FitnessThe Finest Cable Machine Glutes Workouts

The Finest Cable Machine Glutes Workouts


Grabbing a barbell or a pair of dumbbells could also be your go-to for glutes day, however you should not draw back from the cable machine whenever you’re making an attempt to construct a stronger bottom.

Your glutes include three most important muscle tissue: the gluteus maximus (the biggest of the group), gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus, says Or Artzi, CPT, NASM-certified private coach and Equinox group health teacher. “Utilizing the cable machine can goal all three elements from completely different angles for extra balanced muscle growth,” Artzi says.

Plus, the cable machine comes with a couple of further perks which may simply be the golden ticket to perking up your behind.

Beneath, Artzi shares a number of the greatest cable machine glutes workout routines to construct a robust booty. Add these strikes to enhance your tried-and-true compound glutes workout routines (like hip thrusts, sumo squats, and deadlifts) for a peach emoji-inspired bottom.

The advantages of utilizing a cable machine for glutes exercises

Incorporating cable machine workout routines into your subsequent leg-day routine enhances different compound actions. Plus, it helps enhance glutes activation, and offers a protected but efficient option to practice for progress and energy, Artzi says. Listed here are 5 causes to provide the cable machine a shot.

1. It gives fixed stress

Whenever you’re understanding with free weights, you will discover that you just solely really feel stress at both the highest or backside of a motion. Nonetheless, “the cable machine offers steady resistance all through your entire vary of movement,” Artzi says. That fixed stress helps maximize muscle activation, which interprets to greater glutes good points.

2. It is user-friendly

The cable machine capabilities on a managed path, so you will not have to fret about dropping a weight in your toe or dropping your steadiness throughout an train. That makes the cable machine further nice for newcomers or people who find themselves simply getting again into lifting after a break.

However the cable machine can also be wonderful for superior lifters seeking to up the ante on their glutes. “The burden stack on a cable machine is definitely adjustable, making it appropriate for each newcomers and superior customers to step by step improve resistance as energy improves,” Artzi says.

3. You’ll be able to goal your glutes from a number of angles

Cable machines have a wider vary of movement than machines, in response to a small 2017 examine within the Journal of Power and Conditioning Analysis. Meaning they give you a large number of how to maneuver, relying on the place you set the pulley. Extra selection means you may goal the glutes from completely different angles for balanced muscle growth, Artzi says.

4. You will have higher stability

With free weights, you are counting on gravity and momentum to maneuver your muscle tissue. However, “cable workout routines require core and stabilizer muscle engagement, which helps enhance steadiness and coordination whereas strengthening the glutes,” Artzi says.

Not solely that, however cable workout routines additionally typically concentrate on unilateral (one-leg-at-a-time) actions, which assist right muscle imbalances, Artzi says.

5. It is much less harsh in your joints

Cable workout routines are gentler on the joints in comparison with heavy barbell lifts. That is as a result of, once more, they take gravity out of the equation. Nonetheless, “cable workout routines permit for efficient glutes coaching with out including pointless stress to the physique,” Artzi says.

That makes cable workout routines best for folks with knee or decrease again points, or simply anybody wanting so as to add extra low-impact workout routines to their health routine.

“Utilizing the cable machine can goal all three elements from completely different angles for extra balanced muscle growth.” —Or Artzi, CPT

The most effective cable machine glutes workout routines

Artzi loves including these workout routines as a spicy leg-day finisher. Simply be sure that to excellent your kind with every, and constantly improve the load or resistance over time to problem your muscle tissue and stimulate progress.

1. Cable glutes kickback

Personal trainer demonstrating cable glute kickback
Picture: Or Artzi, CPT

  1. Connect an ankle strap to the low pulley of the cable machine.
  2. Stand dealing with the machine with the strap in your proper ankle.
  3. Holding onto the cable machine for steadiness, prolong your proper leg straight again, squeezing your glutes on the prime. Be certain that to keep away from hyperextending at your decrease again.
  4. Then return to the beginning place.
  5. Repeat.

2. Cable pull-through

Personal trainer demonstrating cable pull-through
Picture: Or Artzi, CPT

  1. Connect a rope deal with to the low pulley of the cable machine.
  2. Stand dealing with away from the machine with the rope between your legs.
  3. Hinge at your hips, whereas holding your again impartial.
  4. Let the rope pull your arms by your legs, then thrust your hips ahead to face tall, participating the glutes.
  5. Repeat.

3. Cable Zercher squat

Personal trainer demonstrating cable Zercher squat
Picture: Or Artzi, CPT

  1. Connect a straight bar to the low pulley of the cable machine.
  2. Bend your arms and place the cable bar within the crease of your elbows along with your palms dealing with upward.
  3. Hold your forearms in a vertical place along with your fists clenched, holding the bar securely in place tight to your physique.
  4. Stand along with your toes shoulder-width aside, maintain the deal with, and carry out a squat by pushing your hips again and bending your knees like you are going to sit in a chair. Decrease down so far as snug, or till your thighs are parallel with the ground.
  5. Push by your heels and interact your glutes to face.
  6. Repeat.

4. Cable Romanian deadlift

Personal trainer demonstrating cable Romanian deadlift
Picture: Or Artzi, CPT

  1. Connect a straight bar or rope deal with to the low pulley of the cable machine.
  2. Stand over the cable along with your toes shoulder-width aside and grip the deal with with an overhand grip (palms dealing with down).
  3. Bend your knees barely and hinge at your hips whereas holding your again flat. You must really feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
  4. Attain your hips again so far as you may with out rounding your low again or your shoulders.
  5. Have interaction your glutes and drive your hips ahead to face.
  6. Repeat.

5. Cable Zercher curtsy lunge

Personal trainer demonstrating cable Zercher curtsy lunge
Picture: Or Artzi, CPT

  1. Connect a straight bar to the low pulley of the cable machine.
  2. Bend your arms and place the cable bar within the crease of your elbows along with your palms dealing with upward.
  3. Hold your forearms in a vertical place along with your fists clenched, holding the bar securely in place tight to your physique.
  4. Put your weight onto your left leg and step your proper leg behind and throughout your physique.
  5. Bend each knees right into a curtsy.
  6. Have interaction your glutes to push again to standing.
  7. Repeat.

6. Cable hip abduction

Personal trainer demonstrating cable hip abduction
Picture: Or Artzi, CPT

  1. Connect an ankle strap to the low pulley of the cable machine.
  2. Stand sideways with the precise aspect of your physique dealing with the machine with the strap in your left ankle.
  3. Carry your left leg out to the aspect as excessive as you may.
  4. Return your left leg to the beginning place with management.
  5. Repeat.

7. Cable step-up

Personal trainer demonstrating cable step-up
Picture: Or Artzi, CPT

  1. Connect a straight bar or rope to the low pulley of the cable machine and stand in entrance of a bench or field.
  2. Step onto the bench along with your left leg whereas holding the cable for resistance.
  3. Partaking your glutes, drive by your left heel to face up in your left leg.
  4. On the identical time, drive your proper knee as much as hip peak, so your proper thigh is parallel to the bottom.
  5. Reverse the transfer, reducing your proper foot to the ground with management. Step your left foot all the way down to the ground subsequent to your proper.
  6. Repeat all reps on one aspect earlier than switching legs.

8. Cable deficit reverse lunge

Personal trainer demonstrating cable deficit reverse lunge
Picture: Or Artzi, CPT

  1. Connect a straight bar or a deal with to the low pulley of the cable machine.
  2. Stand on prime of a field or bench along with your toes shoulder-width aside. Maintain onto the cable deal with with an overhand grip (palms dealing with down).
  3. Step again off the field along with your proper foot, touchdown on the ball of your foot.
  4. Bend your proper again knee in a lunge place, reducing your self down till each knees are at a 90-degree angle (or as little as you may comfortably go).
  5. Hold your trunk upright and your hips dealing with ahead.
  6. Push off along with your proper foot to step your proper leg again to the beginning place.
  7. Repeat all reps on one aspect earlier than switching legs.

“The burden stack on a cable machine is definitely adjustable, making it appropriate for each newcomers and superior customers to step by step improve resistance as energy improves.” —Or Artzi, CPT

Ideas for utilizing the cable machine

In case your objective is to get snug along with your fitness center’s cable machine, do not neglect a couple of greatest practices. Beneath, Artzi shares a few of her prime suggestions for newcomers.

1. Begin with gentle weights

Decide a lighter weight to start out with, and ensure your kind is sweet to assist keep away from harm, Artzi says. (FYI, beginning with gentle weights is the M.O. with any exercise you have by no means tried earlier than.)

Then, you may step by step improve the resistance as you change into extra snug with the motion.

2. Give attention to kind

Thoughts-muscle connection is vital to isolating your glutes—however to attain that, it’s important to excellent your kind.

To nail down your kind, you will need to keep away from utilizing momentum to elevate the load, Artzi says. “Preserve correct posture by participating your core and maintain your backbone impartial,” she says. Then, concentrate on sluggish, managed reps to maintain your glutes beneath stress for an extended interval—bear in mind, time beneath stress boosts muscle engagement and maximizes outcomes.

3. Use ankle straps

Many cable machine glutes workout routines, like cable kickbacks and hip abductions, require ankle straps. “Utilizing ankle straps offers you higher management and helps isolate the glutes extra successfully,” Artzi says.

Many industrial gyms have ankle straps hanging by the cable machine or saved on the entrance desk (simply ask one of many workers members!). But when your fitness center does not have ’em, think about investing in a pair (like these on Amazon for $10) to stash in your fitness center bag.

4. By no means skip a warmup

No, warmups aren’t a waste of time. Artzi says it is best to at all times do a dynamic warmup earlier than utilizing the cable machine.

This will appear to be body weight workout routines, like squats or bridges, to arrange the physique for the exercise, Artzi says. It’s also possible to add resistance bands to your pre-workout routine.

A glutes-activation warmup can assist you tune into that mind-muscle connection in order that it’s kind of simpler to activate your glutes throughout these heavy booty-building lifts.


Nicely+Good articles reference scientific, dependable, latest, strong research to again up the data we share. You’ll be able to belief us alongside your wellness journey.


  1. Signorile JF, Rendos NK, Heredia Vargas HH, Alipio TC, Regis RC, Eltoukhy MM, Nargund RS, Romero MA. Variations in Muscle Activation and Kinematics Between Cable-Based mostly and Selectorized Weight Coaching. J Power Cond Res. 2017 Feb;31(2):313-322. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001493. PMID: 28129277.


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