Cable Machine Only: Full Body Program

Overview

Cables provide something no barbell or dumbbell can: constant tension through the entire range of motion. There is no resting at the top or bottom of a rep. Your muscles are loaded from start to finish, which makes cables one of the most effective hypertrophy tools in the gym.

This 6-week program uses only cable machines. You will train 4 days per week using an upper/lower split. Every exercise keeps your muscles under continuous tension, which means lighter weights feel much harder than you expect.

Leave your ego at the door. You will use less weight than you think you need.

Weeks 1-3: Hypertrophy Foundation

Day 1 - Upper Body Push + Pull

• •Cable Chest Press: 4x12 (60s rest)
• •Cable Row (seated, neutral grip): 4x12 (60s rest)
• •Cable Flye (low to high): 3x15 (45s rest)
• •Cable Face Pull: 3x15 (45s rest)
• •Cable Lateral Raise: 3x15 (45s rest)
• •Cable Overhead Tricep Extension: 3x12 (45s rest)
• •Cable Curl: 3x12 (45s rest)

Day 2 - Lower Body + Core

• •Cable Pull-Through: 4x12 (60s rest)
• •Cable Goblet Squat (hold handle at chest): 4x12 (60s rest)
• •Cable Romanian Deadlift: 3x12 (60s rest)
• •Cable Kickback (glute): 3x12 per side (45s rest)
• •Cable Lateral Lunge: 3x10 per side (45s rest)
• •Cable Woodchop: 3x12 per side (45s rest)
• •Cable Crunch: 3x15 (30s rest)

Day 3 - Upper Body Emphasis

• •Cable Lat Pulldown: 4x12 (60s rest)
• •Cable Incline Press (on adjustable bench): 4x12 (60s rest)
• •Single-Arm Cable Row: 3x12 per side (45s rest)
• •Cable Reverse Flye: 3x15 (45s rest)
• •Cable Front Raise: 3x12 (45s rest)
• •Cable Rope Pushdown: 3x12 (45s rest)
• •Cable Hammer Curl (rope): 3x12 (45s rest)

Day 4 - Lower Body + Core

• •Cable Squat (face away from machine): 4x12 (60s rest)
• •Cable Sumo Deadlift: 4x12 (60s rest)
• •Cable Step-Back Lunge: 3x10 per side (60s rest)
• •Cable Hip Adduction: 3x12 per side (45s rest)
• •Cable Hip Abduction: 3x12 per side (45s rest)
• •Pallof Press: 3x10 per side (45s rest)
• •Cable Reverse Crunch: 3x15 (30s rest)

Weeks 4-6: Intensification

Same split, higher intensity techniques. Each session includes drop sets and slow eccentrics.

Day 1 - Upper Body Push + Pull (Intensified)

• •Cable Chest Press: 4x10 with 3s eccentric (60s rest)
• •Cable Row: 4x10 with 3s eccentric (60s rest)
• •Cable Flye: 3x12 + drop set on last set (45s rest)
• •Cable Face Pull: 3x12 with 2s hold at contraction (45s rest)
• •Cable Lateral Raise: 3x12 + drop set on last set (45s rest)
• •Cable Overhead Tricep Extension: 3x10 with 3s eccentric (45s rest)
• •Cable Curl: 3x10 with 2s squeeze at top (45s rest)

Day 2 - Lower Body + Core (Intensified)

• •Cable Pull-Through: 4x10 with 2s squeeze at top (60s rest)
• •Cable Goblet Squat: 4x10 with 3s eccentric (60s rest)
• •Cable Romanian Deadlift: 3x10 with 3s eccentric (60s rest)
• •Cable Glute Kickback: 3x10 per side with 2s hold (45s rest)
• •Cable Lateral Lunge: 3x8 per side with pause at bottom (45s rest)
• •Cable Woodchop: 3x10 per side (explosive) (45s rest)
• •Cable Crunch: 3x12 with 2s squeeze (30s rest)

Day 3 - Upper Body Emphasis (Intensified)

• •Cable Lat Pulldown: 4x10 with 3s eccentric (60s rest)
• •Cable Incline Press: 4x10 with 3s eccentric (60s rest)
• •Single-Arm Cable Row: 3x10 per side with 2s hold (45s rest)
• •Cable Reverse Flye: 3x12 + drop set on last set (45s rest)
• •Cable Upright Row: 3x12 (45s rest)
• •Cable Rope Pushdown: 3x10 + drop set on last set (45s rest)
• •Cable Hammer Curl: 3x10 with 3s eccentric (45s rest)

Day 4 - Lower Body + Core (Intensified)

• •Cable Squat: 4x10 with 3s eccentric (60s rest)
• •Cable Sumo Deadlift: 4x10 with 2s pause at bottom (60s rest)
• •Cable Step-Back Lunge: 3x8 per side with 2s pause at bottom (60s rest)
• •Cable Hip Adduction: 3x10 per side with 2s hold (45s rest)
• •Cable Hip Abduction: 3x10 per side with 2s hold (45s rest)
• •Pallof Press with Rotation: 3x8 per side (45s rest)
• •Cable Reverse Crunch: 3x12 with slow eccentric (30s rest)

Progression Guidelines

• •Increase weight by 1 pin (usually 5-10 lbs) when you can complete all reps with clean form
• •Slow eccentrics are the key intensity driver in Weeks 4-6. Count the seconds honestly
• •Drop sets: immediately reduce weight by 30-40% and continue to failure
• •Keep rest periods strict. Cables are most effective when you maintain metabolic stress
• •If your gym has dual-adjustable cable columns, you can do many exercises bilaterally. If you only have a single cable stack, alternate sides

Why Cables Work

Free weights have a strength curve. Cables do not. A dumbbell lateral raise is hardest at the top and easiest at the bottom. A cable lateral raise is equally hard at every point. This means more total time under tension, which is the primary driver of muscle growth.

If you have been training exclusively with barbells and dumbbells, cables will expose weaknesses in your range of motion you did not know you had. That is a feature, not a bug.