Cable Machines - Single, Dual and Crossover

Choosing Cable Machines

Cable machines can sometimes be overlooked in commercial gyms simply because many people don’t know how to use them and they can be intimidating. But If you have the space and the budget then a cable machine is a great addition to any gym. Here we look at the benefits and what you should look for when buying one.

What Is A Cable Machine?

A cable machine, as the name suggests, uses cables through a pulley system to lift the weight plates. On one end of the cable is the handle and the other end is attached to a weight stack. In this way it provides resistance for your muscles to work against.

Some cable machines have two weight stacks, connected to two cables with two pulleys - a crossover machine. You stand in between those two cables and can pull the cables in almost any direction. 

Cable machine simply provide an alternative to free weights - allowing to perform some exercises more easily (think lat pulldown!).

Exercises On A Cable Machine

A cable machine will enable you to build muscle all over and with the right accessories you can create an all over body workout-with just the one machine.

Exercises most popularly used on a cable machine include; the cable crossover, which targets the upper body region, the bicep cable curl, the overhead cable curl which targets the upper arm, the cable flyes for the chest and, then the single arm cable rows and triceps pushdowns.

What Are The Benefits Of A Cable Machine?

Cable machines can take up space and cost money so what can they give you that you may not get with other equipment?

Constant Tension

The first thing we would suggest is that with a cable machine you will experience constant tension in the movement, by this we mean that that there is no point when your muscles can rest. This in turn means that the more your muscles are stressed then the more they will become stronger, which in turn should build your strength. This compares well with free weights when there will always be moments in the movement when you experience less resistance.

Versatility

We listed some of the exercises above but they were only a small part of what you can do on a cable machine. If you add in attachments the variety is even greater. And don’t forget that with a cable machine you can adjust the height, handle, weight and direction so you can repeat the same exercise but with different parameters.

Safety

It is worth noting that whilst nothing is ever 100% safe, a cable machine is safer than free weights. If you drop a free weight you can harm yourself, but with a cable machine if you suddenly let go it may not be great for the machine, but it won’t harm you. In addition many believe that cable machines are better for those new to weight training as there is not a direct load on your body, you will only support the weight when you pull or push on the handle to lift the weight stack. This means that a cable machine should cause less injury and strain than with free weights. A further point to make here is that if you work out alone then a home cable machine could be safer for you than working out with free weights.

Your Core Will Benefit

This assertion is based on the fact that many of the exercises completed on a cable machine are performed standing up where your core will have to constantly work to keep you balanced and steady. In fact your abs, lower back and obliques will be engaged in a lot of movements on a cable machine, far more then the muscle you are targeting.

Targets A Muscle From Many Angles

With free weights you can only really lift the weight up and down relying on gravity to make the weight heavy. With a cable machine you can adjust the pulley to adapt the angle, so you can pull or push in literally any direction.

What Are The Different Types Of Cable Machines?

Single Pulley Machines

Single pulley machines include machines you may have seen in a commercial gym like leg machines, arm machines and chest machines. They  are great for helping you isolate the muscle you want to work and they provide a very intense workout as  you have to apply the full weight of the force.

For the home, an example of the single pulley is the NOHrD SlimBeam cable machine, a good example of how cable machines don’t need to be huge on space. It can lift up to 75kg and can be affixed on the wall.

Double Pulley Cable Machine

Double pulley machines give you two pulleys to pull on the weights which for some people are easier to manage as the weight you are lifting is essentially halved. The big benefit of the dual pulley machines is the sheer volume of exercises that you can perform on them.

Many offer twin weight stacks of 2x100kg with adjustable height options so you really can work all your muscle groups on the one piece of equipment. A further benefit of these machines is that many will come with accessories that add even more options in to your training.

Cable Crossover Machines

You may have seen a cable crossover machine in your gym consisting of a steel frame that stretches overhead and features one weight stack on each side. You stand between the weight stacks holding the handles connected to the cables which then allow you to lift the weights. You will also see handlebars on top of the steel frame which allow you to do pull ups and chin ups.

The weight stacks supplied with the cross over can weigh around 150-200 kg in total. Due to its large shape you can perform a vast number of exercises. The most popular exercises performed on the crossover are the cable fly, the woodchopper, the cable forward lunge and split squat.

What To Consider When You Buy a Cable Machine

Price

The starting point before you purchase any piece of expensive gym equipment is to be clear what your budget is. We would always advise having a figure in mind so that you know you can afford it or repay monthly if you opt for a credit facility.

What Do You Want To Use It For?

You wont be able to select the right cable machine until you are clear what type of exercises you want to do. If you want the machine to target specific muscle groups you may be looking for a single pully machine, if space is an issue then you may be looking for a machine that fixes to the wall. For complete body workouts you should consider a dual pulley system.

How Important Are Accessories?

It is important to look at how flexible the machine you want to buy is with the use of accessories. Accessories will allow you to use the machine in many more ways so make sure you have that option. Some cable machines will also offer you some free attachments. Attachments worth looking out for include rope handle, straight bar and D shaped handles. If you are looking at cross or dual pulley look for a chin up.

How Much Weight Do You Want To Lift?

Different cable machines will offer you different weight options. Whilst there is no point buying a cable machine with weights you will never use you also don’t want to outgrow your machine. So do consider this before you buy.

Understand The ‘Weight Reduction Factor’

You will see this featured in many cable machine specs. But what does it mean? Essentially machines use pulleys to lift weights using cables, this means the weight stack will be reduced by a certain factor.

If you see a 2:1 factor mentioned it means that if you set the weight at 50kg in a dual pulley system the real weight at the handle is 25kg. Understanding this part of the spec is crucial in choosing a machine with the right weight you need to use.

Dimensions and Weight

Cable machines do take up a lot of space so do ensure you measure properly. And also don’t forget about the weight, particularly if your gym is not in the basement or ground floor. Cable cross machines can be huge. And don’t forget the height allowance when taking dimensions as the real advantage of the cable machine are allowing you to do moves like chin ups.

Durability

Always try to look for a solid steel frame in your cable machine. Check that legs have rubber feet for stability and to avoid your floor being damaged. Finally - always check the conditions and length of the warranty supplied with the machine - and don't forget to register it with the company/distributors.