Execution form
- EquipmentCable
- PatternHinge
- Reps10 to 20 reps
- Joint loadLower back
How to do the Cable Pull-Through
Set up. Attach a rope to a low cable. Face away from the machine, take the rope between your legs and walk forward until there is tension.
- Hinge at the hips, letting the rope pull your hands back between your legs.
- Keep your back flat and knees softly bent.
- Drive your hips forward to stand tall.
Form cues
- Push the hips back, not down.
- Keep the arms relaxed.
- Squeeze the glutes at the top.
Common mistakes
- Squatting instead of hinging.
- Pulling with the arms.
Muscles worked
Main target: Glutes. The glutes are the three muscles of the buttock. They extend the hip, standing up out of a squat or finishing a hinge, and keep the pelvis level on one leg.
On the way: Hamstrings and Lower back.
Its other side: Quads, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Cable Pull-Through, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Hack Squat Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Seated Calf Raise Same legs session: it trains the calves.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Hip Abduction Often left out: it trains the abductors, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Cable Pull-Through first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Cable Pull-Through 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Hack Squat 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Seated Calf Raise 3 × 10 to 25 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Hip Abduction 3 × 12 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Glute Bridge
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Hip Thrust Machine
Machine
Less load on the lower back
Hip Thrust
The Cable Pull-Through loads the lower back by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Hip Thrust.
Other variations of the Hip Thrust: Glute Bridge, B-Stance Hip Thrust, Hip Thrust Machine and Smith Machine Hip Thrust.
Do before it: Broomstick Hip Hinge (same movement, lighter), Glute Bridge (glutes switched on), Single-Leg Glute Bridge (same movement, lighter) and Banded Lateral Walk (glutes switched on).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Cable Pull-Through is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Cable Pull-Through?
Set up: Attach a rope to a low cable. Face away from the machine, take the rope between your legs and walk forward until there is tension. Steps: 1. Hinge at the hips, letting the rope pull your hands back between your legs. 2. Keep your back flat and knees softly bent. 3. Drive your hips forward to stand tall. Form cues: Push the hips back, not down. Keep the arms relaxed. Squeeze the glutes at the top. Common mistakes: Squatting instead of hinging. Pulling with the arms.
What muscles does the Cable Pull-Through work?
It trains the glutes as its main target and works the hamstrings and lower back on the way.
What can I do instead of the Cable Pull-Through?
At home: Glute Bridge. In a gym: Hip Thrust Machine. With less load on the lower back: Hip Thrust. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Cable Pull-Through with?
Good partners in the same workout are Hack Squat, Seated Calf Raise, Cossack Squat and Hip Abduction.
How heavy should the Cable Pull-Through be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.