Must Do Moves at the Gym by Sarah Johnson

If you have limited time, space or comfort level at your gym, there is one machine to stick by during your entire workout – and you can strengthen your whole body in just a short amount of time. The cable machine is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment in the gym – with its various attachments, you can strengthen your upper body, lower body, core and even get some cardio work in without trekking all over the facility. Below are a few of my favorite combination exercises you can do using just one side of the cable machine and only two attachments. Moving quickly from one exercise to the next will keep your heart rate elevated and keep rest time to a minimum – you’ll be in and out in 30 minutes or less! (Consult your physician before beginning exercise.)

Need help adjusting the cable height or removing attachments? Gym staff will be happy to help!

Using Single Handle:

Lunge & Row: Place handle at abdomen level. Facing machine, stagger feet into lunge position and grab handle with arm opposite front leg. When lunging down, pull handle back, reaching elbow to wall behind you. Stand and release. Repeat with other arm and leg.

Core Twist & Step Away: Place handle at abdomen level. Facing perpendicular to machine, grasp handle with both hands, keeping arms straight. Step away from machine with leg further from cable, while turning the upper body using your arms. Carefully return leg and arms to starting position. Repeat with other side.

Using Straight Bar:

Press Down & Squat: Place bar above shoulder height. Standing shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, grasp bar with straight arms and bring down to shoulder height. Keeping your back straight and abdominals engaged, press the bar straight down to your thighs, as you sit back into your hips. Slowly return to a standing position and return the arms to shoulder height.

This article is written by Sarah Johnson. Follow Sarah on Twitter via @SarahJChicago