Exercise guide · Legs & Glutes

Cable Pull-Through

The cable pull-through trains the glutes and hamstrings using a rope attachment on a low cable pulley. Standing with your back to the machine, you hinge at the hips and push them back through your legs as you reach for the rope, then drive forward into a tall standing position while squeezing your glutes.

Targets: Glutes
Equipment: Cable
Type: Isolation

Step by step

How to do the Cable Pull-Through

Attach a rope to a low cable pulley and select a moderate weight.
Straddle the cable facing away from the machine, reach back between your legs and grip each end of the rope with a neutral grip.
Walk one or two steps forward until there is steady tension on the cable, feet shoulder-width apart.
Push your hips back and hinge forward, letting the rope travel between your legs as your torso drops toward parallel—keep your spine neutral and chest up.
Drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to return to a tall standing position, keeping your arms relaxed and letting the hips lead.

Form cues

Push hips back first—it's a hinge, not a squat
Neutral spine from start to finish
Squeeze glutes hard as you stand up
Arms are just connectors—glutes do the work

Common mistakes

Squatting down instead of hinging at the hips
Rounding the lower back as you reach back for the rope
Pulling with the arms rather than extending at the hip
Standing too far from the stack and losing cable tension

Muscles worked

Primary

Glutes

Secondary

Hamstrings

Safety: Keep the weight light enough that you can maintain a neutral spine throughout. If the cable pulls you off balance, step closer to the stack. Stop if you feel strain in the lower back.

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