1. Criss Cross Your Way to a Buff Body
The cable cross machine is a system of cables attached to a pulley system with a variety of attachments to help you get a full body workout. The cables have attachments like handles, straps and ropes that can work out your upper or lower body. The nature of the cable cross machine also works out your core as you stabilize your body to complete the exercises. The big advantage of a cable cross machine is its hybrid nature combining the benefits of free weights and a machine. The cables allow a more intense full body workout while the steel beams and pulleys that support the cables help to prevent injury by eliminating dropped weights--no spotter needed here. You easily cycle through a variety of strength exercises that target all of your major body parts while using the cable cross machine to get a full body workout. Perform exercises at 70 to 80 percent of your maximal lift for 3 sets of 10 reps.
2. Speed Up Your Circuit Training
A great way to do cardio training and strength conditioning together is by conducting a circuit of full body exercises on the cable cross machine. The ease of moving the cables and switching the attachments makes this an ideal machine to use in circuit training. Minimize the resting period in between your exercises so you keep the burn going by deciding what exercises you want to do before getting started; this way you will not waste time standing around deciding what to do after finishing a set. This can be hard to do if you're at the gym during peak hours because the versatility of the cable cross machine can work against you-- many people can use different parts of it at the same time. Do as many exercises as you can in a row and then come back to the cable cross later when no one is using it.
3. Mix Up Your Exercise Regimen
Perform each of these exercises for three sets of 15 reps at 50 percent of maximal lift. Take 30 seconds between each set, then quickly move to the next exercise. If you alternate body parts during exercise you can reduce fatigue and enhance your workout time before burnout. Try doing a 2-1-2 pace to maximize your total body workout, where your concentric work takes 2 seconds, the isometric or holding phase takes 1 second, and your eccentric movement lasts 2 seconds. For example, when doing a hammer curl with the rope attachment. your initial phase of the curl should last 2 seconds, then hold the curl for 1 second at the top of the exercise, and slowly return the rope to starting position over 2 seconds. Circuit training is an awesome full body workout when you use all the possibilities of the cable cross machine, but watch out--it's a burner.
Exercises (and the primary body parts worked): Crossover (chest), crunch (abdominals), hammer curls with rope (biceps), hip adduction (quadriceps), hip abduction (hamstrings), leg curl (calves), internal rotation (shoulders), lying triceps extension (triceps), rope rear-deltoid rows (lats) and shrugs (traps).
The cable cross machine is a system of cables attached to a pulley system with a variety of attachments to help you get a full body workout. The cables have attachments like handles, straps and ropes that can work out your upper or lower body. The nature of the cable cross machine also works out your core as you stabilize your body to complete the exercises. The big advantage of a cable cross machine is its hybrid nature combining the benefits of free weights and a machine. The cables allow a more intense full body workout while the steel beams and pulleys that support the cables help to prevent injury by eliminating dropped weights--no spotter needed here. You easily cycle through a variety of strength exercises that target all of your major body parts while using the cable cross machine to get a full body workout. Perform exercises at 70 to 80 percent of your maximal lift for 3 sets of 10 reps.
2. Speed Up Your Circuit Training
A great way to do cardio training and strength conditioning together is by conducting a circuit of full body exercises on the cable cross machine. The ease of moving the cables and switching the attachments makes this an ideal machine to use in circuit training. Minimize the resting period in between your exercises so you keep the burn going by deciding what exercises you want to do before getting started; this way you will not waste time standing around deciding what to do after finishing a set. This can be hard to do if you're at the gym during peak hours because the versatility of the cable cross machine can work against you-- many people can use different parts of it at the same time. Do as many exercises as you can in a row and then come back to the cable cross later when no one is using it.
3. Mix Up Your Exercise Regimen
Perform each of these exercises for three sets of 15 reps at 50 percent of maximal lift. Take 30 seconds between each set, then quickly move to the next exercise. If you alternate body parts during exercise you can reduce fatigue and enhance your workout time before burnout. Try doing a 2-1-2 pace to maximize your total body workout, where your concentric work takes 2 seconds, the isometric or holding phase takes 1 second, and your eccentric movement lasts 2 seconds. For example, when doing a hammer curl with the rope attachment. your initial phase of the curl should last 2 seconds, then hold the curl for 1 second at the top of the exercise, and slowly return the rope to starting position over 2 seconds. Circuit training is an awesome full body workout when you use all the possibilities of the cable cross machine, but watch out--it's a burner.
Exercises (and the primary body parts worked): Crossover (chest), crunch (abdominals), hammer curls with rope (biceps), hip adduction (quadriceps), hip abduction (hamstrings), leg curl (calves), internal rotation (shoulders), lying triceps extension (triceps), rope rear-deltoid rows (lats) and shrugs (traps).
