FitFocus

Cable Exercises

A cable stack keeps tension on the muscle for the whole rep, including the positions where a dumbbell goes weightless. Because you set the pulley height and stand where you like, you can attack a muscle from angles free weights cannot reach: crossovers from above, pushdowns from a high pulley, low rows and front raises from the floor. That makes cables the best tool on the floor for isolation and for the stretched end of a movement.

Why train with cable

  • Constant tension through the full rep, including lockout and stretch
  • Any pulley height and body angle for lines free weights cannot copy
  • Small load jumps make progressive overload easy on small muscles
  • Joint-friendly enough to train hard when heavy pressing is off the table

Cable exercises by muscle group

All 27 cable exercises

27 free cable exercises covering chest, back, shoulders, arms, core. Open any guide for an animated GIF demonstration, numbered form cues, and sets and reps by training goal.

Browse other equipment