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The weighted cable machine is one of the most versatile pieces of fitness equipment you can own. Consisting of a weight stack attached to a cable pulley system, this machine allows for a wide variety of different exercises including chest presses, lat pulldowns, triceps pressdowns, bicep curls, leg curls and cable crossovers to name a few. The power of this machine lies in the pulley system, which is designed to provide constant tension throughout the entire range of motion of an exercise. This continuous tension helps to fully engage the muscles which improves overall muscle activation, and the pulley system allows for smooth and controlled movements regardless of the weight. This makes this piece of gym equipment suitable for beginners and experienced fitness enthusiasts, athletes and bodybuilders alike. Landmine Bar Attachment
The caveat is that cable attachments are necessary to use a cable machine effectively. These attachments are specialized handles, bars and ropes that attach to the pulley system and allow you to perform different exercises. The attachments vary in size, shape and purpose, and they can be used to target specific muscle groups. If you are a gym owner, or recently purchased a cable machine for your home gym and are looking to learn more about the best cable attachments for your equipment, then this is the article for you. This is our comprehensive guide breaking down our top picks for the best cable attachments on the market, the pros and cons, the different types that are available, why they are beneficial and how to use them properly.
A triceps rope is one of the best attachments for your cable machine because of its versatility. Depending on the angle at which you connect the rope to the cable machine, this attachment is for way more than just working the triceps. The exercises you can perform with this attachment can activate your biceps, forearms, back, shoulders and core, essentially anything upper-body. The added benefit of the tricep rope compared to a metal bar attachment lies in the flexibility of the rope. For example, at the end of a tricep extension you can drive the endcaps out towards the sides of the body which increases the stretch of the muscle at the end of the rep. This manipulation of the rope therefore improves muscle activation if used correctly.
The REP Fitness Tricep Rope attachment is made from high-quality nylon thread and includes plastic endcaps on each side of the rope which prevent your hands from slipping during use. At just under two pounds, this tricep rope is lightweight, compact and easy to store. One reviewer from the REP Fitness website put it simply: “Good quality, great price."
The short straight bar cable attachment is a solid option for targeting muscles of the upper body. Some common uses for this attachment include performing tricep extensions, bicep curls, upright rows and seated rows. The short design of the bar is also great for rooting out any imbalances between muscles on opposite sides of the body. If you fail to apply equal force on the bar with both hands, then you will quickly notice the unevenness of the bar in your hands. This forces the user to focus on stabilizing the bar and performing smooth and controlled reps which enhance muscle activation. The only issue with the short bar is that it’s not as versatile as the other attachments on our list. For the most part, any exercises you can do with a short straight bar can also be done with a different cable attachment.
The REP Fitness Straight Bar is made from high-quality long-lasting hard chrome and features an ergonomic grip that widens from 25 to 30 millimeters in diameter at the location where you position your hands. The bar also includes a shallow knurling that is enough to provide some extra grip while training without hurting your hands. Priced at $39.99, this attachment definitely provides you with some serious bang for your buck. One user from the REP Fitness website writes, “I’ve owned this 20” Straight Bar now for over two years and it was definitely worth the purchase. It’s a solid bar with great knurling and it is highly recommended.” As long as you take care of this piece of equipment and prevent any rusting, this can easily last you for decades to come.
The long lat pulldown bar is an essential attachment for any cable machine and directly mimics a conventional pull-up. Not only can you perform all of the same exercises as with the short bar, it also allows you to effectively target the lat muscles using a wide-grip lat pulldown. What I really like about the REP Fitness Lat Bar is that it angles downward at each end of the bar. This allows for your wrists to sit naturally while in an overhead position during the extension of a lat pulldown.
This attachment is made from a high-quality steel with a long-lasting hard chrome finish. It features a shallow knurling, enough to provide subtle grip assistance but not too much to hurt your hands. Weighing less than 12 pounds, the bar is lightweight and easy to move. The REP Fitness Lat Bar would be a great addition for any commercial or home gym.
D-handles are best utilized for unilateral exercises in which you isolate one side of the body. This is extremely useful for anyone recovering from an injury and rehabilitating a particular muscle as well as bodybuilders who are looking to maintain balance and symmetry in their physiques. If you do have access to a cable crossover machine then you could also benefit from purchasing two D-handle attachments for exercises such as chest flys and reverse cable flys to target the back.
The Rogue Fitness Single Handle Attachment is a solid option when looking to purchase a D-handle attachment for your cable machine. The main features that differentiate it from other D-handles is that it has a fabric strap and the handle is able to spin independently from the rest of the strap. This makes the Rogue D-handle ideal for any cable crossover exercises since the fabric strap will not dig into the forearms during this wide range of motion exercises. This product costs $40 which isn’t bad for an attachment of this quality. That being said, these attachments are intended for more experienced lifters since isolation exercises require strength, control and optimal form. While these are very effective, if you only have the option to purchase one or two attachments, I would initially skip over the D-handles.
The cable machine, and the attachments that come with it are primarily used for upper body exercises. This is why the ankle strap is a must have if you are also looking to perform lower body focused movements. This attachment provides a number of different exercises to add to your workout routine including weighted hamstring curls, lateral lunges, donkey kicks and both hip abduction and adduction movements. These movements are great for targeting the muscles of the leg including the quads, hamstrings and glutes.
The REP Fitness Ankle Cuff attachment is made from a nylon strap with a high-quality neoprene foam padding to ensure optimal comfort during use. One consumer writes that the ankle cuff is, “Super simple and very comfortable”, while others commented that they would prefer if the ankle strap wasn’t one size fits all to accommodate individuals with smaller ankles.
The EZ curl bar, in my opinion, is an upgraded version of the short straight bar. This is because the slight angling of the bar allows for a more ergonomic hand positioning which helps to both reduce wrist strain and forearm involvement during an exercise. The angled bar also offers a variety of different grip options compared to the standard straight bar including both wide and narrow as well as overhand and underhand positions. These subtle variations on some of your favorite exercises allow you to isolate and target specific muscles.
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The American Barbell Revolving Solid Curl Bar is constructed from chrome-plated solid steel and provides a hefty feel that helps balance out your hand positioning. The wide grip length of this bar at 23.5 inches long, compared to most competitor models at 20 inches, allows for multi-knurling grip positions on the bar and the ability to use it for exercises like seated rows and shoulder-width grip lat pulldowns. The precision knurling on both the inner and outer angles of the bar provides a secure and comfortable grip and the plastic end caps prevent your hands from sliding off the bar during workouts. This EZ curl bar would definitely be an asset to have for any cable machine workouts.
The V-bar can come in a wide array of different styles, with some including D-handles while others are just the bar with end caps. The V-bar has a much steeper angle than the EZ curl bar making it a less versatile attachment but excellent for performing tricep extensions and bicep curls. This more extreme angle is designed to maximally stimulate the triceps on pushdowns and when flipped, the biceps when performing cable curls.
The American Barbell V-Bar is a rotating solid chrome steel bar with a multi-axis swivel that allows your wrists to move naturally during tricep and bicep exercises. The precision knurling on the bar ensures a secure and comfortable grip and the swivel feature allows you to train the entire range of motion to fully engage the working muscle group. The v-bar also includes black plastic end caps to prevent your hands from slipping from the bar during workouts. This attachment is not a necessity for the cable machine but can be a useful tool if looking to focus on developing the bicep and tricep muscles of the arm.
When looking to purchase your first attachment for your cable machine or looking to increase the variety of your attachment arsenal, start by looking at your goals and what you are trying to accomplish. Certain attachments like the triceps rope and EZ curl bar are extremely versatile and can be used for a wide array of different exercises. On the other hand, the V-bar and ankle cuff are made for specific workouts and movements to target specific muscles and full ranges of motion. In my opinion, it’s smart to choose a versatile attachment like the EZ curl bar or lat bar as your main attachment and purchasing the more specific attachments as you progress in your fitness journey.
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The cable attachments we chose to include on our list are made from high-quality materials and are at price points that we feel provide excellent value to our readers. We also tried to include both versatile and specific attachments for individuals with different fitness levels and goals. Lastly, we analyzed both positive and negative consumer reviews to see what other individuals feel about the attachments and the companies who make them.
Cable attachments provide a number of benefits when looking to add the use of a weighted cable machine to your workouts.
Yes, cable attachments are necessary to use the cable machine effectively. While it is possible to do a few exercises with just the cable alone this is not recommended to prevent the cable from slipping through your hand and perhaps injuring yourself. If you have the money to purchase a cable machine then grabbing one or two cable attachments shouldn’t be an issue. The attachments also enhance your ability to target specific muscle groups, improve your technique and build both strength and muscle mass.
Hence the name, the best attachment for cable curls would be the EZ curl bar. These bars are made specifically to optimize your wrist position and target the biceps as effectively as possible. That being said, a number of attachments from the list can be used for cable curls including the tricep rope, v-bar, D-handle, lat bar and short straight bar.
On this list, either the EZ Curl Bar or the wide lat bar would provide the best engagement for targeting the back muscles during rows.
Cable machines are an ideal piece of equipment for personal trainers, athletes and bodybuilders who are looking to improve strength and build muscle. In order to use these machines effectively you need to have the right attachments for the job. From our list you can see that some attachments are incredibly versatile and allow you to perform a variety of different exercises, while others are more targeted and isolate specific muscles of the body. We hope that our list helped to clarify which attachments are best for which exercise and muscle and you can make an informed decision when purchasing equipment for your cable machine.
Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.
Band Triceps Pushdown Pete Nastasi, the owner of Nastasi Nutrition, is a Certified Sports Nutrition Coach residing in North Carolina.