Best Beginner Chest And Back Workouts With Cable Machines

The Cable Row is an exercise that strengthens your back, shoulders, and biceps. It uses a cable machine for proper positioning and resistance control, helping you build muscle and strength in your upper body.

How to do it

1. Sit on the bench and place your feet on the foot plates.
2. Hold the handle with both hands, keeping your back straight.
3. Pull the handle towards your torso while leaning back slightly.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the end of the movement.
5. Slowly return to the starting position while maintaining tension in your back.

The Lat Pulldown is a great exercise for strengthening your back, shoulders, and biceps. It's similar to a Pull Up but is more stable, making it easier for beginners to control the movement and adjust the resistance.

How to do it

1. Attach a bar to the pull-down pulley and grip it with your hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing forward.
2. Sit upright on the seat, placing your knees under the adjustable pad.
3. Engage your core and keep your spine straight.
4. Pull the bar down towards your chest by bending your elbows, leaning back slightly.
5. Slowly return the bar to the starting position.

The Cable Crossover Fly is a chest exercise that uses cables to maintain tension and control. This exercise helps isolate different parts of the chest for a focused workout.

How to do it

1. Set the pulleys to just above head height.
2. Stand with one foot forward, holding the pulley handles at shoulder height with palms facing forward.
3. Engage your core and keep your spine straight.
4. With arms extended, sweep the handles down in a wide arc towards the bottom of your ribcage.
5. Return to the starting position.

The Single Arm Cable Press is a great exercise for strengthening your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It helps identify and fix strength differences between your arms while mimicking the motion of throwing a punch, making it useful for combat sports.

How to do it

1. Set the cable machine's pulley at solar plexus height.
2. Attach a handle to the cable.
3. Stand in front of the machine with one hand in line with the handle.
4. Hold the handle in one hand with your palm facing in.
5. Step away until there is tension in the cable.
6. Get into a slight lunge position.
7. Engage your core and keep your back straight as you look forward.
8. Extend the arm not holding the handle in front of you and bring the handle arm to your side at chest height.
9. Push the handle forward as if throwing a punch, while pulling your other arm back.
10. Pause for a moment, avoiding twisting your body.
11. Return to the starting position with control and tension.
12. Repeat on the other side.

The Cable Chest Press is a great exercise for working your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Using cable machines keeps tension on your muscles and lets you adjust the direction of the resistance.

How to do it

1. Set the cable pulleys just above shoulder height.
2. Sit with your back against the seat and hold the handles at chest height, shoulder-width apart, with palms facing down.
3. Engage your core to keep your back straight.
4. Push your arms forward while keeping the handles at shoulder level.
5. Return to the starting position by bending your elbows.

The Incline Cable Chest Press strengthens the upper chest muscles by using cables at an incline. This exercise helps improve muscle growth and provides added safety for your joints while also engaging your core.

How to do it

1. Set the pulleys to just above shoulder height.
2. Sit against the seat, holding the pulley handles at chest height with palms facing down.
3. Engage your core to maintain a neutral spine.
4. Push your arms forward, keeping elbows slightly below shoulders.
5. Return to start by bending your elbows and bringing the handles back.

The Reverse Grip Pull Down is a back exercise that mainly works the lower lats and biceps. Using an underhand grip is gentler on your wrists and elbows, making it great for building strength and thickness in your back.

How to do it

1. Sit up straight and place your thighs under the support pads.
2. Grab the pull down bar with your palms facing you.
3. Pull the bar down towards your upper chest by bending your elbows.
4. Slowly return to the starting position.

The Mid Cable Crossover Fly targets the mid-chest area to help create a balanced chest shape. Using a cable machine, this exercise keeps constant tension on the chest muscles for better development.

How to do it

1. Set the cable machine to shoulder height.
2. Grab a handle in each hand and step forward into a light lunge, creating tension on the cables.
3. Engage your chest and pull the cables in front of you, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
4. Hold the position for a moment, feeling the tension in your chest.
5. Slowly release the weights back to the starting position while maintaining chest tension.
6. Keep your core tight and your back straight throughout the movement.
7. Switch legs and repeat, doing equal sets on both sides.

The Single Arm Low Cable Crossover Fly is a chest exercise targeting the lower pectoral muscles. It helps improve muscle balance and definition through a focused stretch and contraction of each side individually.

How to do it

1. Stand to the side of the cable machine with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Grab the cable handle with one hand and pull it up and across your body.
3. Hold the position at the top for a moment, feeling the tension in your chest.
4. Slowly return the handle to the starting position while keeping the tension.
5. Switch arms and repeat the exercise on the other side.
6. Keep your core tight and back straight throughout the movement.

The 1/2 Kneeling Shotgun Row is a great exercise for strengthening your back, shoulders, and core. It is done in a half-kneeling position using a cable machine, helping to improve muscle balance and posture while stabilizing your body.

How to do it

1. Kneel in front of the cable machine with one knee on the ground.
2. Set the cable pulley to your elbow height.
3. Position yourself in a lunge with the other knee forward for support.
4. Grip the cable with the hand on the same side as the grounded knee.
5. Ensure there is tension on the cable with your arm extended.
6. Engage your core and keep your back straight.
7. Pull your elbow to your side using your back, biceps, and rear shoulder.
8. Return to the starting position slowly.
9. Switch sides and repeat for the set.

The Single Arm Lat Pulldown is an exercise that targets your back muscles while also helping with core stability. By using one arm at a time, it allows for better stretching and muscle balance in your back.

How to do it

1. Attach a handle to the pull-down machine.
2. Sit upright and place your knees under the adjustable pad.
3. Grab the handle with your left hand in an overhand grip.
4. Keep your core tight and back straight.
5. Pull the handle down towards your ribcage, leaning back slightly.
6. Return to the starting position and repeat with your right arm.

The Straight-Arm Pulldown is a back-targeting exercise. It helps you focus on your back muscles without using your biceps, and you can adjust your grip to target different areas of your back.

How to do it

1. Set the pulley to the highest position with a straight bar attached.
2. Stand back 1-2 feet with your feet shoulder-width apart.
3. Extend your arms with slightly bent elbows and hold the bar above your head.
4. Bend your hips slightly to lean your torso forward.
5. Engage your core to maintain a straight back.
6. Pull the bar down toward your hips while keeping your arms straight.
7. Return the bar to the starting position.

The Single Arm Cable Crossover is a chest exercise that helps improve muscle balance and symmetry. It also engages your core for better stability as you work each side independently.

How to do it

1. Set the cable anchor at shoulder height.
2. Stand sideways to the cable pole.
3. Grab the handle with your inside hand, palm facing forward and arm extended.
4. Pull the cable across your body in a circular motion until it reaches the middle of your chest, keeping your elbow slightly bent.
5. Return to the starting position slowly and switch to the other side.