14 Best Cable Machine Leg & Glute Exercises

Powerhouse compound exercises such as squats and deadlifts, as well as some assistance and accessory exercises like hip thrusts, lunges, and leg curls, should have a place in all lifters' leg day routines.

And, believe it or not, the cable machine is one of the most versatile exercise machines for leg and glute workouts and incorporating the major lifts we just mentioned. There's a long list of muscle and strength-building exercises you can perform, and it enables you to safely hit your lower-body muscles from different angles without putting any unnecessary pressure on your spine.

Now, we are not saying cable machines are better than free weights for leg exercises, but the cable machine can and should have its place in a lower body workout. This article covers the 14 best cable machine leg and glute exercises, 2 lower body cable machine workouts, and programming tips.

Table of Contents:

• 14 Best Cable Glute & Leg Exercises
• Programming Tips
• Best Glute & Leg Workout On The Cable Machine
• Leg Muscle Anatomy Overview
• Benefits of Leg & Glute Cable Exercises
• FAQs

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14 BEST CABLE MACHINE LEG & GLUTE EXERCISES

You can perform all of the traditional leg and glute exercises on the cable machine, as well as some cable machine specific exercises. These variations will target the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves just the same as they would with free weights. Let’s take a look at the different exercises to discover how to do them on the cable machine and what muscles they will train.

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The 14 best cable machine glute and leg exercises are:

1. Cable Squat
2. Cable Deadlift
3. Cable RDL
4. Cable Front Squat
5. Cable Chair Squat
6. Cable Pull Through / Stiff-Leg Deadlift
7. Cable Lateral Lunge
8. Cable Rear Lunge
9. Cable Front Lunge
10. Cable Hip Abduction
11. Cable Donkey Kick
12. Cable Hip Adduction
13. Leg Curl
14. Standing Calf Raise

1. CABLE SQUAT

Squats are one of the best exercises for your quads and glutes. They strengthen your tendons, bones, and ligaments around the leg muscles as well and reduce the risk of injury to your knees and ankles. Plus, they will burn calories and help you lose weight.

Here’s how to perform the cable squat: 

1. Begin by standing in the front of your cable machine, with your feet shoulder-width apart. 
2. With the bar attachment connected, grab firmly with both hands and gradually lower your body as if you’re about to sit in a chair.
3. Be sure to keep your knees lined up with your toes.
4. As you go back up, be sure to press your glute muscles to get back to the starting position. This is one rep.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps and sets.

Best rep range: 5-20+ reps. You’ll want to perform this exercise a couple of times a week and change up the reps and weights that you use. 

Are cable squats effective?

Yes, cable squats are one of the most effective exercises to target the quads, hamstring, and glutes. They allow you to perfect the form and reduce the risk of injury. They can also be done using a dual pulley, which can offer greater load possibilities.

2. CABLE DEADLIFT (HEX BAR DEADLIFT)

This Deadlift is just like a hex bar deadlift as it puts your hands in a neutral position at your sides. This makes it like a hybrid of a squat and deadlift.

With this cable lower body exercise, you will target your hamstrings, glutes and quads. It also helps to your core and low back.

Here’s how to perform the cable deadlift:

1. Holding onto the cable with each hand, you’ll lower your butt to the ground.
   
2. With a similar motion to the barbell deadlift but your abdomen will touch your legs.
   
3. Slowly return to the starting position. This is one rep.
   
4. Repeat desired reps and sets. 

Best rep range: For strength, 3 to 8 reps per set. For mass, 8 to 12 reps per set. 

3. Cable RDL

The cable Romanian Deadlift or RDL helps to develop strength in the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and hip adductors (inner thighs), as well as your low back. 

The goal with this one is to feel a really good stretch in your hamstrings and squeeze the heck out of your glutes at the top. The stretching tension is what really makes the RDL special.

Here’s how to perform the cable RDL:

1. Attach the rope handle to the pulley and position at the lowest position.
   
2. Face the pulley with the rope in both hands and about 3 feet of distance between you and the machine.
   
3. Slowly bend at the hips with a slight bend in your knees, and at the same time extend your arms forward, engaging your core and keeping your back flat.
   
4. Squeeze your glutes as you stand back up and, at the same time, pull your elbows back. This will look similar to a bent-over row, and be sure that you are pulling with power.
   
5. At the top, squeeze your glutes and keep the core engaged. This is one rep.
   
6. Repeat to complete the desired reps and sets.

Best rep range: 6-10 and/or 10-15 reps depending on the weight.

Single Leg Deadlifts:

Single leg deadlifts are also great for your hamstrings and glutes. Moreover, it'll help you build incredible athleticism through balance and coordination. A lot of people use the cable machine for single leg deadlifts because it is a little easier in terms of balance, allowing you to really hone in on the hammys.

4. Cable Front Squat

We have two types of cable machine front squat variations that will help you gain strength and size in your quads. It is mainly a quad exercise, due to the load placement, but your hamstrings and glutes will also be activated well. 

Here’s how to perform the cable front squat:

1. Start by attaching a bar to the pulley and standing in front of the cable machine with your feet shoulder-distance apart.
   
2. Then pull the handle to your shoulders and hold.
   
3. Now squat down slowly until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor.
   
4. Return to standing position keeping the handle at your shoulders. This is one rep.
   
5. Repeat for the desired reps and sets.

Best rep range: Anywhere from 8-15 reps.

Front squat With Rope

For this variation, you’ll use the rope attachment instead of the bar. This will make the exercise a little more challenging on your core as your core will be more upright:

1. With the ropes attached to the machine, you’ll stand in front of the cable machine with your feet shoulder-distance apart.
   
2. Then pull the ropes up to your chest and hold.
   
3. Now squat down slowly until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor.
   
4. Return to standing position keeping the ropes at your chest. This is one rep.
   
5. Repeat for the desired reps and sets.

Related: Front Squat vs Back Squat, What's the Difference?

5. Cable Chair Squat (i.e. Hack Squat)

This exercise is a great way to build up the strength and size in your quads due to the load and body position. It involves less pressure on your hips and more resistance at your knees. 

Even if you squat with barbells, this is a great addition to your routine if you need some quad specific work. 

Here’s how to perform the cable chair squat:

1. Using the straight-bar attachment at the lowest rung on a cable machine. Stand facing the machine and feet together.
2. Grip the bar with an overhand grip, then drop down into a low squat by bending your knees. 
3. You’ll come down to a 90-degree bend or lower and hold for two counts at the bottom. 
4. Press back up and be sure to engage the leg and glute muscles. This is one rep.
5. Repeat as many reps and sets to reach your goal.

Best rep range: Anywhere from 8-15 reps.  

6. Cable Pull Through / Stiff-Leg Deadlift

The cable pull-through is a compound exercise that works the hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and lower-back muscles. It's very similar to a stiff-leg deadlift, but the resistance is coming from behind you. So, while it hits the same muscles, it actually allows for more glute activation.

Here’s how to perform the cable pull-through: 

1. Start by attaching the rope handle to the cable pulley machine with it positioned at the lowest setting.
   
2. Facing away from the machine, you’ll grab the rope attachment between your legs and with your palms facing each other.
   
3. Take a few steps away from the machine. You want to be far enough that the weight does not come back in contact with the weight stack.
   
4. With your feet shoulder-width apart and feet straight, or pointed out no more than 15-30 degrees.
   
5. Begin by pushing your hips back until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Be sure to keep a neutral spine throughout the entire movement.
   
6. Hold this position for a second and then begin reversing the movement by extending at the hips and squeezing to activate the glutes at the top. This is one rep.
   
7. Repeat for the desired number of reps and sets.

Best rep range: Anywhere from 8–15 repetitions. 

Kneeling Pull Through

This variation of the pull through, which is from a kneeling position, will even better target the glutes as it takes the hamstrings out of play more (considering there is less action on the knee joint). It's quite similar to a hip thrust, which means you can get some serious glute contraction tension. 

7. Cable Lateral Lunge

Lateral lunges aid in balance and stability. This exercise works your inner and outer thighs to build strength and muscle. It's also great for your core.

Here’s how to perform the cable lateral lunge:

1. Start by taking the handle in both hands and with the machine to your side. 
2. Holding the handle by your hips, you’ll take a big step away from the machine and go as low as you can.
   
3. Then push back up to standing. This is one rep.
   
4. Repeat for the desired reps and sets.

Best rep range: 10-15 lunges per leg.

8. Cable Rear Lunge

Reverse lunges work your glutes and hamstrings most, with the quads in close second (or technically third). It is also great for core stability considering it is a unilateral exercise.

The lunge is also great for people who have difficulty staying balanced or have knee concerns because it reduces the knee joints stress.

Here’s how to perform the cable rear lunge: 

1. Place the handle at the appropriate height to align with your belly button.
2. While holding the handle with both hands, move one leg back and lower your body until your knee is at a 90-degree angle. Make sure your back is straight. 
3. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. When you do both legs, this is one rep.
4. Repeat for the desired reps and sets.

Best rep range: 12-15 repetitions on each side.

8. Rear Lunge with Step Box

This lunge variation increases the difficulty of the cable rear lunge because you’ll go deeper into the lunge.

Here’s how to perform the cable lunge with step box: 

1. Start by attaching the rope attachment and putting the pulley in the lowest position.
2. Place a step box in front of the cable machine and step onto the box.
3. Holding the rope with both hands, then move one leg back and lower your body until your knee is at a 90-degree angle. Be sure that you're keeping your back straight.
4. Return that leg to the box and repeat with the other leg. When you do both legs, this is one rep.
5. Repeat for the desired reps and sets.

9. Cable Front Lunge

Cable front lunges target the front side of your legs more - the quads! But you’ll also engage your calves, abs and glutes as well.

Here’s how to perform the cable front lunge:

1. Attach the rope handle and place the cable in the lowest position.
2. With your back to the cable machine, grip the rope with both hands. The rope will be against your back and at your shoulders.
3. You’ll lunge forward with one leg and drive down to the floor, keeping your back straight and the ropes in the same position.
4. In one motion, return to the starting position by driving the force through your leg.
5. Now swap legs and repeat the movement.
6. Repeat for the desired reps and sets.

Best rep range: 12–15 reps on each leg.

10. Cable Hip Abduction

This exercise is one of the Best Hip Abduction Exercises as it works the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae - the hip abductors!

The hip abductors are often forgotten about, but this important muscle aids in our ability to rotate our legs, stand, and walk. Without strong hip abductors, your hips will not be stable.

By simply adjusting the position of your toes - straight, inwards, or pointed out, you can alter the way the hip abductor muscles are stressed.

Here’s how to perform the cable hip abduction:

1. Start by standing next to the low cable pulley and attaching the ankle strap to the leg closest to the pulley.
2. Grab hold of the cable machine for stability.
3. Keeping your body and legs straight, pull the leg that’s strapped in front of your supporting leg and hold for two counts.
4. Then go back to the starting positions. This is one rep.
5. Repeat for the desired repetitions and sets.

Best rep range: 8-15 repetitions.

11. Cable Donkey Kick

Here’s how to perform the donkey kick:

1. Start by getting on all fours. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Be sure your back is flat.
   
2. Tighten your lower abdominals, and without rounding your spine slowly lift your leg straight back and up towards the ceiling with a 90-degree bend in the knee. You’ll raise it without arching your back or rotating your hips. This is one rep.
   
3. Repeat the desired number of reps and sets for both legs. 

Best rep range: 10-20 reps is ideal. Really squeeze your glutes hard each rep. If you aren’t feeling a burn, you’ll want to do the cable hip extension or add ankle weights to alter this exercise. 

Cable Hip Extension 

Here’s how to perform the cable hip extension:

1. Begin by strapping the ankle strap to your left foot. With your feet together, grab onto the cable machine with both hands and lean forward with your back straight.
   
2. Then move your leg back until your glutes contract, and there should be a slight bend in your leg.
   
3. Hold for one second, then slowly return to the starting position without placing your leg on the ground. This is one rep.
   
4. Repeat for the desired reps and sets, before switching to your right foot.

12. Cable hip adduction

There's a reason cable hip adduction is one of the Best Hip Adduction Exercises. Hip adductors support balance and alignment by strengthening the muscles in your inner thigh. It's an area often overlooked, yet an important one nonetheless.

Here’s how to perform the cable hip adduction: 

1. Place the ankle strap around your ankle and place the pulley at the lowest setting.
2. Grab the opposite handle on the cable machine for stability.
   
3. Chest up and shoulders back, you want a full range of motion. Swing your leg up and through until it's in front of the strapped leg.  Be sure to keep your body and legs straight.
   
4. Then go back to the starting positions. This is one rep.
   
5. Repeat for the desired repetitions and sets.
   

Best rep range: 8-15 repetitions.

13. Leg Curl

Leg curls isolate your hamstrings. It will promote muscle growth and strength in the hamstrings beautifully, which will aid in better squats and deadlifts. Allowing you to go deeper into squats and hamstrings and with increased weight.

Here’s how to perform the cable leg curl:

1. You’ll need a bench and ankle attachment to perform this exercise on the cable machine.
   
2. Pick whether you're starting with your right or left leg. With your ankle attached to the cable, you’ll lay belly down on the bench with your head furthest from the machine and bring your ankle towards your back slowly. This is one rep.
   
3. You’ll perform as many reps and sets to reach your goal.

Best rep range: Your goal will depend on how many reps and sets you do and the amount of weight you choose.

To build strength, 8 to 10 reps and three sets are perfect. To build endurance and stamina, you’ll use higher reps of 12-15 and less weight. For both, you’ll want to select a weight that will allow your muscles to reach failure by the last rep. 

Related:

• 9 Best Leg Curl Machine Alternatives
• Banded Leg Curl Exercise Guide

14. Standing Cable Calf Raise

Standing calf raises make your calves stronger and leaner. Performing calf raises will improve your balance and muscle structure. There are two different versions of the standing calf raise, one leg and two leg calf raises.

By working one leg at a time, you’ll prevent muscle imbalances and it can allow you to work with a great resistance.

Here’s how to perform the standing cable calf raise:

1. You’ll need a dip belt, rope, or straight bar attached to a low pulley cable machine.
2. Then place a block under your feet and stand on the edge allowing your heels to freely drop down as far as possible without touching the floor. If performing the single-leg calf raise, you’ll lift one leg off of the block for the entire duration of the exercise.
3. Slowly raise your heels up - going as high as possible and squeeze your calves for two counts.
4. Then return to the starting position. This is one rep.
5. You’ll repeat to complete the required reps and sets.

Best rep range: 10-20 reps. You should really feel a burn with this exercise. Keep rest time short, around 30 to 60 seconds rest between sets. 

Single Leg Cable Calf Raise

CABLE EXERCISE LIST BY LEG MUSCLE GROUP 

Here's a breakdown of the exercises and muscles they primarily target.

Cable Hamstring & Glute Exercises

• Deadlifts
• RDL
• Rear Lunge
• Leg Curls
• Pull Through
• Hip Extension
• Hip Adduction (inner thigh)

Cable Quad/Glute Exercises

• Squat
• Front Squat
• Chair Squat
• Lateral Lunge
• Front Lunge
• Lunge with Step Box

Cable Glute Specific Exercises

• Kneeling Pull Through
• Hip Extension
• Donkey Kick
• Hip Abduction

Cable Calf Exercises

• Single Leg Standing Calf Raise
• Standing Calf Raise
• Lunges

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How To Train Legs & Glutes On A Cable Machine

We just went over the best glute and leg cable machine exercises, and now we're going to briefly recap by categorizing these movements into five main exercise groups. When you're putting together a lower body routine, it's essential to include all five movements in your program.

The best cable machine exercises for legs and glutes are squats, deadlifts, lunges, calf raises, and hip extensions.

These five main exercises will target your quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. Let's briefly take a look at each.

Squats

Squats are one of the best lower-body exercises to perform. They target the quadriceps and glutes most, but they also work the hamstrings, calves, and core muscles. There are different variations of squats that will target different muscles in the lower body.

Some of these variations of squats include front squats, back squats, sumo squats, and chair squats. We also can consider lunges in this category. Depending on your goals, you’ll find that performing squats 2-3 times per week will improve your squat technique, strength, and power. 

Deadlifts

This compound exercise is beneficial to your entire body but is primarily a leg exercise. It involves the extension of the hips and the knees, which engages the hamstrings and glutes most, but the quads are also worked.

This exercise also targets other muscle groups, which include the back, traps, and core. They're typically also great as an outer thigh exercise. We will also consider RDLs (Romanian Deadlifts) and Stiff-Leg Deadlift in this category.

Both beginners and advanced lifters can greatly benefit from performing deadlifts 1 to 3 times per week.

Lunges

Another essential compound exercise for your lower body, lunges do a great job of targeting the quads, glutes, and hamstrings as the muscles work to shorten and lengthen throughout the exercise.

Incorporate lunge movements, such as the forward or backward lunge, walking lunge, side lunge, and curtsy lunge, into your program 1 to 3 times weekly.

Calf Raises

They primarily work the calf muscles in the lower leg. Building strength in your calves will improve ankle stability and overall balance, and stronger calf muscles will improve endurance and explosiveness. 

To build strength, you’ll want to do calf raises 2 to 3 times a week, but make sure to give two days rest in between workouts.

Hip Extensions

This exercise primarily target the glutes and the hamstrings (as these are the two main muscles powering hip extension), allowing you to move more powerfully and preventing injuries.

There are a variety of hip extension exercises you can begin incorporating into your routine, such as hip thrusts and cable machine pull throughs. Performing hip extensions 1-2 times per week will increase your strength and movement.

It’s best to do with relatively heavy weights with low to moderate repetitions. 

Programming Tips: BEST REP RANGE & LOAD

The best rep range and load will depend on what you’re looking to achieve.

If you want to gain size, you’ll find that many suggest using a rep range of 8-12, but with cable leg exercises, you’ll get best results using higher reps, between 15-20. However, this depends on the weight load. If it feels very challenging for you, the 6-12 rep range can be very effective for strength and hypertrophy when using a cable machine.

Overall, it's recommended that you work through a wide spectrum of reps. Perform heavy exercises for 5-8 reps, moderate weight for 8-15 reps, and light weight for 15-25+ reps. This will produce the biggest gains, and this is backed by research.

When it comes to choosing the right weight, you’ll want to select the weight stack that is challenging with the rep range you are working in. You want to get as close to failure within the rep range you select as possible. 

Be sure to implement progressive overload so you can continue to build muscle and strength over time.

HOW TO INCORPORATE CABLE LEG EXERCISES INTO YOUR WORKOUTS 

Incorporating cable leg and glute exercises into your routine is not different than incorporating any other equipment into your current routine. Make sure your workouts are well rounded, with both compound and isolation exercises that together target all of your leg muscles. 

If you want to do just a cable leg workout, it's as simple as creating a workout just like you would with free weights. So, instead of doing squats and deadlifts with dumbbells or a barbell, you are doing cable squats. It’s possible to do a complete leg routine with a single cable machine.

Let’s take a look at a few routines that you can do using just the cable machine.

CABLE LEG WORKOUT FOR GLUTES, QUADS, HAMSTRINGS, CALVES

We’ve discussed many different exercises that will increase your lower body’s strength, development, and size. And the importance that each muscle group has on the overall function of your lower body. Now it’s time to put it all together.

Here are a couple of sample cable leg workouts that you can start today.

Workout Session A:

1. Cable Squats: 4 sets of 8-12 reps
2. Cable RDL: 4 sets of 10-12 reps
3. Cable Front Lunges: 3 sets of 20 reps (10 reps each)
4. Cable Pull Throughs: 4 sets of 10-15 reps
5. Cable Leg Curls: 3 sets of 10-15 reps

Workout Session B:

1. Cable Front Squats: 4 sets of 8-10 reps
2. Cable Deadlift: 4 sets x 6-10 reps
3. Cable Hip Abduction: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
4. Cable Lateral Lunges: 2 sets of 8-12 reps
5. Cable Calf Raises: 3 sets of 10-15 reps

ANATOMY & FUNCTIONS OF THE LEG MUSCLES

You've got the exercises and workouts, so now let's briefly review the muscles you'll be working on the cable machine.

QUADRICEPS

The quadriceps muscles are the strongest and leanest muscles in the entire body. There are four muscles within the quads. The front of the thighs is the major extensor, and these muscles help to extend the leg straight from the knee. 

Here are the four muscles:

• Vastus Lateralis
• Vastus Medialis
• Vastus Intermedius
• Rectus Femoris

For more great moves to build your quads, check out our articles on the Best Vastus Lateralis Exercises and the Best Vastus Medialis Exercises!

HAMSTRINGS

Three muscles make up the hamstrings. They are located at the back of the thigh, beginning under the gluteus maximus and attaching to the tibia and affecting the hip and knee movement. 

Here are the three muscles of the hamstrings:

• Biceps Femoris
• Semimembranosus
• Semitendinosus

For more great hamstring-building movements, check out our article on the Best Hamstring Exercises With and Without Equipment.

GLUTES

This is the largest and heaviest muscle in the body and is the main extensor muscle of the hip. It’s located at the back of the hip joint, and its primary function is to maintain a standing posture.

Your glutes are divided into three main muscles:

• Gluteus Maximus
• Gluteus Medius
• Gluteus Minimus

CALVES

The calf muscles have three major muscles that are pivotal to the movement of the ankle, foot, and toes.

These major muscles include:

• Gastrocnemius (calf muscle)
• Soleus
• Plantaris

The Achilles tendon is the most important tendon when it comes to mobility. It connects the plantaris, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles to the heel bone. It’s a necessary tendon that stores the elastic energy that is needed to run, jump, and perform just about any type of physical activity.

Check out the Best Gastrocnemius Exercises & Stretches and Best Soleus Exercises & Stretches for more great exercise ideas.

BENEFITS OF USING A CABLE MACHINE FOR LEGS AND GLUTES

The cable machine is arguably the most versatile workout equipment in any gym. It’s a great tool that allows you to build muscle definition and strength, and you’ll improve your form and reduce the risk of injury. 

Let’s go deeper into the many benefits of using the cable machine specifically for your legs and glutes:

1. Builds Muscle Definition & Strength

The cable machine provides constant tension, unlike free weights which have an ascending/descending resistance curve. The constant tension allows for more time under tension, which will fatigue the muscles with less total volume, making your workouts very efficient. 

When performing cable exercises on your legs you’ll isolate your quad, glutes, hamstrings, and calves and make the individual muscles stronger from a range of angles.

2. Improves Form & Reduces The Risk of Injury

One of the leading causes of injury in the gym is improper form and is most common with free weights. Free weights have no directed plane of motion which causes imbalances and ultimately injury.

But with cables, you can increase the weight without using a spotter because they protect you from injury by providing a more direct plane of motion. This allows you to remain balanced even with heavier weight, and you can train to failure, which improves your strength.

3. Increases Range of Motion

When we use the term range of motion, this refers to how far you can move your joints in different directions. When you perform exercises that move your joints through their full range of motion, you will have greater results in hypertrophy and strength. Moreover, it will help you become more mobile and flexible.

When you change the way that your body is positioned and how the cable is angled, you gain more control over the range of motion. You can make it more or less, allowing you to recruit more stabilizing muscle fibers too.

4. Efficiency

Free weights require you to stack plates on barbells and take dumbbells off shelves which are both time-consuming. Whereas with cables, you can quickly change the weights by adjusting the pin to the desired weight. 

5. Flat Resistance Curve

The tension of the cable is different than that of free weights. With the cable machine, you’ll have a flat resistance curve that creates constant tension throughout an exercise. This is because the load is not acting on gravitational force.

This means that regardless if you’re at the top or bottom of the range, it will be equally difficult. With free weights, you have an ascending or descending strength curve, and the hardest range is in the stretched position.

This is why the cable machine is very popular with bodybuilders doing isolation work.

All in all, cable exercises are great for reaching your leg and glute hypertrophy goals. More time under tension translate to greater growth. 

6. Extremely Versatile

Regardless of which muscle group you are training, the cable machine is one of the most versatile on the gym floor. You’re able to target different muscles effectively by changing different variables such as angles (load positioning) and body positioning - you’ll stress your muscles differently and build strength through different ranges of motions. 

FAQs

Let's answer some frequently asked questions regarding the best cable leg and glute exercises.

Can you do leg press with a cable machine?

Yes, it’s possible to do a leg press using a cable machine.

Begin by laying on your back with the cable connected to your ankle. Your head will be closest to the machine. Then you’ll bring the knee towards your chest without lifting your hips off of the ground.

You’ll then push your leg away from your chest until it’s straight. Be sure that you are squeezing your quad when your leg is extended.  This is one rep, and you’ll want to repeat for 10-20 reps for this one due to the weight not being very heavy for a leg press. 

Related: Best Leg Press Alternatives

CAN YOU DO LEG AND GLUTE EXERCISES WITH A CABLE MACHINE?

Yes, you can absolutely perform leg and glute exercises using a cable machine.

In fact, the cable machine is one of the best ways to train every muscle group in your body, including your legs! You can do an entire leg routine on a cable machine or you can implement the exercises into your workout just like you would any other piece of equipment.

We like incorporating it into our legs and abs day in our full body gym machine workout. Not only will it help you to build a strong lower body safely, but it’s the best route if you're getting back into the gym after an injury or you really want to focus on hypertrophy. 

ARE CABLE LEG EXERCISES EFFECTIVE? 

Yes, cable leg exercises are a great addition to any fitness routine.

The cable machine will allow you to maintain good form and reduce the stress on the joints, allowing you to really hone in on the muscles you are targeting with quality reps. 

Cable Machine Exercises For Glutes & Legs: Final Takeaways

Cable leg and glute exercises are ideal for lifters looking to build muscle, beginners who want to lift safely while still mastering free weight form, and those who are returning to the gym after an injury.

If you have any questions about cable leg and glute exercises or workouts, please feel free to comment below or reach out to us. Remember, if you train smart, cable machines can be highly effective for training your legs, or any muscle group for that matter. 

You can also build serious upper body muscle using a cable machine and these Cable Machine Back Exercises and Cable Machine Chest Exercises.

If you'd like the option of performing these exercises at home, check out our article on the Best Cable Machines, any of which will make a great addition to your home gym! 

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