Cable-ready mass
Flex, May, 2003 by Ronnie Coleman
Q: How can I use cable exercises to make major improvements in my physique?
A: I've been Mr. Olympia five times in a row because I use both extremely heavy free weights and strictly isolated cable movements. In fact, to the surprise of many, much of my muscle superiority can be attributed to cables, rather than to free weights. I hear people gasping at some of my biceps and triceps shots, as well as at my side-chest and most-muscular poses. I think what catches their attention is the detail that only cable movements could have given me.
Used correctly, cables enable you to take your physique to the next level. Here are my favorites, the muscles they hit, and how and why I use them.
CHEST
Cable crossovers You might be the best bench presser in the world and have the biggest chest, but it won't stand out as muscular unless your inner pecs are deeply separated and full of steely striations. The only way to get that type of inner-pec definition is from cable crossovers In a normal press, the pecs are contracted only to the point where your arms are straight in front of you, but with cable crossovers, you squeeze your pecs to their max, mashing them together by crossing your arms. The tension is constant, and I burn them even further by holding each squeeze for a second or two. Put these at the end of your chest workout and you'll get the best results; major chest muscles will have been fatigued, requiring your inner pecs to do all the work. To concentrate on your upper middle pecs, do these on an incline.
BICEPS
Two-arm cable curls Consistent tension throughout the range of motion makes this the best exercise for filling out the biceps near their insertions, and it yields results during both positive and negative motions. Sometimes it's my final exercise on biceps day, but on other occasions, I start my biceps workout with it for a thorough pre-exhaust and tight pump.
One-arm cable curls If you're wondering how I got my biceps brachii to peak so high, split so deep and bulge so wide, and how I got my brachialis to poke so far out of the side of my arm, this exercise is the answer. Depending upon how I supinate or pronate my hand as I curl, I can isolate any one of those muscles, then pump it exclusively, without one of its ancillary muscles failing first.
TRICEPS
Cable pressdowns By getting a long full press and then a hard peak contraction at the bottom, I can add deep mass to the horseshoe portion of my upper triceps.
Overhead cable extensions These are for filling in the bottom of my triceps, near the elbow. I push as hard as I can and get a peak contraction.
Reverse one-arm cable extensions By supinating or pronating my hand accordingly, I can isolate and bring out the mass of any specific muscle in my triceps complex, particularly those at the extreme inside and outside of my upper arm.
Remember that cable exercises are not for bulking but for muscle building, so control the movement strictly, keep your reps near 12 per set, and make sure you get a pump precisely where intended. Don't be afraid to add some cables to your workouts. I wouldn't be where I am today without them.
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"It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up." | 
