If you are looking for pocket-friendly and easy-to-use gym equipment for your house then buy a cable machine. You can perform many types of cable machine leg workout with one machine. A cable machine leg workout provides proper circulation of body fluids and muscle strength. Cable Machine leg workout prioritizes putting the load on the legs that ultimately results in strength gaining.
Through this article, we will discuss everything about cable machine leg workout so that you can utilize it best at your home gym. We will also tell you the 10 most effective cable machine leg workout.
What Is a Cable Machine?
It is a workout instrument that allows you to perform various exercises with the help of handles and a cable pulley system. The pulley system is connected with different categories of weights.
You can connect the weight according to your choice with the exercise machine and perform different exercises like lunges, squats, deadlifts, etc. You can change the weight by plugging and pulling the pin into the weight stack. The leveling of pulleys takes place according to Weight.
There are two pulleys present on the cable crossover machine working independently. You can do a whole body workout with this machine or only a leg workout depending on your preference. A cable machine has many advantages for lower and upper body workouts. That is why it is considered one of the most effective workout machines.
Why Do Athletes Use Cable Machine for Leg Workout?
If someone desires to build thick, strong, and wide legs then they should start working on a cable machine. A cable machine leg workout provides fantastic strength to the legs. It also boosts your overall body energy and you can perform other exercises much more efficiently like squats or deadlifts.
With the help of different weights, angles, and attachments cable machine helps each and every muscle of the leg work perfectly. Make sure that you select the preferred exercises so that you can reach your particular fitness goal.
Never waste your time on random exercises rather select effective exercises such as the one that boosts strength, power, speed, muscle mass, and endurance. Athletes use cable machines so they don’t waste their time and effort. They select exercises that help them reach their bodybuilding goals.
Muscles That Are Affected by the Cable Machine
There are two parts of the legs, the upper and the lower leg. Legs consist of multiple muscles like extend, bend, adduct, abduct, flex, and rotate. These muscles help in the proper movement of your leg.
Although the cable machine works on all muscles the main focus is on hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and glutes. When you will know how these muscles are connected with each other and what is your function only then you can perfectly understand the proper functioning of cable machine leg workout.
- Glutes
Glutes muscles are present under the side of the pelvic bone and connected to the hip joint. They also attack the upper thigh muscle femur. It is a very powerful muscle that performs the function of hip extension.
- Hamstrings
These muscles are located behind the thighs. It is made up of three types of muscles Semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and femoris. Hamstrings originate from the ischium bone of the pelvis area.
- Quadriceps
The quadriceps muscle is located in the front of the thigh. It is made up of four types of muscles including rectus femoris, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and vastus intermedius.
- Calves
The lower leg consists of 10 types of muscles. However, calves muscle includes soleus and gastrocnemius.
Benefits of Using Cable Machine for Legs Workout.
Cable machine leg workout offers the most effective muscle workout for the legs. Following are the benefits of giving a machine for a leg workout.
- The cable machine provides a wide range of versatility because you can use different weights, gripping positions, angles, and body positioning.
- The cable machine works efficiently and provides a smooth controlled motion. The controlled movement of the cable machine helps in keeping the exercises in the right direction. It also utilises the time under tension.
- Cable machine exercise provides undisturbed stress on the leg muscles. Resulting in a massive pump that helps in muscle growth.
- In cable workout machines the weight is evenly distributed providing your neck muscles throughout the workout session.
- It is a very easy and useful workout machine to include in your daily exercise program.
10 Cable Machine Leg Workout
Following are the top 10 cable machine leg workouts that will help you in achieving strong leg muscles.
Cable Squad
Cable squads help in building the muscle mass of the legs. In this exercise with the help of a cable machine you perform squad while standing.
It is an amazing alternative to the barbell and even better than that because it distributes more evenly and puts a constant load on the leg muscles throughout the exercise.
How to Perform Cable Squad?
- Grip a cable rope and keep your body away from the cable machine to tighten the slack. You’re back should be straight and your core tight.
- Now bend your knees, keep your chest up, and move your hips back. Use your elbows for pulling the handles back.
- While performing the exercise make sure your back muscles are tight.
Tips to Remember
- Keep your chest up, head up, and back straight.
- Before performing cable squat, do a 10-minute warm-up.
Cable Deadlift
If you’re tired of doing classic barbell deadlift then cables deadlift is the perfect alternate. If you want to increase the mass of your legs then it is the perfect leg workout with a cable machine.
You can perform this exercise with the help of a dumbbell cable and barbell. A cable machine for deadlift provides control motion and uninterrupted tension to the muscles.
How to Perform Cables Dead Lift?
- Hold the pulleys on the cable machine. The attachments of the pulleys should be close to each other and at the lowest setting.
- Hold the cable with your hands. Lower your butt towards the ground while keeping the back straight. Contract back and butt muscles.
- By using glutes and hamstrings muscles raise the cable. Make sure you’re back straight, your legs are slightly bent, and your head upward.
- Keep pressing the cable till your body is erect and then lower the rope slowly and steadily.
Tips to Remember
- Your movement should be smooth and controlled without any jerks
- Do not leave your exercise halfway.
Cable Front Squad
Although the procedure of the simple Cable squad and the front squad are similar but give us different results in more muscle stability. It provides strength to your shoulder, back, and chest muscles.
How to Perform Cable Front Squad?
- Hold the ropes in front of the pulley. Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Start pulling the rope towards your chest.
- Hold the position and keep your backs and head straight.
- By bending your knees and hips perform a squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Move back to your original position and start again.
Tips to Remember
- Build up your stamina with less weight
- Your chest and elbows should be lifted.
Cable Chair Squad
It is also called a cable Narrow chair stand-up. This exercise puts a load on the quad’s muscles increasing its strength.
How to Perform Chair Squad?
- Stand in front of the cable machine and pull the rope towards your chest.
- Perform squad and hold yourself
- Then slowly get back to your starting point
Tips to Remember
- Keep your back straight and core tight.
- Keep your knees stiff and head up.
Cable Step Up
It is an amazing all-rounder exercise with help in strengthening the lower body including the glutes, calves, and hip flexors.
How to Perform Cable Step Up?
- Place a knee length box in front of you and stand with a hip-width stance
- Step forward and the pressure should be on your toes to bring your body upward
- Step under the top with the left leg and then step back using your opposite leg.
Tips to Remember
- Use your muscles to control your movement up for it and downward
- Your back should be in natural position and your upper body in an upright position.
Cable Front Lunges
This exercise is all about keeping a good balance. If you are facing a problem in maintaining balance, first you should practice the exercise without weights. Make sure that you’re forward leg should not extend the toes while bending. This can put excessive pressure on the knee joint and ultimately cause knee injury.
How to Perform Cable Front Lunges?
- Place the rope handle and the cable in the lowest position.
- Keep your back to a machine and hold a rope. Rope will be on your shoulder against your back.
- Step forward and bend your knees towards the ground.
- Make sure your back is straight.
- Now push your back towards the starting point and change your foot.
Tips to Remember
- Do not lose your grip and bend as low as possible.
- Your back and spine should be straight.
- Do not move your face or neck too much.
Cable Pull Through
This type of leg workout on cable machine helps in strengthening the thigh muscles.
How to Perform Pull Through?
- Hold the rope of the lightweight cable pulley and you’re back should be facing the machine.
- Step forward until the rope is fully stretched.
- Keep your legs back and arms straight.
- With a count of 2 squeeze your glutes.
- Inhale and get back to your original position slowly.
Tips to Remember
- All the movement should take place on your hip.
Cable Hip Extension
By kneeling cable hip extension you can strengthen your glutes and hamstrings muscles.
How to Perform Cable Hip Extension?
- Place a bench on the left of the cable machine.
- Attach an ankle cuff on the pulley and on your right ankle.
- Kneel down your one knee should be on the bench.
- Lift up your other leg as highest as possible.
- Squeeze your glutes, inhale and then slowly get back to your normal position
Tips to Remember
- You’re back should be straight and core tight
- Move slow and steady without jerky movements
Cable Leg Curl
Using a cable machine for Leg curl exercise is best when you do not have leg curl machine. This exercise increases muscle mass and strength of hamstring muscles.
How to Perform Cable Leg Curl?
- Stand next to the pulley machine.
- With both of your hands hold the support bar.
- Pull the cable attachment by flexing the knee.
- Now return to your original position.
Tips to Remember
- Carefully do not sway the hips.
- Maintain your body posture.
- Use lightweight dumbbells in the starting days.
Cable Kickback
This exercise increases body toning and stability.
How to Perform Cable Kickback?
- Hold the cable machine and lean forward
- Then move backward until glutes contract, hold for a second and then slowly return to your original position.
Tips to Remember
- You’re back should be straight.
Reverse Lunges
It stimulates your core, glutes, and hamstrings. It reduces pressure on your joints and provides balance. It is perfect for those who are unable to balance themselves or move their hips properly. It is also a good option for people with damaged knees.
How to Perform
- Hold the rope from the pulley with a straight posture.
- Bend one knee down, while stretching the other leg downwards to the floor.
- Push your weight through your heels down to the floor.
- Regain the original position and switch leg movements.
Tips to Remember
- Keep your back and neck straight.
- Do not twist your waist
- Always maintain a stretched-out arm position.
Goblet Squat
It is a superset exercise. It relocates weight from your upper body to your legs. It affects your glutes, hamstrings, and quads.
How to Perform
- Hold the double D attachment as it keeps your elbow in place.
- With your fists holding the attachments, branch out your elbows.
- Keeping your back straight, bend down on both knees to perform a squat.
- Rise back up.
Tips to Remember
- Keep your shoulder back
- Put effort into reducing the cable’s stress.
Romanian Deadlift
It strengthens posterior chain muscles like erector spinae, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and adductors. It is beneficial for both the core and lower body.
How to Perform
- Open your feet a bit wider than your shoulders in a standing position.
- Hold the handles of the pulley rope
- Pull upwards, pushing your hips back and forth with every motion.
Tips to Remember
- Keep your back flat throughout.
- Do not bend your knees.
- Keep your feet pinned to the floor to avoid falling.
Elevated Split Squat
It is good for parallel muscle build-up and tenses your glutes in intervals, allowing one leg to rest while the other pumps up.
How to Perform
- Stack some weight plates on top of each other at a distance of approximately 1.5 feet from the cable machine.
- Adjust the cable attachment to the level of your hips or slightly lower than that.
- Place one foot on the stacked plates and the other behind, with toes keeping you pinned, heel elevated.
- Now bend the leg behind down, touching your knee down into a split squad.
Tips to Remember
- Remember to start with your non-dominant leg.
- When switching sides, be very careful that the leg placements on both sides should be mirrored.
- Exert force against the cable.
Single Leg Calf Raise
This is a relatively lighter exercise and gives the body some time to relax and take some rest while keeping up with the flow during intense cable workouts. It targets your calves.
How to Perform
- Stack two weight plates on top of each other on the floor.
- Hold the cable attachment with one hand and put the same side foot on top of the stacked weights.
- Fix your toes on the raised platform and rise yourself up, your heel hovering.
- Keep your other leg bent loosely.
Tips to Remember
- Remember to start with your non-dominant leg.
- When raising yourself up, aim to push your heel forwards instead of upwards.
Cable Sumo Squat
It is another superset exercise that makes use of the attachment feature in the cable machine.
How to Perform
- Grip both attachments and step backward, moving away from the cable machine.
- Widen your legs, slightly bending your knees, fixating your position on the floor.
- Bend down into squats keeping your back straight, knees bending.
Tips to Remember
- Place your feet in such a position that they are turning outwards
- Your knees should follow the direction of your toes when performing squats.
- Push the weight of your body down to the floor using your heels as a channel.
- Make sure your movements are not too quick.
Final Words
Cable machine leg workouts are very effective for the muscles, thighs, glutes, and legs. If you are a beginner you should start with less weight. Slowly your body will adjust to the exercises. Make sure you’ve performed exercise on regular basis.
