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How important is a Cable machine?

Could I squeeze one into my home gym...kinda?

andyzdeman
andyzdeman g Andrew T
6 Post(s)
6 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: August 8, 2016
Posted

I have just basically finished my garage gym project <see my photo folders> and basically out of floorspace, but i've noticed a lot of workouts involve cable pulley exercises. My Powertec workbench multistation leverage gym has a lat pulldown which i can use for quite a lot, but it's not as smooth uniform tension as a proper pulley cable i.e. it gets really tense at the extent of the motion of lever.

I've been substituting pretty well so far with scotts advice (I am not short on dumbbells), but saw a lat pulldown / low row accessory for my leverage gym which doesn't take up much space.

Ok so it's not a cable machine I know, but should allow me to do most things right? Anyone got any feelings on this?

Unfortunately I don't think the gym babe is included in the price.

Thanks. Andy

Scott_Herman
Scott_Herman a Scott Herman
7.1K Post(s)
7.1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: August 8, 2008
Posted
Posted By: andyzdeman

I have just basically finished my garage gym project <see my photo folders> and basically out of floorspace, but i've noticed a lot of workouts involve cable pulley exercises. My Powertec workbench multistation leverage gym has a lat pulldown which i can use for quite a lot, but it's not as smooth uniform tension as a proper pulley cable i.e. it gets really tense at the extent of the motion of lever.

I've been substituting pretty well so far with scotts advice (I am not short on dumbbells), but saw a lat pulldown / low row accessory for my leverage gym which doesn't take up much space.

Ok so it's not a cable machine I know, but should allow me to do most things right? Anyone got any feelings on this?

Unfortunately I don't think the gym babe is included in the price.

Thanks. Andy

I think that is a good addition as you will be able to do more back and tricep exercises. I would go for it!

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jmboiardi
jmboiardi p John M Boiardi
2.6K Post(s)
2.6K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: andyzdeman

I have just basically finished my garage gym project <see my photo folders> and basically out of floorspace, but i've noticed a lot of workouts involve cable pulley exercises. My Powertec workbench multistation leverage gym has a lat pulldown which i can use for quite a lot, but it's not as smooth uniform tension as a proper pulley cable i.e. it gets really tense at the extent of the motion of lever.

I've been substituting pretty well so far with scotts advice (I am not short on dumbbells), but saw a lat pulldown / low row accessory for my leverage gym which doesn't take up much space.

Ok so it's not a cable machine I know, but should allow me to do most things right? Anyone got any feelings on this?

Unfortunately I don't think the gym babe is included in the price.

Thanks. Andy

Andy,

 

The choice is yours based on available gym space, money, and needs. For me personally, I always prefer free weight movements to machines. If you have plenty of dumbbells and weight plates, there are plenty of better back exercises that can be done with them versus a cable machine. If however you need or prefer to have some cable machines for back work, this one looks like a fine addition.

 

John

34 years of lifting and nutritional experience and resident "old man" :-) MS Athlete and past Super Hermanite since 2013.
FitnessDreams
FitnessDreams p Mark Ellebracht
17 Post(s)
17 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2016
Posted

Andy,

 

If the money's no option, this could be a great addition to what you have!

 

That being said, you don't NEED this machine necessarily.

 

For pullups, I have a pullup bar at home that mounts on my door.

 

For rows, I like to do Inverted Rows using my squat rack in my basement.

 

What exercises are you trying to perform if you buy this besides pullups or rows?

andyzdeman
andyzdeman g Andrew T
6 Post(s)
6 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: August 8, 2016
Posted

Hey,

 

Lat pulldowns, facepulls, single arm cable work (i'll see if it works like a single fixed pulley for low to high cable work when standing), theres a bunch of stuff I can see it being useful for.

 

Was my birthday on 14th so asked my fiance to get me this. Should arrive in a week or so :)

 

I'll post a review once i've encourperated it into my workouts.

 

Andy

 

 

Zeeshan4971
Zeeshan4971 g Zeeshan Ismail
1 Post(s)
1 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: November 11, 2016
Posted
testing
asdsad
Scott_Herman
Scott_Herman a Scott Herman
7.1K Post(s)
7.1K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: August 8, 2008
Posted
Posted By: andyzdeman

Hey,

 

Lat pulldowns, facepulls, single arm cable work (i'll see if it works like a single fixed pulley for low to high cable work when standing), theres a bunch of stuff I can see it being useful for.

 

Was my birthday on 14th so asked my fiance to get me this. Should arrive in a week or so :)

 

I'll post a review once i've encourperated it into my workouts.

 

Andy

 

 

Awesome Andy! I am anxious to see this thing working! :-D

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NormanLogue
NormanLogue g Norman Logue
3 Post(s)
3 Post(s) Gender: Female Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: March 3, 2017
Posted
Posted By: andyzdeman

I have just basically finished my garage gym project <see my photo folders> and basically out of floorspace, but i've noticed a lot of workouts involve cable pulley exercises. My Powertec workbench multistation leverage gym has a lat pulldown which i can use for quite a lot, but it's not as smooth uniform tension as a proper pulley cable i.e. it gets really tense at the extent of the motion of lever.

I've been substituting pretty well so far with scotts advice (I am not short on dumbbells), but saw a lat pulldown / low row accessory for my leverage gym which doesn't take up much space.

Ok so it's not a cable machine I know, but should allow me to do most things right? Anyone got any feelings on this?

Unfortunately I don't think the gym babe is included in the price.

Thanks. Andy

Nice!!

jorgeegroj
jorgeegroj g Jorge Villarreal
106 Post(s)
106 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: January 1, 2017
Posted

as far as your question "how important is a cable machine?" I think it is incredibly important. From lat pulldowns to tricep extensions to several kinds of rows/flys/even woodchoppers, I spend the longest time of my back workouts using cables or barbells (for rows, DLs, shrugs).

 

Sure, you can still hit the muscles with dumbbells or do kickbacks instead of pushdowns for your triceps, but some cable exercises provide the ability to use more weight and thus get larger.

 

I don't know how much $ you have available for this or how much space in your home gym, but you could always re-organize some stuff and get a cable machine. I would get two posts so you can do flyes and move the pulleys to all heights. At least I think those offer a lot more versatility than the single pulleys because those won't let you do bilateral movements (except like horizontal rows).

 

 

At the end of the day, it's up to you. Just my two cents!

Frat bro turned barbell boss. Two black belts. (Tae-Kwon-Do and Ai-Ki-Do)
muscular strength
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