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Gear Education

Can You Build Muscle With Cable Machines?

At Bells of Steel, we take building muscles seriously.

We realize that it can be challenging to gain muscle, particularly if you are just beginning your fitness adventure. You can, however, attain your fitness objectives if you have the correct equipment and information.

Using a cable machine is one of the best ways to gain muscle, so this article will explain how you can build muscle using a cable machine.

What Is A Cable Machine?

First things first, let’s chat about what a cable machine is and how it works.

A cable machine is a piece of exercise equipment that includes pulleys, cables, a weight stack, and your choice of attachment.

The weight stack provides resistance, and you can do various exercises using cables from different heights.

There are many various sizes and types of cable machines, and while they all work a bit differently, most versions let you do hundreds of exercises on a single machine.

Talk about a great use of floor space.

Why Would Someone Utilize a Cable Machine to Gain Muscle?

There are several advantages to using a cable machine to build muscle.

First, cable machines provide continuous tension across the whole range of motion, which free weights don’t do (step up your game, dumbbells!). This may aid in muscle growth.

Second, cable machines give you the option to easily change the angles of the exercise to focus on certain muscle areas. In order to do this with free weights, you tend to need additional equipment like a bench.

Finally, cable machines are highly versatile and can be used for hundreds of exercises. 

You can perform anything from compound movements to isolation exercises to make those show muscles pop.

How to Build Muscle with a Cable Machine

Make sure you warm up properly before using a cable machine.

To get your heart rate up and your blood flowing, start with some easy cardio. Next, engage your muscles by doing some dynamic stretches.

Personally, I recommend doing a couple of sets of the exact exercises you’ll be doing in your workout but at a lighter weight. This acts as a specific warm-up and gets you ready to perform at your highest potential for those exercises.

With your warm-up in the books, here are some of the best exercises to help you build muscle with a cable machine:

1. Chest Flies

Chest flies work your chest muscles.

Stand facing away from the cable machine with the handles at chest level. Grab a handle in each hand. Step one foot forward but keep your rear foot planted, so you’re in a lunge stance.

Keep your elbows slightly bent while bringing your hands together in front of your chest while contracting your chest muscles. 

Open your arms like you’re about to give your swolemate a post-PR hug to return to the starting position.

2. Cable Curls

cable curls

Cable curls work your biceps, so you can etch those perfect peaks.

Stand facing the cable machine with a multi-grip curl bar set as low as possible to the floor. Bend down and grab the attachment, and bring it to hip height. This places tension on the machine through the entire range of motion.

Keeping your elbows close to your body, bend your elbow to contract your biceps. Curl the attachment up to your shoulders. 

Reverse the process by lowering the bar to its initial position.

3. Cable Tricep Pushdowns

Cable tricep pushdowns work your triceps.

Stand facing the cable machine with the rope attachment at shoulder height. Grab the attachment with both hands and step back slightly. Keep your elbows close to your sides while pushing your hands down toward the floor.

With your elbows still tucked in close to your sides, reverse the motion under control to bring the rope back to the top.

Keep your grip firmly on the attachment at all times because if you let go, you’ll get clipped on the chin before you can build a set of horseshoe-sized triceps.

4. Cable Rows

seated rows

Cable rows work your back and biceps — row, row, row your boat.

Set a double d handle about a foot off the floor. Sit down with your legs straight, so that you’re a little less than the length of your legs to the cable machine. Reach forward to grab the attachment and hold it as you lean back into a straight sitting position.

When ready, pull your hands toward your belly button by reaching your elbows back. Once you make light contact against your body, slowly return the attachment back until your arms are straight. Repeat your desired number of reps.

When finished, return it back to the machine and flex those guns like you stole ’em.

Final Thoughts

Utilizing a cable machine is a fantastic way to build muscle.

As opposed to free weights, cable machines provide continuous tension throughout the whole range of motion and isolate muscle groups from various angles. They’re also highly versatile and can be used to perform hundreds of exercises.

We hope that this article has helped you get a thorough grasp of how using a cable machine can help you to gain muscle.

Well, what are you waiting for? Get to the gym and start pumping iron!

Bells of Steel USA Contact

Bells of Steel USA Showroom
6002 Corporate Way,
Indianapolis, IN 46278,
United States
Phone: 1 317-981-5586

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