4. Seated Cable Rows
Seated cable rows are compound cable exercises that enhance the back thickness and strengthen the forearms. They are excellent for all bodybuilders, including those with injuries and beginners, since they row in a fixed range of motion and seated position, improving posture and helping prevent back injuries.
You require a weighted horizontal cable machine with a bench and footplates to do the workout.
How to Do It:
- Sit on the bench upright with your back supported.
- Grasp the cable machine handle with an overhand grip and slightly bend your knees. Your back should remain straight.
- Brace your core and pull the handle towards your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Slowly extend your arms back to the starting position and repeat
5. Cable Crunches
Cable crunches are highly effective for building and strengthening the abdominal muscles. They provide resistance that can be easily adjusted for progressive overload.
How to Do It:
- Attach a rope handle to a high pulley.
- Kneel in front of the machine ( facing the machine) and hold the rope handle with both hands.
- While kneeling and holding the rope handles, move one step away from the machine, keeping your hips high and locked so the movements may come from the spine.
- Hold the ropes with your hands in front of your face or towards the top of your face.
- Crunch your torso down towards your knees, engaging your abs.
- Slowly return to the starting position.
6. Cable Shrugs
Cable shrugs are excellent full-body cable workouts for targeting the upper trapezius muscles. They improve shoulder stability and posture and prevent neck and upper back injuries. Cable shrugs also help build a stronger, more defined upper back and neck area.
How to Do It:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart in front of a low pulley with handles attached.
- Grasp the handles with straight arms, palms facing down, and relaxed shoulders. Your back should be straight, and your core engaged.
- Shrug your shoulders towards your ears, squeezing at the top.
- Hold briefly and slowly lower your shoulders to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining control and proper form throughout the exercise.
7. Cable Lateral Raise
Cable lateral raises are excellent full-body workouts that work on the shoulder muscles, specifically the lateral (side) deltoid muscles. This exercise helps build broader and more defined shoulders, contributing to a wider upper body appearance. It also enhances shoulder strength and stability, crucial in bodybuilding and overall athletic performance.
How to Do It:
- Attach a handle to the low pulley of a cable machine.
- Stand with your side to the machine, holding the handle with the hand farthest from the machine.
- Place your feet shoulder-width apart and keep your torso upright and your core engaged.
- Hold the handle with a slight bend in your elbow, your arm across your body in front of you.
- Raise your arm to the side until it is parallel to the floor or aligns with your other shoulder.
- Slowly lower the handle back to the starting position, maintaining control and resisting the cable’s pull.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and switch sides to work the opposite shoulder.
8. Cable Kickback
Cable kickbacks are full-body exercises that strengthen and develop lower body muscles, including gluteus muscles. Well-developed glutes enhance the physique’s overall symmetry and aesthetics. Strong glutes also improve performance in compound lifts such as squats and deadlifts, essential for overall muscle growth and strength.
How to Do It:
- Attach an ankle strap to the low pulley of a cable machine.
- Secure the strap around one ankle and stand facing the machine, holding onto it for support.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
- Lean forward slightly at the waist, maintaining a straight back and keeping your core engaged.
- Extend your strapped leg straight back and up, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
- Slowly return to the starting position, controlling the movement.
- Repetitions: Perform 10-15 reps for each leg, 3-4 sets.
9. Cable Fly
Cable fly, also known as cable pec fly workout, is a significant resistance full-body exercise that primarily targets the chest muscles (pectoralis major muscles) and works on shoulder and triceps muscles to a lesser extent. This exercise helps to enhance chest definition and strength.
The cable fly allows for a greater range of motion, which leads to better muscle stretching and contraction and contributes to overall muscle growth and flexibility.
How to Do It:
- Stand in the center of a cable machine with pulleys set at shoulder height.
- Grab the cable handles with your arms outstretched and slightly bent.
- Step forward so there’s tension in the cables, with feet shoulder-width apart or in a staggered stance for better balance.
- Engage your core to maintain stability.
- Bring the handles together in front of your chest in a wide arc, squeezing your chest muscles.
- Hold the contraction momentarily before slowly returning to the starting position.
10. Cable Calf Raise
The cable calf raise specifically isolates the calf muscles, providing a concentrated workout that can lead to hypertrophy (muscle growth). Here is how you can do it:
- Attach a straight bar or a calf block to the low pulley on a cable machine.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart on the block, facing away from the machine.
- Hold the bar or the handles for balance, with the balls of your feet on the edge of the block, allowing your heels to hang off.
- Push through the balls of your feet to lift your heels as high as possible, squeezing your calf muscles at the top of the movement.
- Slowly lower your heels back to the starting position, allowing a full stretch of the calves.
Incorporating full-body cable machine workouts into your fitness routine can significantly enhance your strength, stability, and overall fitness. Cable machines provide a comprehensive workout targeting multiple muscle groups while ensuring balanced development and reducing the risk of injury.
Take the first step towards a stronger, more resilient body by trying these cable machine workouts in your next gym session.
