Photo by Angela Roma
Having a home gym can be extremely beneficial for those who want to stay in shape. Without the right attachments, though, these impressive pieces of equipment won’t live up to their full potential.
Since each attachment serves a different purpose in terms of exercises and muscle targeting, serious workout buffs usually have a number of them. Read on to learn about 10 must-have attachments for cable machines, how they work, and why they’re necessary.
1. Tricep Ropes
Tricep ropes are thick, braided ropes with rubber stoppers at the ends that are looped through metal attached to the clips on cable machines. There are multiple types of tricep ropes available in different thicknesses and lengths. Standard sizes are anywhere from 24 to 28 inches long and 1.25 to 1.5 inches thick, but home gym owners may be able to find additional options through a manufacturer of custom made cable attachments and bars.
The purpose of tricep ropes is to target the muscle’s lateral head, which supports hypertrophy in the upper arms and aids in strengthening the elbow. These attachments can be used to assist in tricep pressdowns and extensions, offering a greater range of motion than typical bars. However, they can also be used to target other muscle groups through hammer curls, cable crunches, seated rows, face pulls, and straight-arm pulldowns.
2. EZ Curl Attachments
EZ curl attachments are zigzag-shaped curl bars that weigh between two and seven pounds and are around 30″ long. They can be made out of chrome, steel, or aluminum and often feature rubber grip sections. These attachments are less versatile than tricep ropes, but no less essential because their shape places the arm in a proper position for doing curls that alleviates pressure on the wrists and elbows.
The top exercise performed with an EZ curl attachment is the bicep curl. Users can adopt different grips to target the two bicep heads in different ways and can also use the attachment to perform tricep pushdowns, upright rows, and lat pulldowns with a narrow grip.
3. Single Cables
Just about every cable machine comes with a strong and sturdy cable wire. Unfortunately, though, these cables fray and can snap, and they can’t be repaired safely at home. Buy a replacement cable and keep it on hand to avoid issues should the original cable become damaged.
4. D-Handles
Sometimes called stirrup handles, the D-handle is the only cable attachment used for single-arm workouts. These D-shaped metal handles typically feature thick rubber or nylon grips and are made for seated cable machines. They’re good for anyone worried about strength imbalances who wants to focus on unilateral exercises such as single-arm seated rows, cable curls, lateral raises, and pallof presses. Some people even purchase two D-handles for full cable stations so they can also use these attachments for cable crossovers.
5. Pulldown Bars
Pulldown bars are also known as long straight bar attachments, even though they’re straight only in the center and angled down on each side. The bars are always at least four feet long, can be made of steel or chrome, and feature knurled grip sections or rubber grips. Designed for seated cable machines, they’re one of few attachments that give users a wide grip to target lats.
Unsurprisingly, the most common exercise performed using pulldown bars is the lat pulldown. However, this exercise can be performed with different grip styles to target lats, rhomboids, traps, rear deltoids, and even biceps. Despite the comparative lack of versatility, pulldown bars are worth it for strengthening the back.
6. Short Straight Bars
Short straight bars are the shorter version of the pulldown bar. They’re made of steel or chrome and feature rubber grips and stoppers, and unlike the pulldown bars, they’re usually just 20″ long. Short straight bars are good for working the arms, shoulders, and back through exercises like cable curls, tricep pushdowns, upright rows, face pulls, and seated rows.
7. V-Handles
V-handles are V-shaped pieces of metal with knurled handles and knobbed ends. They’re perfect for anyone with a history of wrist injuries because these attachments allow users to place their hands and wrists in a safer, more comfortable position for tricep pushdowns and some kinds of lat pulldowns. They also allow a greater range of motion when used for seated cable rows.
8. Ankle Straps
Ankle straps are neoprene or nylon cuffs that can be secured to the ankle using velcro, with some brands featuring additional foot straps for extra reassurance. These attachments allow users to target the lower body with their cable machines, which would otherwise be impossible.
The exercises performed with ankle straps tend to target the glutes and hamstrings, both of which can be challenging to isolate when using barbells or dumbbells for lower-body workouts. These attachments can be used to perform cable kickbacks, lateral lunges, cable leg extensions, and standing hamstring curls.
9. Single Tricep Ropes
Single tricep ropes are similar to regular rope attachments. These thick pieces of braided rope are usually around 15″ long and feature rubber stoppers to keep the hands from slipping. The difference is that they’re not looped through metal clips and instead feature just one long rope for single-handed exercises. They’re most useful for people who want to incorporate extra unilateral tricep work into their routines.
10. Double D-Handle
Double D-handles look like two regular D-handles fused into a V shape. They’re made of metal and feature knurled handles or rubber grips. These attachments are best suited for close-grip exercises such as seated cable rows that target the lats and rhomboids, although close-grip lat pulldowns can also be a good addition to people’s routines. Home gym owners with barbell and landmine attachments can use double-D handles to perform T-bar rows as a better alternative to barbell rows for isolating the back muscles.
The Importance of Buying Quality Attachments
When it comes to choosing attachments, one of the most essential factors is the quality of the materials and construction. Choose a vendor that specializes in selling custom gym and fitness equipment and has a good reputation among other home gym owners.
