High and low pulley: every exercise for each muscle

The cable machine: the most versatile gym tool

The cable machine — whether high, low, or adjustable — is arguably the most underrated piece of equipment in a weight room. Unlike dumbbells and barbells that only provide vertical resistance (gravity), the cable machine provides constant tension in any direction. This continuous tension throughout the movement stimulates muscles differently and can unlock new training sensations.

At Ma Salle in Paris, the adjustable cable is integrated into the rack, allowing you to switch between exercises without changing stations. This efficiency is valuable, especially when building complete sessions around this tool.

Whether you want to develop your back, shoulders, arms, or even your abs, the cable machine offers options for every muscle group. Here is a complete guide to the best exercises by body area.

Exercises for back and biceps

• Lat pulldown: the king exercise for the lats. Wide grip, pull the bar toward your upper chest, initiating the movement with your elbows. Avoid leaning back excessively — a slight angle is enough.
• Seated cable row: with a V-handle or straight bar, pull toward your navel while squeezing your shoulder blades at the end of the movement. Excellent for back thickness and rhomboids.
• Face pull: high pulley with a rope. Pull toward your face while spreading the rope ends, elbows high. Essential for shoulder health and rear deltoids.
• Low cable curl: standing facing the pulley, classic curl with a bar or rope. The constant tension makes this exercise superior to dumbbell curls for bicep hypertrophy.
• Straight-arm pulldown: standing facing the machine, arms extended, pull the bar in an arc toward your thighs. Targets the lats and teres major from a unique angle.

Exercises for chest and triceps

• Cable fly: high pulleys to target the lower chest, low pulleys for the upper chest. Keep a slight bend in the elbows and focus on the contraction at the end of the movement.
• Triceps pushdown: with a straight bar or rope. Keep elbows pinned to your sides, move only the forearms. The rope allows you to spread your hands at the bottom for maximum contraction.
• Reverse grip pushdown: palms facing up, push downward. Targets the long head of the triceps, often neglected.
• Cable crossover: if you have two pulleys facing each other, cross the cables in front of you for complete chest work with maximum stretch.

In your private gym in Paris, you can take the time to feel each contraction without being interrupted, which is essential for these isolation exercises.

Exercises for shoulders and abs

• Cable lateral raise: one arm at a time, cable passing behind the body. The pulley tension is greatest at the top of the movement, where dumbbells become easier. Superior to classic raises for the lateral deltoid.
• Cable front raise: same principle, constant tension on the anterior deltoid. Raise to eye level, no higher.
• Cable crunch: kneeling facing the machine, rope behind the head. Curl your torso toward the floor while contracting your abs. The progressive resistance is ideal for overloading the abs.
• Woodchop: high pulley, pull diagonally from high to low with torso rotation. Excellent for obliques and functional movement.
• Pallof press: pulley set at chest height, press your hands in front of you and resist rotation. The ultimate anti-rotation exercise for deep core stability.

By structuring your sessions at Ma Salle around the cable machine, you can create complete, varied workouts that hit every muscle from angles impossible to replicate with free weights alone. Combine cables and barbells for balanced, complete muscular development.