The cable high pull is a compound exercise that exercises a number of areas in the upper body. It also works areas such as the gluteus muscle, hamstring and calves.
The exercise is based on training explosivity within the muscles through the tension generated when doing the cable high pull.
This is achieved as a result of training your muscles to be able to generate force really quickly.
WHAT TO DO:
- Before you start there are a couple of things that you need to do to ensure that your form is perfect. First spread your legs out slightly.
- Bend your knees and lock in your elbow so that it isn’t too loose or turgid. From here:
- Pull the cable towards your chest.
- As you do this, ensure that you puff your chest outwards as well
- Hold for about 2 seconds. This is to allow you to feel the strain in your rear delt
- Ensure that you maintain the same level of tension throughout.
- Let go of the cable and return to starting position.
- Repeat about 10-12 times per set
WHAT MUSCLES DO THE CABLE HIGH PULL WORK?
REAR DELT
The cable high pull isolates the rear delt in order to engage the region. This happens when you pull the cable from the pulley system and puff out your chest.
When accompanied with the elbow position, you direct the majority of the weight load from the tension generated towards the rear delt.
Uniform tension maintained throughout the movements ensures that the rear delt is continuously worked.
Therefore, the more reps you do the stronger and more defined your rear delt gets.
UPPER BACK
The rear delt works with the upper back to hold the distributed weight whilst doing the cable high pull.
Although the rear delt gets to do most of the balancing act, the upper back is responsible for providing the base support.
It therefore acts as the source of explosive power to make the movements possible. As such, the more you do the cable high pull the stronger your upper back gets.
In turn, this improves the number of reps you can do.
CABLE HIGH PULL BENEFITS
INCREASES STRENGTH AND POWER
When you do the cable high pull, you increase the strength of the engaged muscles i.e., your upper back.
This increases the explosivity in your muscles which improves your ability to generate power. This could be particularly useful in performing exercises such as the deadlift.
This therefore means that the cable high pull is a great gateway exercise.
IMPROVES YOUR ABILITY TO PERFORM FUNCTIONAL TASKS
The compound motion of doing the exercise is particularly useful and seeps into various facets of life.
This makes it easier to do daily tasks such as chores i.e., pulling a heavy object.
DEVELOPS CORE STABILITY
When you pull the cable towards you and puff your chest out, it affects your stability. This, therefore, creates an environment where you have to depend on your core to stabilize yourself.
Consequently, this forces you to use your core more often for stability. In the long run, this develops your core stability making it much easier to use your core stability in an unstable environment.
IMPROVES ATHLETICISM
Performing the cable high pull increases your explosiveness and power. It also improves your stability in unstable environments.
All these are important factors that tie into what makes an elite athlete better than the rest.
ALTERNATIVES TO THE CABLE HIGH PULL
PULLUPS
Pullups are a proven classic exercise that do great work on the upper back. They are therefore a great higher impact alternative to the cable high pull. To do the exercise:
- Place your hands on a bar and spread your hands out to approximately shoulder-width
- Stick your chest out and curve your back slightly
- Exhale while pulling yourself up so your chin is level with the bar. Pause at the top.
- Lower yourself (inhaling as you go down) until your elbows are straight.
- Repeat the movement without touching the floor.
- Complete the number of repetitions your workout requires.
CABLE PULLDOWN
Cable pulldowns perform work on a number of areas including the rear delts and the back. To do the exercise:
- Brace the abdominals. Grab the hand attachments in an overhand grip about shoulder-width apart, with elbows locked and arms straight. Keep your knees soft rather than locked.
- Breathe out while pulling the cable down to your thighs in a smooth, controlled motion, arms remaining straight, hips bending slightly forward while keeping the back straight.
- If you do this exercise properly, you will find that your abdominal muscle will work hard and your arms and back will also get some work.
- Pause when the hand grips are at thigh level.
- Inhale while allowing the weights to return up to full arm extension above your head.4 End in a position where there is still tension on the cable before doing the next repetition.
- Do three sets of 10 to 12 exercises.
CABLE FACE PULL
- Hold the rope with an overhand (externally rotated) grip, with your thumbs up.
- Take a few steps back from the tower to extend the cable. Keep a strong athletic stance, activating your core and glutes.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together to pull the handles of the rope in toward your face. Hold the position for 2 seconds.
- Return to the starting position, making sure to keep your shoulders up.
DEADLIFT
- Stand with your mid-foot under the barbell
- Bend over and grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip
- Bend your knees until your shins touch the bar
- Lift your chest up and straighten your lower back
- Take a big breath, hold it, and stand up with the weight
MISTAKES TO AVOID
BAD ELBOW POSITION
In order for you to properly distribute weight and engage the target areas, your elbow must be properly positioned.
If your elbow is too loose often it means that you’re using momentum to reduce the strain of the exercise.
If your elbow is too turgid then it means you’re not completing the full range of motion of the exercise. This also inhibits you from achieving the full benefits of the cable high pull exercise.
UNFLEXED KNEES
Unflexed knees mean that you allow an excessive amount of pressure to be felt on your joints. This could lead to knee injuries.
It also further throws off your balance making it harder to do the exercise.
CONCLUSION
The cable high pull is a highly effective and efficient exercise. Not only can it act as a gateway exercise it also builds your strength and power
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