Tag: cable
Upper Body Cable Workout for Functional Strength and Mass
Cable machines are great! They’re safe, effective, and versatile, which is why most gyms have several cable stations.
And yet, despite their obvious advantages and benefits, a lot of lifters only use cable exercises as finishers or as an afterthought. Instead, they build their workouts around compound free-weight exercises like barbell squats, bench presses, deadlifts, and overhead presses.
While there is nothing wrong with heavy compound free-weight exercises, you can have too much of a good thing. Do the same movements and the same workout over and over and eventually it will stop producing results.
So, if you are stuck in a training rut or just want to try something new, take our upper body cable workout for a spin. Not only will it increase your muscle mass, but it will also improve functionality, so you’ll look AND perform better.
Cable Training Advantages and Benefits
Before we reveal our upper body cable workout, let’s take a look at what makes cable training so darn effective!
The advantages and benefits of cable training include the following:
Target your muscles more precisely
Most freeweight exercises spread their effect across several muscle groups. While this is a great way to overload multiple groups of muscles, it’s less effective for targeting specific body parts.
Cables allow you to work your muscles more precisely, so you can develop localized hypertrophy and sculpt a more aesthetically pleasing physique.
A safer workout
Exercises like freeweight bench presses and squats can be risky, especially when training to failure. A missed rep can result in serious injury, and getting pinned under a heavy bar can even be fatal.
There is no such risk with cable exercises, and a failed rep should result in nothing more dangerous than a loud but harmless crash. This means that cable exercises are ideal for training to failure.
Perfect for drop sets
Most cable machines have selectorized weight stacks, making them ideal for muscle-building, pump-inducing drop sets. Do your chosen exercise to failure, reduce (or drop) the weight by 10-20%, and then rep out again. Repeat for 2-4 drops.
This popular bodybuilding strategy is an excellent way to take your muscles beyond failure, providing an increased stimulus for muscle growth.
A more joint-friendly workout
Compared to many freeweight exercises, cable machines are much easier on your joints. When you lift heavy barbells and dumbbells, the ends of your bones are often pressed together, resulting in a lot of compressive force.
This does not tend to happen so much with the same exercises performed using cables. As such, cable workouts are often more joint-friendly than some freeweight workouts.
More consistent muscle tension
Because you aren’t working directly against gravity, cable exercises tend to involve more consistent muscle tension than their freeweight counterparts. For example, when you do dumbbell flies, muscle tension peaks when your arms are extended but then decreases as you bring the weights over your chest.
In contrast, doing cable flies keep your muscles loaded through the entire range of motion, which may make them more effective for hypertrophy.
Change angles quickly and easily
When it comes to building muscle mass, bodybuilders know that angles matter. They adjust their limbs to hit specific parts of the muscles they want to develop, e.g., incline presses for the upper chest or wide-grip pulldowns to work their upper lats.
Unlike many freeweight exercises, changing the angle of your limbs during cable workouts is very easy. You can often do this mid-set simply by pushing or pulling in a slightly different direction.
All of this saves you from having to use angled benches, which is the norm when training with freeweights.
A more functional workout
Most cable exercises are performed while standing, which makes them more functional than many of the freeweight equivalents. For example, when was the last time you had to lay on your back and press a heavy weight upward? The barbell bench press is undeniably a good exercise. Still, it won’t necessarily improve your ability to push an opponent in football or increase the power of your throws or punches.
Cable exercises improve functional strength, which will enhance your ability to perform movements and activities outside of the gym. Cable exercises are especially useful for athletes, regardless of your chosen sport.
Upper Body Cable Workout for Functional Strength and Mass
This cable workout is designed to build upper body muscle while enhancing functionality. As such, it’s ideal for exercisers training for improved aesthetics who also care about their athletic performance.
Do this program 1-2 times per week in conjunction with a couple of lower-body workouts. After all, friends don’t let friends skip leg day!
But, before you begin, prepare your muscles and joints by warming up thoroughly. Begin with 5-10 minutes of progressive cardio followed by a few minutes of dynamic mobility and flexibility training for the body parts you’re about to train.
All set? Then let’s go!
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Recovery
1
Cable crossover
3-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
2
Supine cable incline chest press
3-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
3
Straight arm pulldown
3-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
4
Cable Y pulldown
3-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
5
Cable lateral raise
3-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
6
Cable Cuban press
3-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
7a
Cable Bayesian curl
2-3
12-20
60-90 seconds
7a
Cable overhead triceps extension
8a
Cable rope curl
2-3
12-20
60-90 seconds
8b
Cable rope pushdown
Exercises 7a and 7b and 8a and 8b are to be performed as supersets. Do the first exercise (a) and immediately do the second (b). Rest for the prescribed time and then repeat the pairing. Use the same pattern for the second superset.
Exercise Instructions
There are two ways to do most exercises – the right way and the wrong way. The right way keeps the tension on your workout muscles and away from your joints. In contrast, the wrong way makes your workout less effective and more likely to cause injury.
Use these step-by-step guidelines to ensure that you perform each exercise as correctly as possible. If any of the exercises are unfamiliar to you, do a few light sets to get a feel for the movement, and only increase the load when you’ve got your technique dialed in.
1. Cable crossover
Your first cable upper body exercise is a classic! Cable crossovers work all three pectoral heads, emphasizing the costal or lower head. It’s also an excellent exercise for isolating and firing up your chest before moving on to another chest exercise.
Steps:
Attach D-shaped handles to the high pulleys on a cable crossover machine.
Hold a handle in each hand and stand in the middle of the two weight stacks.
Adopt a staggered stance and stand with your arms stretched out to the side, hands about shoulder level.
With your elbows slightly bent but rigid, sweep your arms forward and down so your hands meet in front of your hips.
Slowly raise your arms, get a mild stretch in your chest, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Pectoralis major.
Secondary: Anterior deltoids.
Benefits:
A very shoulder-friendly chest exercise.
An effective way to target the lower/inner pecs.
A great way to prep your pecs for subsequent chest exercises.
Tips:
Keep your core braced and your torso upright to avoid turning this move into a pressing exercise.
Pause with your pecs contracted for 1-2 seconds at the midpoint of each rep to maximize muscle engagement.
For variety, you can also do this exercise with horizontal arms or moving from low to high.
2. Supine cable incline chest press
Supine cable incline chest presses are a uniquely effective upper and inner chest exercise. They feel very different from doing incline dumbbell presses, which is the nearest freeweight equivalent. However, make no mistake, this is a bonafide pec-builder that’s hard to beat!
Steps:
Place an incline bench in the center of a cable crossover machine. Adjust the backrest to around 30 degrees.
Attach D-shaped handles to the low pulleys.
Sit on the bench and hold a handle in each hand. Lie back and pull the handles into your shoulders. Rotate your wrists so your palms face down your body.
Press your hands up and together so they meet above your chest. Pause for 1-2 seconds.
Return your hands to your shoulders, stretch your pecs, and continue for the prescribed reps.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Pectoralis major, anterior deltoids.
Secondary: Triceps.
Benefits:
A very effective upper/inner chest exercise.
Keeps your muscles under near-constant tension.
Very safe, as no bar or weights can drop on your chest.
Tips:
Adjust the angle of your bench to see what feels and works best for you.
You can also do this exercise with a neutral or hands facing inward grip.
Push your hands inward as much as upward up to maximally engage your chest.
3. Straight arm pulldown
Straight arm pulldowns are one of a small handful of exercises that isolate your lats. That means they don’t involve your biceps, and movement only occurs at one joint. Like cable crossovers, this exercise provides a great way to wake up the target muscles before moving on to your next back movement.
Steps:
Attach a straight bar to a high cable machine.
Grab the handle with an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
Brace your abs and set your shoulders down and back.
With your elbows slightly bent but rigid, push the bar down to your upper thighs. Flex your lats at the bottom of each rep.
Raise your arms, feel the stretch in your lats, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Latissimus dorsi, triceps.
Secondary: Rectus abdominis.
Benefits:
An excellent preparatory exercise for the lats.
An effective way to target the long head of the triceps.
A great move for building a stronger mind-muscle connection with your lats.
Tips:
Drive your elbows back and down to maximize lat engagement.
You can also do this exercise with a rope handle.
Do this exercise while kneeling to make the movement stricter and more demanding.
4. Cable Y pulldown
Most lat pulldown variations involve pulling your arms more-or-less straight down. This unique variation is more of a pull-in than a pulldown, hitting your lats from a very unusual angle. This exercise is guaranteed to give you are wider upper back.
Steps:
Attach D-shaped handles to the high pulleys of a cable crossover machine.
Grip a handle in each hand and kneel in the middle of the pulleys, arms raised to make a Y-shape.
Bend your arms and pull your elbows down and into your sides, squeezing your shoulders down and back.
Reach up and out and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: latissimus dorsi, biceps.
Secondary: Trapezius, rhomboids.
Benefits:
An effective alternative to traditional lat pulldowns.
A unique lat exercise that will develop your lat width.
A great way to train your lats unilaterally.
Tips:
Kneel on a foam pad or folded mat for comfort.
Lead with your elbows and keep your wrists straight to fully engage your lats.
Think about tucking your elbows into your ribs to make this exercise as effective as possible.
5. Cable lateral raise
Cable lateral raises are a much better exercise than the same move done with dumbbells. With regular dumbbell lateral raises, all the tension comes on at the end of the movement, and the start is almost too easy to have much of an effect. Using cables means your muscles are under tension from start to finish, making this a far superior exercise.
Steps:
Attach D-shaped handles to the low pulleys of a cable crossover machine.
Hold the left handle in your right hand and the right handle in your left hand so the cables cross in front of your hips.
Stand in the center of the pulleys. Bend your arms slightly, but then keep them rigid. Brace your core and set your shoulders down and back.
Raise your arms up and out so they’re parallel to the floor.
Lower your arms back to your sides and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Medial deltoids, upper trapezius.
Secondary: N/A.
Benefits:
A very effective exercise for the medial or side deltoids.
Keeps your shoulders under near-constant tension.
A perfect exercise for intensity-boosting drop sets.
Tips:
Lead with your elbows (and not your hands) to maximize deltoid engagement.
Keep your shoulders down and back to avoid overusing your upper traps.
You can also do this exercise with a single cable, like this:
6. Cable Cuban press
The Cuban press is beloved by weightlifters, bodybuilders, and functional exercisers. It’s one of a few exercises that manages to work all three deltoid heads at once. It’s also a revered pre/rehab exercise. So, better looking, more muscular, healthier shoulders? We’re in!
Steps:
Attach your D-shaped handles to a low cable machine. Hold a handle in each hand and step back to tension the cables.
Brace your core and set your shoulders down and back.
Bend your elbows and row the handles up to your lower chest.
Next, rotate your forearms forward and up to vertical.
Press the handles up and overhead.
Reverse the movement and then repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Deltoids, trapezius, rhomboids, rotator cuff.
Secondary: Biceps, triceps.
Benefits:
A total deltoid exercise.
Good for developing shoulder mobility and stability.
An all-in-one solution for bigger, stronger, healthier shoulders.
Tips:
You can also do this exercise with a single handle/bar.
Go light and focus on using a controlled, smooth movement. This is not an exercise for heavy weights!
Skip the overhead press is you want to emphasize your rotator cuff.
7a. Cable Bayesian curl
Bayesian curls work your biceps like incline dumbbell curls. They start with your shoulder in an extended position, so your biceps are stretched. This provides an excellent workout for the long head of your biceps, which gives your biceps their peak.
Steps:
Attach a D-handle to a low pulley machine.
Grab the handle and adopt a split stance with your back to the weight stack. Extend your arm behind you and brace your core.
Bend your elbow and curl the handle forward and up to your shoulder.
Extend your arm, getting a good mid-rep biceps stretch.
Continue for the prescribed number of reps.
Do the same number of reps on each side.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Biceps.
Secondary: Brachialis, brachioradialis.
Benefits:
One of the best biceps peaking exercises around.
Keeps your muscles under more constant tension than incline dumbbell curls.
Ideal for sleeve-splitting pump-inducing drop sets.
Tips:
Push your arm forward at the top of each rep to fully engage your biceps.
Keep your wrists straight and hips and shoulders squared and level throughout.
You can also do this exercise with a hammer or neutral grip.
7b. Cable overhead triceps extension
If you want bigger arms, this exercise needs to be part of your workouts. By raising your arms overhead, you put the long head of your triceps into a stretched position, forcing them to work harder. This ensures all three triceps heads get a great workout, maximizing muscle growth and size.
Steps:
Attach a rope handle to a low pulley machine.
Grab the handles and straighten your arms above your head so the cable is behind you.
Pull your upper arms into the side of your head, brace your core, and set your shoulders down and back.
Bend your elbows and lower your hands behind your head. Get a good stretch in your triceps.
Extend your arms and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Triceps.
Secondary: N/A.
Benefits:
A proven triceps builder.
One of the best exercises for targeting the long head of the triceps.
An effective shoulder and thoracic spine mobilizer.
Tips:
Do this exercise while kneeling or sitting if preferred.
You can also do this exercise with a straight or EZ bar.
Keep your chest up and shoulders back and down to make this exercise as safe and effective as possible. Try not to lean back, as doing so could cause injury.
8a. Cable rope curl
Dumbbell hammer curls are excellent for building thicker biceps and more domineering forearms. However, like so many dumbbell exercises, the tension doesn’t really kick in until the midpoint of each rep. Cable rope curls work the exact same muscles, but there is tension from the very start of each rep.
Steps:
Attach a rope handle to a low pulley machine. Hold one end of the rope in each hand and stand with your arms straight, core braced, and shoulders back and down.
Keeping your upper arms close to your sides, bend your elbows and curl your hands up to your shoulders. Keep your hands neutral, i.e., palms facing inward.
Extend your arms, pause, and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Biceps.
Secondary: Brachialis, brachioradialis.
Benefits:
A better exercise than dumbbell hammer curls.
A total biceps and forearm exercise.
More elbow-friendly than straight bar curls.
Tips:
Bend your knees slightly for balance and stability.
Keep your wrists straight throughout.
Do not use your legs or back to help you swing the weight up, as doing so takes tension away from the target muscles.
8b. Cable rope pushdown
Triceps pushdowns are one of the most popular triceps exercises around. However, while the straight bar version is relatively effective, using a rope handle makes it even more do. That’s because the neutral grip afforded by the rope handle increases triceps long-head engagement, which can add a lot to your upper arm size.
Steps:
Attach a rope handle to a high pulley. Grab one end in each hand and pull your upper arms down to your sides. Brace your core and set your shoulders down and back.
Extend your arms and press your hands down to the outside of your thighs. Spread your hands apart to maximize triceps engagement.
Bend your arms and repeat.
Muscles targeted:
Primary: Triceps.
Secondary: N/A.
Benefits:
Targets the all-important long head of the triceps.
Very elbow and wrist-friendly.
An excellent exercise to superset with cable rope curls.
Tips:
Bend your elbows as far as possible without moving your arms away from your sides. There is no need to stop at 90 degrees.
Keep your legs and torso stationary to avoid turning this into a decline chest press exercise.
Use a towel instead of a rope handle to increase forearm engagement, like this:
Upper Body Cable Workout FAQ
Do you have a question about this workout or cable training in general? No sweat because we’ve got the answers you seek!
1. Is this workout for beginner, intermediate, or advanced exercisers?
The great thing about strength training is that people with vastly different fitness levels can often do the same workout. Beginners can use lighter loads and do fewer sets, while more experienced exercisers can load up the weights and do more sets. However, the exercises can remain unchanged.
So, with that in mind, this workout is suitable for all levels, but it’s probably best for beginners and intermediates. More advanced exercisers may find that doing two exercises per body part is not enough volume to build muscle and get stronger.
2. Is this a cutting or bulking workout?
Cutting and bulking have more to do with your diet than your workout. Cutting involves reducing your food intake to create a calorie deficit. This forces your body to burn more fat for fuel so that you get leaner and more defined.
In contrast, bulking involves eating more and creating a calorie surplus. This gives you more energy for training and promotes muscle growth and weight gain.
Providing you train hard enough, it doesn’t matter that much what workout you follow for cutting and bulking. So long as your diet is dialed in, you should be successful.
There ARE bulking and cutting workouts you can follow, but in reality, it’s more a question of diet.
3. Why do higher reps for cable exercises?
Most cable exercises do not lend themselves to heavy weights and low reps. Because many of the exercises are performed standing, using big loads makes it much harder to maintain good posture and even remain on your feet.
Use a massive weight with, e.g., cable crossovers, and you’ll probably end up moving backward instead of pushing the weight forward.
Using moderate weights and medium to high reps provides the best opportunity to stimulate your muscles while using the best possible form. While this training approach won’t build your maximal strength, it can be effective for hypertrophy, provided you take each set within a couple of reps of failure (1).
4. Can I change any of the exercises?
Feel free to change the exercises providing you choose movements that work the same muscles. For example, doing cable skull crushers instead of cable rope pushdowns is OK, while doing cable reverse curls instead of cable crossovers is not.
Changing exercise is an excellent way to start learning how to write your own workouts, and that’s something every exerciser should be able to do.
5. How long should I follow this program?
Even the best workouts start to lose their potency after 6-8 weeks. Because of something called the repeated bout effect, your muscles get used to the exercises in your program and become less responsive to them.
Avoid training plateaus by changing your workout whenever you feel your progress starting to stall. But, don’t change your workout so often that it doesn’t get a chance to work, e.g., every other week.
However, you can prolong the life of a program by a) increasing the weights week by week, b) using different set and rep schemes, and c) making minor changes to things like the exercise selection and order.
That said, it would be a mistake to keep on doing the same workout once it’s stopped working, as all you’ll do is maintain your current fitness rather than increase it.
More Cable Exercises:
Closing Thoughts
Cable exercises are effective, functional, joint-friendly, and safe. And while there is nothing wrong with lifting heavy barbells and dumbbells, that doesn’t mean they’re the only way to build muscle and develop a high level of performance and conditioning.
If you are banged up or just bored of heavy bench presses and bent-over rows, give our upper-body cable workout a try. Do it 1-2 times a week for the next 6-8 weeks, and the results will speak for themselves.
References:
Lasevicius T, Ugrinowitsch C, Schoenfeld BJ, Roschel H, Tavares LD, De Souza EO, Laurentino G, Tricoli V. Effects of different intensities of resistance training with equated volume load on muscle strength and hypertrophy. Eur J Sport Sci. 2018 Jul;18(6):772-780. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2018.1450898. Epub 2018 Mar 22. PMID: 29564973. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29564973/
Full-Body Cable Workout for Functional Fitness
Most workouts have a few cable exercises to add variety and achieve optimal stimulus for muscle growth. However, most folks restrict the cable exercises to isolation lifts, such as the cable crossover and straight-arm lat pulldown. Although there is nothing wrong with these exercises, you’re selling yourself short by limiting your cable exercises to single-joint movements.
Cables are versatile training tools that can be used for various exercises to boost hypertrophy, strength, stability, and mobility. Using cable machines solely for achieving a muscle pump with one or two movements at the end of your workout is an inefficient way to use this versatile training tool.
What is Functional Fitness?
Before we get into cable exercises for improving your functionality, let’s take a minute to learn about functional fitness.
Functional exercises involve movements that can help improve your performance in daily activities. These are generally compound (multi-joint) exercises that target multiple muscle groups, such as the deadlift and overhead press.
Functional exercises help improve your strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, and endurance, boosting your performance in daily activities such as lifting, carrying, bending, and reaching.
Contrary to what most people think, you don’t always need barbells, dumbbells, or kettlebells for functional training. You could complete an effective full-body functional workout just with a cable machine.
In this article, we will go over the nine best cable exercises to improve your overall strength, stability, and mobility and program them into a short and effective workout. We will also discover the benefits of adding a full-body functional cable workout into your training regimen.
Total Body Cable Exercises For Improved Functional Fitness
Cable machines offer a versatile middle ground between the freedom of movement provided by free weights, such as barbells and dumbbells, and the fixed range of motion of traditional weight machines. Adding the following cable exercises to your exercise arsenal can help enhance your stability, mobility, and strength:
Cable Squat
The cable squat is an underutilized exercise in most training regimens. Using a cable machine ensures constant tension on your quads throughout the range of motion. Furthermore, since you’ll be performing this exercise using a rope attachment in the front rack position, it will also boost your core strength and balance.
Steps:
Attach a rope attachment to a cable pulley set at the lowest position.
Grab each end of the rope with a neutral (palms facing each other) grip. Hold your hands in front of your chest, like in a goblet squat.
Take a couple of steps back and assume a hip-width stance.
Push your hips back and down as low as possible. The weights should be engaged at the bottom position.
Explode back to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Focus on keeping your back upright throughout the range of motion. Leaning forward will put unnecessary strain on your lower back.
Check out our complete cable squat guide here!
Cable Reverse Lunge
The cable reverse lunge is an underrated lower body exercise that can take your wheel to the next level. Since this is a unilateral exercise, it will also help boost your stability and balance.
Steps:
Set the cable pulley at the lowest setting and hook up a rope attachment.
Grab the ropes with a neutral grip.
Turn around and take a big step forward. Assume a hip-width stance.
Your hands should be placed against your upper pecs.
Brace your core and glutes, and step back with your left foot.
Lower your rear knee until it touches the floor.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat on the right side.
Alternate between sides for the recommended reps.
Pro Tip: Performing the cable reverse lunge on one side before moving onto the other can help achieve a better muscle pump.
Cable Shoulder Press
The cable shoulder press is an excellent exercise for building big and round deltoids. We recommend using a functional trainer instead of a conventional cable machine for this exercise, as it puts you in a better position. This exercise will help improve your overall strength, stability, and overhead mobility.
Steps:
Adjust each end of the functional trainer at the lower setting and fix up a D-handle attachment.
Grab the handles in each hand with a pronated (palms facing forward) grip and assume a hip-width stance.
Your hands should be right over your shoulders at the starting position.
Press the handles overhead by extending your elbows.
Avoid locking out your elbows at the top, as it will remove the tension from your shoulders and put it on your triceps.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: Avoid using momentum in this exercise by jerking your knees and using your lower body.
Check out our complete cable shoulder press guide here!
Cable Split-Stance Chest Press
Performing the cable chest press while standing involves more muscles than the lying variation, as you need to use your core to stabilize your torso. You’ll also feel a lower body engagement when going heavy on this exercise. Plus, since this is a unilateral exercise, it will help you fix your strength and muscle imbalances.
Steps:
Set the cable pulley at chest height and attach a D-handle bar.
Grab the handle in your right hand with a pronated (palms facing the floor) grip and take a step forward.
Assume a staggered stance while maintaining a slight bend in your knees for better balance.
The handle should be at your chest level at the starting position.
Keeping your core stable, extend your arm so it is parallel to the floor.
Pause and contract your pec at the top.
Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.
Pro Tip: Folks that are short on time can also perform the bilateral variation of this exercise. However, the unilateral version involves the core to a greater degree.
Check out our complete cable chest press guide here!
Cable Deadlift
This is an excellent deadlift variation for beginners, as it helps you drill the movement while lowering your risk of injury. We recommend performing this exercise on a functional trainer. Stand on an elevated platform like an aerobic step to increase your range of motion.
Steps:
Adjust the arms of a functional trainer at the lowest setting and hook up D-handle bar attachments.
Place an aerobic step between the pulleys and stand on it with a hip-width stance.
Lower toward the floor by driving your hips back, bending your knees, and lowering your torso.
Grab the handle with a pronated grip.
Stand straight by driving through your entire feet and extending your knees.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Pro Tip: If you don’t have access to a functional trainer, you could perform a Romanian deadlift by attaching a straight bar to a cable pulley set at the lowest setting.
Check out our complete cable deadlift guide here!
Cable Seated Row
Rowing exercises are incredibly effective at improving your back thickness and density. Perform this lift while seated on the floor for better stability.
Steps:
Adjust the cable pulley to its lowest position and attach a V-handle bar.
Grab the handle with a neutral grip and take a step up.
Sit on the floor and plant your feet flat on either side of the pulley.
Your torso should be upright throughout the range of motion.
Pull the handle to your belly button while driving through your elbows.
Pause and contract your lats.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Pro Tip: Many lifters tend to round their backs during the eccentric (returning) motion. Doing this removes tension from your upper back and puts it on your lats.
Check out our complete cable seated row guide here!
Cable Triceps Pushdown
Although the cable triceps pushdown is an isolation exercise that trains the back of your upper arms, including triceps exercises in your functional workouts can help improve your pressing strength, which can boost your performance in movements like the shoulder overhead press and cable chest press. Plus, lifting heavy on this exercise (without compromising form) also result in core engagement.
Steps:
Set the cable pulley at the highest position and attach a straight handlebar.
Assume a hip-width stance and grab the bar with an overhand grip.
Bend forward slightly.
Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, extend your arms so they are perpendicular to the floor.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps.
Pro Tip: You could also perform a unilateral variation of this exercise by using D-handle bars for a better mind-muscle connection and core stimulation.
Check out our complete cable triceps pushdown guide here!
Cable Biceps Curl
This is another single-joint exercise that functions as an accessory movement that can improve your performance in pulling exercises like the cable row. Additionally, training your guns can significantly improve your overall physique aesthetics.
Steps:
Adjust a cable pulley machine to the lowest setting and attach a straight bar.
Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance and grab the bar with a shoulder-wide supinated (palms facing the ceiling) grip.
Keeping your elbows pinned to your sides, curl the bar to your shoulder level.
Pause and contract your guns at the top.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Rinse and repeat.
Pro Tip: Use a functional trainer to perform the unilateral variation of this exercise. It is the closest you can get to dumbbell curls using cables.
Check out our complete cable biceps curl guide here!
Cable Wood Chopper
Most lifters overlook transverse plane exercises. Transverse plane movements help build rotational and anti-rotational strength, improving overall stability and lowering your risk of injury.
Steps:
Set the cable pulley at waist height and attach a D-handle attachment.
Take a step away from the pulley and assume a shoulder-wide stance.
Your right side should be facing the pulley.
Turn to your side and grab the handle with your right hand using a neutral grip; wrap your left hand around your right hand.
Keeping your pelvis stable and arms extended, rotate your torso to the left side.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.
Pro Tip: The cable wood chopper is one of the best exercises to build core stability and balance. Set the pulley at the highest and lowest setting to train your midsection from different angles.
Check out our complete cable wood chopper guide here!
Cable Ab Crunch
This is the most popular cable ab exercise. Building a solid core improves your stability, which carries over to functional movements, such as the deadlift and overhead press.
Steps:
Set the cable pulley at the highest position and attach a rope handle.
Grab the ropes with a neutral grip and kneel on the floor under the pulley.
Your upper arms should be perpendicular to the floor at the starting position.
Pull your chest to your thighs while driving through your elbows and bringing them close to your knees.
Pause and contract your abs at the bottom.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat for reps.
Pro Tip: To engage your core optimally, exhale sharply as you lower the weight (concentric phase) and inhale during the lifting phase (eccentric motion).
Check out our complete cable crunch guide here!
Best Cable Workout For Functional Fitness
Above, we have covered a couple of exercises for each muscle group. You can pick one exercise for each muscle for your full-body cable workout. Further, feel free to change the reps and sets to alter your training volume and intensity as per your experience level and schedule. Here is the total body cable workout you must try in your next training session:
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Cable Deadlift
3-5
8-12
Cable Squat
3-5
8-12
Cable Shoulder Press
3-5
8-12
Cable Split-Stance Chest Press
3-5
8-12
Cable Biceps Curl
3-5
8-12
Cable Wood Chopper
3-5
8-12
Benefits of Full-Body Functional Fitness Cable Workout
Given below are the advantages of adding a full-body functional cable workout to your training regimen:
Improves Functionality
Folks that train to improve their overall health and physical performance should prioritize functional exercises. Adhering to the functional cable workout listed in this article will improve your overall strength, stability, and mobility, boosting your performance in daily activities.
Furthermore, the cable machine is a versatile training equipment. You can perform several variations of the same lifts by switching your grips, using different handles, or changing the height of the pulley.
Short Workouts
Cable workouts are generally shorter than free-weight workouts, making them a better fit for people running a tight schedule. Changing weights on a barbell back squat takes longer as you have to load and de-load weight plates. On the other hand, cable machines have a selectorized weight mechanism, meaning you can change the weight on the bar using a pin which only takes a few seconds.
Plus, since cable workouts are shorter, they help maintain a higher training intensity, which can result in greater calorie burning. You can also use advanced training principles like supersets and drop sets to turn up the heat.
Flexible Movement Trajectory
Unlike rigid machines, cable machines have a flexible movement path. You can adjust the pulley height to train your muscles from different angles, which is also not possible with free weights. For example, you cannot perform a split-stance chest press using dumbbells. The cable’s flexible movement path allows you to train your pectoral muscles while standing upright and extending your arms in front of your torso.
Most cable exercises have a short learning curve, making them beginner-friendly. Newbies can use the cables to establish a mind-muscle connection to achieve optimal target muscle stimulation.
Keeps Constant Tension on Muscles
This is the main USP of cables. Performing cable exercises help maintain constant tension on your muscles throughout the range of motion, which is not the case with most free-weight exercises.
If your typical training sessions mainly involve barbells and dumbbells, switching to full-body functional cable workouts can help introduce variety to your workouts, aiding in breaking through strength and muscle plateaus.
Reduces the Risk of Injury
Most cable exercises are low-impact movements that don’t overexert your joints. These lifts involve smooth concentric and eccentric motions, lowering your risk of injury during training. You must spend 5-10 minutes before a workout performing a mix of static and dynamic warm-up exercises to further reduce the odds of injury.
Wrapping Up
Lifters that want to build strength, stability, and mobility without overexerting their joints, tendons, bones, and ligaments should try the fully-body cable workout for functional fitness. The versatility of the cable machine allows you to mimic real-world movements, such as bending and lifting, pulling, and pushing, which can improve your performance in daily chores.
Integrating the workout in this article into your training regimen will add variety to your workouts, making your training sessions more interesting and helping you break through strength and muscle plateaus. Do the cable functional workout once weekly for 12 weeks, and the results will speak for themself. Best of luck!