Latest addition to the gym

A new cable machine. Excellent for exercising all major muscles groups and isolation exercises. As well as the flexibility for changing the angles and planes of movement, unlike many dumbbell movements, the resistance curve matches the body’s natural strength curve. This is that the muscle is stronger at the start and weaker at the end of the movement. So, when you do an exercise, it is ideal to follow that natural resistance curve.

For example, comparing the side lateral raise on a cable versus with dumbbells. With dumbbells, there is no resistance at the start of the exercise. Yet this is where the deltoids (shoulder muscle) are at their strongest. As the dumbbells come up, the resistance increases until it is hardest at the top position of the movement. This however is the weakest point of the strength curve – the resistance curve of the standing side lateral raise with dumbbells is the opposite of the muscle’s natural strength curve.

When you do the side lateral raise one arm at a time on a cable pulley machine, the resistance curve perfectly matches your natural strength curve. When you position the pulley’s height at the same height as your wrist when your arm is at your side in the start position, the cable will be perpendicular to your forearm during the first part of the movement. This provides the early phase loading, which is ideal. Then, as the cable goes up the resistance decreases which also follows the muscle’s strength curve.