Most gyms have some sort of cable apparatus available to its members and cables can be a great way of isolating large muscle groups (such as the chest, back, and shoulders) and really burning them out. Most mass-building free weight maneuvers require the recruitment of other secondary muscles to assist you in the movement, which takes some of the emphasis off of the targeted area. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as these free weight exercises will help you build strength and size, but to really etch in the detail, you’ll want to more accurately isolate the muscle group you’re working. Cables are a very effective way of doing this.
I use cables quite a bit in my workouts so I’m a big proponent of them. I typically put cable exercises at the end of my workout (although you can work them in anywhere you want) when I want to totally fry the target muscle or do a “burnout” set. The continuous tension, lighter weight, and higher reps that cable training typically employs will help you hit every last muscle fiber and really rip up your physique. Some of my favorite cable exercises are cable curls (biceps), tricep pressdowns (triceps), cable crossovers and pectoral flyes (chest), and lateral raises (delts). A couple of do’s and don’ts: Do use cables to isolate larger muscle groups and add detail and definition. Do use a relatively light weight that will allow you to perform a higher number of reps (around 12-20). Don’t use cables as a beginner to build up mass and strength. Stick to the compound movements like bench press, squats, rows, deadlifts, etc. Don’t lift too heavy when doing cable work. Typically, this will cause you to miss the point of cable training. A notable exception are exercises like lat pulldowns or cable rows, which are great mass-building back exercies and respond well to heavy weight training.
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