Cable Leg Exercises
The cable stack is not where you build the biggest legs, but it covers three jobs the rest of the gym does badly. Pull throughs and standing hip extensions load hip extension with the resistance pulling horizontally, so the glutes work hardest at lockout rather than at the bottom. Standing calf raises off a stack keep tension through the full stretch without a dedicated machine. And hip adduction is a movement almost nothing else in a free-weight gym can load at all.
Why train leg with cable
- Pull throughs load the glutes hardest exactly at lockout
- Hip adduction is nearly impossible to train without a cable
- Calf raises get constant tension through the stretch with no machine
- Assisted inverse leg curls make the hardest hamstring move trainable
All 7 cable leg exercises
Every guide below includes an animated GIF demonstration, numbered form cues, the muscle it targets, and sets and reps for strength, hypertrophy, and endurance.
Cable Assisted Inverse Leg CurlHamstrings · Cable · Advanced
Cable Pull Through (with Rope)Glutes · Cable · Beginner
Cable DeadliftGlutes · Cable · Intermediate
Cable Standing Hip ExtensionGlutes · Cable · Advanced
Cable Standing Calf RaiseCalves · Cable · Beginner
Cable Standing One Leg Calf RaiseCalves · Cable · Intermediate
Cable Hip AdductionAdductors · Cable · Intermediate
Cable Leg Training FAQ
What is a cable pull through and what does it train?
You face away from a low pulley, straddle the cable with a rope between your legs, hinge at the hips, and drive them forward to stand up. It is a hip hinge with horizontal resistance, so the glutes take the load at the top of the rep where a Romanian deadlift is already easy. It is also one of the safest ways to teach the hinge pattern.
Are cable exercises enough for legs?
Not on their own. Cables are excellent accessories for glutes, calves, and the adductors, but the stack limits how heavy you can go on the patterns that build quads and hamstrings most. Build the session around squats, presses, or hinges and use cable work to fill the gaps those leave.
How do I train adductors safely?
Set an ankle strap on a low pulley, stand side-on with the working leg furthest from the stack, and pull that leg across the midline under control. Start light, keep the knee soft, and stop short of the range where you feel a sharp pull in the groin. Twelve to twenty reps suits this muscle.