Cable Pull-Through

Which muscles does it train?

Equipment needed

How to perform it

For strength, 3 to 5 sets of 2 to 5 reps with 3 to 5 minutes of rest are common. For hypertrophy, use 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps with 2 to 3 minutes of rest.

Execution and technique cues

• Attach a rope to the low pulley, stand facing away from the stack, grip both rope ends between your legs, and walk forward until the cable is taut.
• Push the hips back into a hinge until the torso is nearly parallel to the floor, with a slight knee bend and a neutral spine. The rope should pass between your legs throughout.
• Drive the hips forward and up explosively by contracting the glutes and hamstrings until you are standing fully upright with the hips locked out.
• Keep the arms relaxed and let them follow passively as the hips extend. All force generation should come from the hip drive, not from pulling with the arms or rounding the back.

Common mistakes

• Pulling with the arms and back instead of driving with the hips, which shifts the load away from the glutes and hamstrings onto the lumbar erectors.
• Squatting instead of hinging by bending the knees too deeply. The cable pull-through is a hip hinge pattern and the knee angle should remain relatively constant throughout the rep.
• Standing too close to the machine, which reduces the horizontal tension in the cable at the bottom position and diminishes the resistance at the most important part of the movement.

Frequently asked questions

How is the cable pull-through different from a Romanian deadlift?

Both are hip hinge exercises targeting the glutes and hamstrings. The cable pull-through provides forward-directed resistance that increases spinal safety because the load does not compress the spine axially. It is often used to teach the hip hinge pattern before loading the Romanian deadlift.

Should I squeeze the glutes at the top of the movement?

Yes. A deliberate glute contraction at full hip extension increases peak muscle activation and reinforces the movement pattern. Hold the contraction for one count at the top before returning to the hinge position.

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