Buzz
Gyms are filled with strange gear, from the various types of barbells to niche items like the ab wheel and bicep blaster. But the real mystery lies in the bucket or rack beside the cable machines. It’s packed with handles and attachments galore. But what exactly are they for?
The rope featuring a clip in the middle and rubber ends
What it's known as: Rope handle, tricep rope
Typically used for: Tricep pushdowns, where you grip the ends near the nubs and attach the clip to a cable positioned above your head. Check out this demo:
The small v-shaped bar
What it’s called: V-shaped pushdown handle, tricep pushdown handle
Typically used for: Tricep pushdowns, similar to the rope handle technique.
The two parallel handles positioned side by side
What it's known as: Triangle row attachment, double handle attachment, narrow grip attachment
Typically used for: Seated rows, where the cable is positioned at waist level and you're pulling it towards you with your feet braced. Check out this demo:
The medium-sized straight bar featuring a clip in the middle
What it's known as: Straight bar
Typically used for: Almost everything the other attachments can handle, such as tricep pushdowns, tricep extensions, curls, and seated rows.
The medium-sized straight bar with a clip at one end
What it's called: Swivel bar, or straight bar
Commonly used for: Exercises where you simulate motions such as swinging an axe or performing specific sports movements. Check out this demo for a few ways to use it:
The long bar with curved ends
What it's called: Lat pulldown bar
Typically used for: Lat pulldowns, where you secure your knees under a pad and pull the bar down to your chest. You usually grip the angled ends, but there are also neutral-grip bars with handles at both ends, allowing you to rotate your palms to face each other. Here’s a demo:
The long straight bar with clips on both ends
What it's called: Double swivel bar
Typically used for: Barbell-like movements such as squats and deadlifts, when both clips are attached to cable machines. These are intended for use on a machine with two parallel cable columns.
The cuff
What it's called: Ankle cuff, ankle strap
Typically used for: Attaching the cable to your ankle for exercises where you swing or push your leg against resistance. Here’s a demo:
The square-shaped handle
What it's called: D-handle, single handle
Typically used for: Exercises where you hold the cable with one hand, such as a one-handed bicep curl. You would use two of these for moves requiring two cables, like cable crossovers.
The bar with a wavy design
Known as: EZ curl bar
Primarily used for: Bicep curls, where the bar is attached to a cable positioned below waist height. The wavy shape provides a more ergonomic wrist angle compared to a straight bar.
