Building strength and muscle starts with establishing a solid fitness routine. Considering the fact that you naturally lose lean muscle mass as you age, performing strength training can boost and preserve your supply of muscle mass, along with enhancing your bone strength and improving your overall quality of life, the Mayo Clinic explains. Using a cable machine is a stellar habit to work into your resistance training, and we have just the exercises to do it.
Tiffany Hamlin, national director of group fitness for World Gym shares with us the five easiest cable machine exercises to build strength and muscle. Hamlin tells Eat This, Not That!, “It’s important to use proper form and start with a weight that is appropriate for your fitness level. As you build strength and muscle, you can gradually increase the weight to continue challenging yourself. Incorporate these cable machine exercises into your resistance training routine, and you’ll be on your way to building strength and muscle.”
So keep reading to learn all about Hamlin’s top-recommended cable machine exercises for strong, sculpted muscles. And next, don’t miss The Best Strength Training Workout for Stronger Muscles After 40.
Cable Bicep Curl
The cable bicep curl will activate your biceps. To set up, you’ll stand in front of a cable machine and take hold of the cable handle using an underhand grip. Make sure your elbows remain close to the sides of your body as you curl the weight all the way up to your shoulders. Then, gradually lower the weight down to the position you started in.
Cable Tricep Pushdown
Cable tricep pushdowns will target your triceps. To set up, Hamlin instructs, “[Attach] a straight bar to the cable machine and [stand] in front of it. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, and push the weight down toward your thighs, then slowly release it back to the starting position.”
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Cable Row
Cable rows will target your back. To set up, position yourself in front of the cable machine, and take hold of the handle using an overhand grip. Pull the weight to your chest, all while keeping your elbows close to each side of your body. Then, gradually release the weight to return to the position you started in.
Cable Fly
The cable fly will activate your chest. To set up, Hamlin instructs, “[Attach] a cable handle to each side of the cable machine and [stand] in front of it. Grasp the handles and bring them together in front of your chest, then slowly release them back to the starting position.”
Cable Chop
Last but not least, we’ll wrap things up with the cable chop, which will target your obliques. Position your body to the side of the cable machine, and, using both hands, take hold of the handle. Pull the weight down and then across your body before gradually releasing it to return to the starting position.
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Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is the Mind + Body Deputy Editor of Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and delivering compelling fitness, wellness, and self-care topics to readers. Read more about Alexa
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