Cable Machine Workouts: Exercises Can Develop the Body Fully and Safely

[Nelson Vergel]

Hello, I’m Nelson Vergel, and I'm here to talk to you about a therapy that has more than 15 to 20 benefits, surpassing almost any other therapy in the world. Unfortunately, we can’t get it in a pill, but it is available to everyone, even though many people don’t actually engage in it. This therapy can help decrease body fat, increase muscle mass, boost energy levels, enhance bone density, lower cholesterol, improve blood sugar levels, uplift mood, and much more.

0:42
This therapy is exercise. Unfortunately, most people in the United States are not exercising. Exercise not only helps you look and feel good but also plays a critical role in healthy aging, helping to prevent frailty and many age-related issues. Let’s discuss different types of exercise.
The first type is cardiovascular or aerobic exercise. "Aerobic" means "oxygen," and these exercises bring more oxygen into your bloodstream by raising your heart rate. Examples include activities like dancing, brisk walking, running, and jogging. If you're new to exercise, start with something simple like a daily 20- to 30-minute walk around your neighborhood or walking your dog more often. If you’re more experienced, consider low-impact machines like an elliptical trainer at the gym. Aim for 30 to 40 minutes of exercise three to four times a week, ensuring that you're sweating, burning calories, and boosting your metabolism.
02:24
Next is progressive resistance or weight training. This involves lifting weights, whether it's your body weight (like in push-ups), free weights, or resistance bands. You can perform many of these exercises at home or at the gym. Some people prefer a structured gym environment, like I do. For those intimidated by gyms, I recommend preparing by resting, having a small pre-workout snack with complex carbs and protein, such as peanut butter with an apple, or a banana with nuts.
03:27
Some people use energy boosters, but be cautious as they can raise blood pressure. I prefer coffee as a pre-workout stimulant. Once at the gym, focus on compound exercises targeting major muscle groups, like a bench press, which works the chest, shoulders, and arms all at once. Many like to warm up briefly on a treadmill or elliptical for five to ten minutes. In my opinion, it's best to do cardio after weight training to maximize energy for lifting.
04:31
To gain muscle, set weights to a level that allows for about 8 to 12 reps, reaching what’s called "momentary muscular failure" by the last rep. This means you should barely be able to complete the final rep, as muscle growth mainly occurs in those last few challenging reps. Typically, three sets per body part, three to four times weekly, is effective. Always warm up lightly before your heavy sets, and remember that "heavy" is relative—whether it's 10 pounds or 100 pounds, it’s about what brings you to that muscular failure.
05:44
If you don’t have access to a gym, you can do exercises like crunches, push-ups, or squats at home. But form is crucial, so be sure to use the full range of motion in each exercise. Exercise should be like a form of meditation, where your focus is entirely on the movement. Visualize the muscle contracting, and go through each motion with intent.
07:21
Safety is essential. Many people start training intensely and then injure themselves. Begin conservatively with lighter weights until you’re comfortable. Poor form leads to injury, so focus on maintaining a stable position with shoulder blades drawn back, even while sitting or standing, and keep good posture.
Overtraining is also a concern. It can make you feel fatigued and even impact your immune system negatively, lowering testosterone and raising cortisol. Three to four one-hour sessions per week are usually sufficient. If you feel overly tired after a workout, you may be overtraining.
08:51
As I mentioned, have a pre-workout snack, and within 20 minutes post-workout, eat something to replenish nutrients. A tuna sandwich, chicken salad, or even a protein shake works well. If you tolerate dairy, whey protein can be an option.
You can find more detailed information in my books Built to Survive, Testosterone:A Man's Guide, and Shortcut to Shape, or on my website, NelsonVergel.com. Stay tuned for more videos where I’ll provide advice on nutrition, supplements, and exercise. Thank you for joining me, and I’ll see you in the next one!




Some of you know that I prefer cables due to my low back and right hand issues.
Here are a few good cable exercises (short GIF included)



Instructions. Preparation. Grasp cable bar with shoulder width or slightly narrower overhand grip. Stand close to pulley. Execution. Pull bar to neck with elbows ...


Cable Kneeling Crunch - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Kneel below high pulley. Grasp cable rope attachment with both hands. Place wrists against head. Position hips back and flex hips, ...


Cable Shoulder Press - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Sit on seat and grasp stirrups from low to medium low position from each side. Position stirrups to each side of shoulders with elbows ...


Cable Lateral Raise - ExRx.net



Instructions. Preparation. With low pulleys to each side, grasp left stirrup with right hand and right stirrup with left hand. Stand upright. Execution. With elbows ...


Cable Straight Back Seated Row - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Sit slightly forward on bench with feet on foot bar or vertical platform. Grasp close grip cable attachment. Straighten torso upright and ...


Cable Reverse Fly - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Stand facing twin pulley cables positioned close together and approximately shoulder height. Grasp stirrup cable attachment in each ...


Cable Side Bend - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. With side to low pulley, grasp stirrup attachment with near arm. Stand with arm straight. Execution. Pull stirrup by bending sideways ...


Cable Lying Row - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Straddle head of bench and grasp stirrups on two high pulley cables. Lie on bench with stirrups in each hand and arms extended ...


Cable One Arm Lateral Raise - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Grasp stirrup cable attachment. Stand facing with side of resting arm toward low pulley. Grasp ballet bar if available. Execution.


Cable Lying Fly - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Grasp two opposing low pulley stirrup attachments. Lie supine on bench, in middle and perpendicular to both pulleys. Slightly bend ...

Cable Standing Fly - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Grasp two opposing high pulley dumbbell attachments. Stand with pulleys to each side. Bend over slightly by flexing hips and knees.


Cable Seated Row - ExRx.net



Instructions. Preparation. Sit slightly forward on seat or bench in order to grasp cable attachment. Place feet on vertical platform. Slide hips back positioning ...


Cable Twist - ExRx.ne



Grasp stirrup from shoulder height cable pulley with both hands. Step and turn lower body away from pulley until near arm is horizontal and straight. Position feet ...


Cable Hip Abduction - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Stand in front of low pulley facing to one side. Attach cable cuff to far ankle. Step out away from stack and grasp ballet bar. Stand on ...


Cable Standing Chest Press - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Stand between two shoulder height pulleys, facing away from cable columns. Grasp cable stirrups from each side. Position stirrups to ...


Cable Shrug - ExRx.net



Stand facing low pulley and grasp cable bar with shoulder width or slightly wider overhand grip. Stand close to pulley. Execution. With arms straight, elevate ...


Cable Pushdown - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Face high pulley and grasp cable attachment with narrow overhand grip. Position elbows to side. Execution. Extend arms down. Return ...


Cable Standing Shoulder External Rotation - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Stand with side to elbow height cable pulley. Grasp stirrup attachment with far arm. Position elbow against side and forearm across ...


Cable Seated Fly - ExRx.net



Instructions. Preparation. Sit on seat and grasp stirrups to each side. Slightly bend elbows and internally rotate shoulders so elbows are back. Execution.


Cable Seated Shoulder Internal Rotation - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Sit with side to low pulley. Grasp cable stirrup with near arm. Position elbow against side with elbow bent approximately 90°. Execution.

Cable Squat - ExRx.net


Stand with feet shoulder width or slightly wider on platform between very low and close pulley cables. Squat down with knees slightly beyond foot and shoulder ...


Cable Supine Curl - ExRx.net



Exercise prescription


Instructions. Preparation. Sit on floor with feet or heels against pulley machine. Grasp low pulley cable bar with shoulder width underhand grip. Lie back on floor ...


Cable Step-up - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Stand behind elevated platform and low and close pulley cables to sides. Grasp stirrups at each side of platform. Stand upright with ...


Cable Hammer Curl - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Grasp cable rope with palms facing inward. Stand upright with arms straight down to sides. Execution. With elbows to side, raise rope ...


Cable One Arm Front Raise - ExRx.net



Instructions. Preparation. Grasp stirrup attachment. Stand away from pulley slightly with arm back somewhat at side and elbow straight or slightly bent. Execution.


Cable Lying Triceps Extension - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Lie on bench and grasp bar with narrow overhand grip. With arms extended, position bar over forehead. Execution. Lower bar by ...


Cable Preacher Curl - ExRx.net


Instructions. Preparation. Sit on preacher bench placing back of arms on pad. Grasp cable bar with shoulder width underhand grip. Execution. Raise

 

[Vettester Chris]

Yeah, I am doing more & more cable related exercises as time goes. That and Kettle Bell has become part of the routine. Thanks for posting this up, Nelson!!

 

[Nelson Vergel]

I mostly use cable exercises after my back and hand surgeries and I stay pumped.




The "old guy" workout :)

 

[DragonBits]

I have an exercise I created using a Freemotion Dual Cable EXT Crossover with Weight Stack machine. They have these in the health club.

I hurt my knees by doing excess stair climbing, going for 40 min and 120 flights of stairs for several month 3-4 times a week. After some point in time, by knees started hurting. They hurt even going up a few stairs at home.

The exercise that seems the best to counteract this problem was using the dual free arm crossover cable machine.

I lower on arm nearly to the floor and put the other arm at waist height. I use the higher arm to steady myself. Then slip the handle of the lower arm over the toes of one foot, and do a leg extension while holding onto the other arm.

It'a a lot like a traditional leg extension using a machine, but the machine still hurt my knee while the cable didn't.

What was important, doing a few sets of these exercises increasing the weights as I do along, relieved the pain even after the exercise and seems to improve all aspects of this problem.

I think the excessive stair climbing maybe pulled my knee cap out of alignment by over strengthen some quad muscles as the expense of other muscles. Or perhaps irritated some tendons, kind like tennis elbow. Or even more likely, some sort of Iliotibial Band tightness. Not at all sure what was the problem, it really hurt if I tried to do lunges or seated stair presses, and even legs extensions with a light weight hurt.


It’s pretty much going away now, I am going to introduce some running to see if it helps, hurts or is neutral. Bike riding seems to help, but not as much as the cable machine.

Just though it might help someone with knee problems to figure out an exercise that helps.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

I have not used free weights in 10 years since my back surgery and then after my hand surgery. I am happy that the cable machine has been my salvation since I have not lost size at all.

I am glad you have found a way to get around your knee injury. Most guys just give up and stop.

 

[DragonBits]

I have not used free weights in 10 years since my back surgery and then after my hand surgery. I am happy that the cable machine has been my salvation since I have not lost size at all.

I am glad you have found a way to get around your knee injury. Most guys just give up and stop.

I had been getting various aches and pains related to tendons / ligaments now for the last couple of years. I was hoping my low estrogen / testosterone was the main cause, but I am getting older so who knows?

In the past I pretty much never got that sort of problem.

I am not even sure I would elevate my knee pain to an actual injury, some sort of patellofemoral pain syndrome, IT band tightness, combination of the two, hard for me to tell. The only thing I know for sure was that I caused it by excessive stair climbing.

I am pretty sure the IT band was getting way too tight, I could feel a little pain if I kick back one leg while standing. Massage on that part of my leg hurt.

I tried form rollers and various stretches, it helped a little, but the cable exercise seemed to somehow counteract the problem.

I had been getting some plantar fasciitis in my left foot when running / walking, I used some old bicycle inner tubes to build up a custom orthotic by cutting them into small pieces and gluing them into a small pyramid. That seems to solve that problem.

Then my bike seat was a little high, which I believe caused pain like a groin pull, which I went to therapy for. That went away after a while, I still do the stretches they recommended during therapy.

I got some sort of tennis elbow type problem from using the elliptical machine at the gym, I believe i was pushing too hard on the bars when using the machine, if I go back I try and have a gentle hold on the moving arm, or use a machine with a fixed arm so I am not tempted to use my arm to aid my legs.

I still use free weights, but mostly for bench press, some curls. I used to do squats, but the bar tends to hurt my upper back. I might get a Manta Ray Type - Barbell Squat Pad, I think that would help a lot if I want to do squats.

But I read about people that have much more serious problems, so I am grateful that my problems are minor in comparison.

 

[blackebob2]

I have switched to almost entirely resistance bands. I am finding that they can kick your butt even better then than free weights. I do sit to squats with heavy resistance band criss-crossed across chest like bandoliers. I have set up my garage entirely for resistance band exercises with various attachments on the walls and the door.
Now if only I could get someone to email me the password reset so I could use my original member name BlackEBob, all would be well

 

[Tommy Wall]

I´m on a trip almost for a month by now and been doing the workout with resistance bands and to my surprice I get more muscle and tendons - ligaments pain than with free weight and machines. I can hardly move one of my under arms.

 

[modlinb]

I was having Tendon issues and started whole body cryotherapy and 3 days in it seems to really be working. I should know after a week straight of everyday treatments if its going to make a real difference long term. I can tell you I feel like a million bucks when i get out of the treatment. If your suffering from back aches and pains wow it really helps right away.

 

[Mountain Man]

I´m on a trip almost for a month by now and been doing the workout with resistance bands and to my surprice I get more muscle and tendons - ligaments pain than with free weight and machines. I can hardly move one of my under arms.

Bands can really kick your ass for sure. You have to start slowly. Think about it. These are what physical therapists use to rehab injuries. That’s the intensity you have to start with an build from there. And don’t use handles or bars with them, as that puts you in a locked position the same way weights do, causing the same kind of injuries. Defeats the purpose of band training to protect the joints.

 

[Blashy]

We have Keiser equipment at our gym and I use it exclusively for all upper body. Love it.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

 

[Nelson Vergel]

 

[JimBob]

Nelson, or anyone else, do you feel you could have achieved the same level of muscle development using cables, had you never used free weights in the beginning?

 

[Blashy]

Nelson, or anyone else, do you feel you could have achieved the same level of muscle development using cables, had you never used free weights in the beginning?

I could have achieved the same with cables, bands or body weight compared to free weights. It's all about working to failure.

 

[Sean Mosher]

That overhead triceps with the ropes is one of my personal favorites along with EZ bar work.

 

[Airborne Warrior]

I could have achieved the same with cables, bands or body weight compared to free weights. It's all about working to failure.

Maybe if you're not carrying much muscle but to get truly big you need free weights with maybe some cable and machine work thrown in. It's no coincidence 99.9% of competitive bodybuilders use free weights for the mainstay of their training.

 

[Blashy]

Well, you look at bodybuilders workouts and most of it is machine nowadays. Has been since the 80s.

studies by Brad Schonefled showed that for hypertrophic results. Failure was the necessary component. Not heavy weights, which even he did not expect to be so blatantly revealing.

10 or 30 reps showed the same hypertrophy results IF they were taken to failure. Positive failure.

For strength, heavy weights all the way.

 

[Airborne Warrior]

Well, you look at bodybuilders workouts and most of it is machine nowadays. Has been since the 80s.

Rubbish. Squats. Deadlift. Bench Press. Overhead Press. All pretty much done with barbell or dumbells. Ancillary work and back work play more in the role of machines and cables.

studies by Brad Schonefled showed that for hypertrophic results. Failure was the necessary component. Not heavy weights, which even he did not expect to be so blatantly revealing.

Failure isn't the necessary component at all lol. Progression is. As long as you lift a little heavier on a weekly or monthly basis you are pretty much going to grow. No need to go to failure at all, though it has its place in training just as drop sets, rest/pause, high/low reps have.

10 or 30 reps showed the same hypertrophy results IF they were taken to failure. Positive failure.

One study proves everything lol?

 

[JimBob]

Where is the Schoenfeld study? He's done many.