5 Lower Back Exercises with Cables

The lower back can be tricky to work out. I’ve picked 5 exercises that you can do with cables. Cables are versatile, so these moves will help you target different areas of your back depending on the angle of the pull. So whether you want the long curved look of the swimmer’s back or a flat and ripped look, these five exercises will help you in your journey to a great set of abs and a strong lower back.

1. Cable deadlift

The cable deadlift is one of the most effective exercises for working the lower back muscles. There are three variations of this exercise: straight legs, bent knees, or with a V-bar attached to your waist. Whichever variation you choose will work every inch of your lower back from the area where it attaches to your hips down to your tailbone. This exercise is an excellent choice for wrapping up your workout because it allows you to use a heavier weight than many other back exercises which means more overload and stimulation for muscle growth.

Here is how you do the perfect cable deadlift:

1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. If you are using a V-bar, attach it to your waist. If not, hold a straight bar in your hands with your palms facing your thighs.
2. Bend at your hips and lower your torso until it is parallel to the floor. Keep your back straight and your head up.
3. From this position, raise your torso and the weight until you are standing upright again.
4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The cable deadlift is an awesome exercise. It hits the entire lower back, engages every core muscle in your midsection, and allows you to use heavyweight. The pump you get from a good cable deadlift session is legitimate. If you want to focus on your back or strengthen your lower back then the cable deadlift will help you achieve your goals faster.

2. Cable pull-through

One of the most unique and effective exercises you can do to strengthen your lower back muscles is called the cable pull-through. The purpose of this exercise is to build strength, especially on the lower back. Thousands of people have used this exercise to successfully strengthen their lower back and reduce their pain from chronic lower back problems.

To do cable pull-through:

1. Attach a rope handle to a high pulley on a cable machine.
2. Facing away from the machine, hold the rope handle with your palms facing each other.
3. Keeping your back straight, extend your hips and legs until you are in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
4. Pull the rope handle through your legs, keeping your core engaged, until you reach the standing position.
5. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

This particular exercise can be performed at home or in the gym, either as part of a weight-lifting routine or in place of a weight lifting session. Performing this exercise regularly can reduce lower back pain, improve core and back strength, and increase flexibility.

3. Cable sumo deadlift

The cable sumo deadlift is one of the best exercises that you can do for not just strengthening your lower back muscles, but for overall back health. However, for people with lower back issues, deadlifts can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. Here is a simple cable sumo deadlift workout that you can use to both get strong and work on developing a strong core.

1. Start by setting a cable pulley to about waist height.
2. Step up to the pulley, and position your feet so that they are about shoulder-width apart.
3. Bend your knees and hips so that your hips are lower than your knees, and reach down to grab the pulley with both hands.
4. From this position, drive your heels into the floor and stand up, keeping the cable pulley close to your body as you do.
5. Once you are standing upright, slowly lower the pulley back down to the starting position.

The cable sumo deadlift will help build the muscles that are used in the wide stance conventional deadlift, but with significantly less stress on your lower back. Doing this allows you to get the same benefits of a conventional deadlift but without all of the potential pain and discomfort. So, if you suffer from pain or discomfort in your lower back when doing wide stance deadlifts or other movements, give cable sumo deadlifts a try.

4. Cable Romanian deadlift

Doing cable Romanian deadlifts is a great way to strengthen your lower back muscles, your hamstrings and improve your grip strength. It is important to perform the exercise correctly in order to achieve good results and avoid injuries.

You will need access to a cable machine with band pegs and a rope attachment of some sort. Ensure you have comfortable footwear and that your knees are aligned with your ankles when you perform the exercise.

Here is how you do cable Romanian deadlift:

1. Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and the rope attachment in both hands.
2. Brace your core and hinge at the hips to lower your torso and the rope attachment toward the floor.
3. Keep your back straight and your knees slightly bent as you lower.
4. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, reverse the motion to return to the starting position.

Cable Romanian deadlifts are an important part of any workout program. By pulling against the resistance of the cable machine you will help to strengthen your lower back, hamstrings and gluteals. Perform in a way which means that you feel the tension on your hamstrings and glutes without allowing any movement of your back. This will maintain the focus on these two muscle groups and make sure that your back remains strong and can support you.

5. Standing Cable Rows

Standing cable rows are a great exercise to strengthen the back muscles. They are challenging and force you to focus on proper form. While people tend to go heavy on weight, this exercise is more about form than anything else. They work your biceps subtly as you are pulling the cable towards you. One of the biggest benefits of this exercise is that it does not put undue strain on your lower back.

Here is how you perform the exercise: 

1. Attach a rope handle to a low pulley.
2. Grasp the rope with your palms facing each other.
3. Step back until your arms are extended in front of you.
4. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward from the hips.
5. Keeping your back flat, pull the rope toward your chest.
6. Pause for a count of two, then slowly return to the starting position.

Standing cable rows are a great exercise for your back because they allow you to strengthen your lower back muscles. It strengthens these muscles by forcing you to use good form. This exercise should be a staple in any back workout routine. If you have never done this exercise before, it is important that you start with a lighter weight until you learn the proper form.

Conclusion

We all want a strong, tight, and ripped back, so many of us invest in the gym trying to achieve the perfect back. But then we get into the gym and don’t know what exercise to do. In this article, I have given you 5 moves that you can use in any gym with a cable machine to strengthen your lower back muscles. Just remember different variations in weight and repetitions are always good so that you can see the best results.