The 15 best cable machine exercises are cable flys and the cable chest press for your chest, lat pulldowns and cable rows for your back, face pulls and cable lateral raises for your shoulders, biceps curls and triceps pushdowns for your arms, and cable crunches and the Pallof press for your core. The cable machine is the most versatile piece of strength equipment there is - with a single system, you can train every muscle from every angle.
The cable machine has one key advantage over free weights: You can change the angle of pull in seconds. As one personal trainer puts it: "Free weights create a force that points straight down to the floor. If you want a different angle to hit a different body part, you have to maneuver your body around that force. With a cable machine, you just slide the handle higher or lower."
The following table gives you an overview of the 15 best cable machine exercises before we go through them in detail.
The 15 best cable machine exercises at a glance
| Exercise | Target muscles | Cable position | Sets × reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cable flys (standing) | Chest | Both towers, mid height | 3 × 10–15 |
| 2. Cable chest press | Chest, triceps | Mid height | 3 × 10–12 |
| 3. Lat pulldown | Back (lats) | High | 3–4 × 10–12 |
| 4. Seated cable row | Back, biceps | Low | 3–4 × 10–12 |
| 5. Cable pullover | Back (lats) | High | 3 × 12–15 |
| 6. Standing single-arm row | Back, biceps | Low | 3 × 10–12 per side |
| 7. Face pulls | Rear delts, rotator cuff | High | 3 × 12–15 |
| 8. Cable lateral raises | Side delts | Low | 3 × 12–15 |
| 9. Cable overhead press | Shoulders, triceps | Low | 3 × 10–12 |
| 10. Reverse fly | Upper back | Mid height | 3 × 12–15 |
| 11. Biceps curls (bar or rope) | Biceps | Low | 3 × 10–15 |
| 12. Triceps pushdowns | Triceps | High | 3 × 10–15 |
| 13. Overhead triceps extensions | Triceps | Low | 3 × 10–12 |
| 14. Cable crunches | Abs | High | 3 × 12–15 |
| 15. Pallof press | Core (anti-rotation) | Mid height | 3 × 8–10 per side |
Chest: The best cable machine exercises
1. Cable flys (standing)
Cable flys are probably the most popular cable exercise for the chest. Unlike dumbbell flys, the tension stays constant through the entire range of motion - there's no dead spot.
How to: Stand in the middle between both towers, grab the handles and bring your arms together in a wide arc in front of your chest. Keep your elbows slightly bent. Hold the squeeze briefly and open your arms under control.
Variations: Depending on the angle, you'll target different areas: a high cable position hits the middle and lower chest, a low cable position the upper chest.
2. Cable chest press
The cable chest press is a joint-friendly alternative to the barbell bench press. The movement is guided and the risk of injury is lower - ideal for beginners.
How to: Set the cables to chest height. Grab the handles, press them forward until your arms are almost fully extended, then bring them back under control. Keep your upper body stable - think "chest up, ribs down."
ATLETICA tip: With 49 angle combinations per side, the R8 Bradley EXO lets you do cable flys and chest presses from almost any angle you can think of.
Back: The best cable machine exercises
3. Lat pulldown
The lat pulldown is the classic exercise for your lats. With a cable machine, you can set the angle precisely - from wide to neutral to close grip.
How to: Sit down, grab the bar with an overhand grip and pull it to your upper chest. Your elbows point down and your upper body stays upright. Squeeze your shoulder blades together before you move your arms.
ATLETICA recommendation: The R8 BlackHawk features an integrated lat pulldown with a 95 kg weight stack - ideal for heavy back training. The R7 EVO Fighter is available with an optional lat pulldown and low row station.
4. Seated cable row
The seated cable row works your mid-back, rhomboids and biceps. It's one of the best exercises for upright posture and a strong back.
How to: Sit on the bench with your feet on the platform. Grab the handle with your arms extended, pull it to your stomach and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Let your arms return forward under control.
5. Cable pullover
The cable pullover isolates your lats better than almost any other exercise. It works great as a finisher or as a warm-up before heavy back training.
How to: Stand sideways to the cable machine and grab the bar with your arms extended. Pull the bar down in an arc until your arms are by your sides. Keep your elbows slightly bent.
6. Standing single-arm row
This exercise is ideal for correcting muscle imbalances between your left and right sides. It works your back and biceps one side at a time.
How to: Stand sideways to the cable machine and grab the single handle. Drive your elbow back until your hand reaches your stomach. Keep your upper body stable.
Shoulders: The best cable machine exercises
7. Face pulls
Face pulls are one of the most important exercises for shoulder health. They work your rear delts, rotator cuff and upper back - muscles most people neglect.
How to: Set the cable to eye level and attach a rope. Pull the rope toward your face with your elbows flared out. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold briefly.
Why it's essential: Face pulls are the best exercise for preventing shoulder problems. Your training plan should include at least one pulling exercise for every pushing exercise.
8. Cable lateral raises
Cable lateral raises beat dumbbell lateral raises because the tension stays constant through the entire range of motion. In particular, the top of the movement - where dumbbells lose tension - is fully loaded on a cable machine.
How to: Stand sideways to the cable machine and grab the handle with the hand farther from the cable. Raise your arm out to the side up to shoulder height.
9. Cable overhead press
The cable overhead press is a joint-friendly alternative to the free-weight overhead press. The movement is guided and the resistance is even.
How to: Set the cables to the lowest position and grab the handles. Press them overhead until your arms are almost fully extended.
10. Reverse fly
The cable reverse fly works your upper back and rear delts - ideal as a counterbalance to chest exercises.
How to: Stand in the middle between both towers and grab the handles with your arms crossed. Pull your arms back until they're at shoulder height.
Arms: The best cable machine exercises
11. Cable biceps curls
Cable biceps curls have one key advantage: The tension stays constant through the entire range of motion. With dumbbell curls, the tension drops off at the bottom - not on a cable machine.
How to: Set the cable to the lowest position and attach a straight bar or a rope. Curl the bar to your shoulders, hold briefly and lower under control.
Variation: Using the rope puts more emphasis on the long head of the biceps.
12. Triceps pushdowns
Triceps pushdowns are the classic cable exercise for your triceps. They're easy to learn, joint-friendly and effective.
How to: Set the cable to the highest position and attach a rope. Push the rope down until your arms are fully extended. Keep your elbows at your sides.
13. Overhead triceps extensions
Cable overhead extensions work the long head of the triceps, which gets less activation during pushdowns. The stretch at the bottom is a powerful growth stimulus.
How to: Set the cable to the lowest position and grab the rope behind your head. Extend your arms overhead.
Core: The best cable machine exercises
14. Cable crunches
Cable crunches are one of the most effective exercises for your abs. Unlike floor crunches, you can increase the weight progressively.
How to: Kneel in front of the cable machine and attach a rope at the highest position. Hold the rope beside your head and crunch down until your elbows touch your knees.
15. Pallof press
The Pallof press is an anti-rotation exercise that trains your deep core muscles. It's especially valuable for back health and athletic performance.
How to: Stand sideways to the cable set at chest height. Press the handle straight out in front of you without letting your upper body rotate. Hold briefly and bring it back.
ATLETICA tip: The Pallof press is one of the best exercises for runners, combat athletes and anyone who wants to improve their core stability.
Which cable attachments and accessories do you need?
How versatile your cable machine is depends on the attachments you have. For the 15 exercises in this article, you basically need four essentials:
| Accessory | Use | ATLETICA product |
|---|---|---|
| Wide lat bar | Lat pulldowns, pullovers | Multi Grip Handles |
| V-handle / parallel grip | Rows, close-grip pulldowns | Multihook Bar |
| Triceps rope | Pushdowns, face pulls, crunches | ATLETICA Triceps Rope |
| Single handles | Single-arm rows, lateral raises | ATLETICA Single Handles |
ATLETICA offers an Arms Set with a triceps rope, EZ curl bar and single handles made specifically for cable stations. The set covers all the essential arm and shoulder exercises.
Cable machine vs. free weights: When to use which?
| Criterion | Cable machine | Free weights |
|---|---|---|
| Tension through the range of motion | Constant | Variable (dead spot) |
| Freedom of movement | Guided, but with adjustable angles | Completely free |
| Injury risk | Low | Higher |
| Learning curve | Low | Medium to high |
| Room for progression | Limited by the weight stack | Almost unlimited |
| Isolating individual muscles | Very good | Good |
| Functional training | Very good (multidirectional) | Very good |
The honest answer: The cable machine is the perfect complement to free weights - not a replacement. If you want to build maximum strength and muscle mass, you need both: a barbell and dumbbells for heavy compound lifts, and a cable machine for isolation, constant tension and joint-friendly training.
Frequently asked questions
What's the advantage of cable exercises over free weights?
The key advantage is constant tension through the entire range of motion. With free weights, there are biomechanical "dead spots" where the tension drops off. On a cable machine, the resistance stays even - which increases muscle activation and time under tension. On top of that, you can change the angle of pull in seconds to target different areas of a muscle.
What's the best cable exercise for your back?
The lat pulldown and the seated cable row are the two most important cable exercises for your back. The lat pulldown works your lats and back width, while the cable row builds thickness and your mid-back. For complete back development, include both in your plan.
Can I build muscle with cable exercises?
Yes. Cable exercises are just as effective for building muscle as free weights, as long as intensity and progression are right. Studies show that muscle activation during cable exercises is comparable to free weights - with a lower risk of injury.
How many cable exercises should I do per workout?
For balanced training, 2–4 cable exercises per session are enough. Combine them with compound lifts using a barbell or dumbbells. A typical full-body workout could look like this: squats (barbell), bench press (dumbbells), lat pulldown (cable), face pulls (cable), cable crunches (cable).
What's the best cable exercise for your chest?
Cable flys are the best cable exercise for your chest because they keep your pecs under tension through the entire range of motion. Add the cable chest press for a more compound-focused load.
Do I need special equipment for cable exercises?
You need a cable machine or a power rack with a cable attachment. With the R8 series, ATLETICA offers several options: the R8 Bradley EXO with 49 angle combinations, the R8 BlackHawk with integrated lat pulldown or the R7 EVO Fighter with an optional lat pulldown and low row station. For attachments, a triceps rope, a lat bar and a pair of single handles are all you need.
Are cable exercises good for beginners?
Yes, they're actually a great fit. The guided movement reduces the risk of injury, and you can start with light weights. The learning curve is much lower than with free weights. ATLETICA's top pick for beginners is the R7 EVO Fighter, because its Smith machine and cable pulleys allow safe, guided training.
Bottom line: The cable machine is the Swiss Army knife of strength training
The 15 exercises in this article show that the cable machine covers every muscle, every angle and every training goal. Whether you're training chest, back, shoulders, arms or core - the cable machine is the most versatile station in your home gym.
The three key takeaways:
- Constant tension beats variable tension. Cable exercises keep your muscles under tension through the entire range of motion - which increases muscle activation and time under tension.
- Four attachments cover 15 exercises. With a lat bar, a V-handle, a triceps rope and a pair of single handles, you can do every exercise in this article.
- The cable machine complements free weights - it doesn't replace them. The best combination is a power rack with a cable attachment: heavy compound lifts with the barbell, isolation and functional training on the cables.
Next step: Check whether your current setup includes a cable machine. If it doesn't, the ATLETICA R8 series offers several options - from the R8 BlackHawk with integrated lat pulldown starting at €1,359 to the R8 Bradley EXO with 49 angle combinations starting at €2,289. Book a free 1-on-1 consultation to find the right cable solution for your space and your training goal.
