Why are cable machines so great?
Free weights such as dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells and medicine balls are all amazing pieces of equipment to add extra resistance and build your strength, but the versatility of a cable machine is what makes it so unique.
You can quickly and easily change the resistance and the attachments, and there are SO many effective and fun exercises you can do to work your entire body.
A cable machine will put your muscles under constant tension throughout the movement, unlike exercises with free weights where there is often reduced resistance at the top or bottom of the movement. This constant tension is great for building your strength and helping you to achieve your fitness goals!
With the labelled weight stack, it`s super easy to track your improvements and progressively overload your muscles. Simply make a note of where the pin was for each exercise, and it won`t be long before you`re ready to increase the weight! You can also use the Sweat in-app weight tracking tool
Because most cable machine exercises are done in a standing position, it`s also a great way to build core strength and stability without needing to add any specific [ab exercises" to your routine.
A cable machine is generally very safe for all fitness levels, too, as you don`t have the risk of dropping the weight, you don`t have to bend over to pick the weight up, the movement is very controlled, and you can easily reduce the resistance if it`s too hard.
How do you use a cable machine?
With free weights, you select your preferred weight in the form of dumbbells, medicine balls, kettlebells or a barbell, and then lift it with your hands.
With a cable machine, you select your preferred weight by placing a pin in a stack of weights, and lift the stack using a cable pulley system, sort of like you`re lifting a bucket out of a well!
It`s easy to adjust the weight by pulling the pin in and out, with the top of the stack being the lightest weight and the bottom being the heaviest.
There will also be an adjustable pulley attached to a pole, which you can move up or down to suit your height and the exercise you`re doing. You might have it set high on the pole for overhead tricep extensions, in the middle for cable rows, and at the bottom for glute kickbacks.
For most machines, this can be adjusted by pulling a lever to release it, moving it to your preferred height, and then releasing the lever to lock it in place on the pole.
