Functional Trainer Exercise List: Cable Movements

A functional trainer is a big and expensive piece of equipment. But which exercises can you actually use it for? Can you do full-body exercises or just isolate muscles on a functional trainer? Let’s find out.

A functional trainer can be used to work out almost all muscles in the body. The amount of functional trainer exercises is almost limitless since you can vary; pulley height, body position, and cable attachment. Functional trainer exercises use the whole body if performed standing on your feet.

Below you can find a list of some of the best exercises on a functional trainer for each body part.

Functional Trainer Exercise List

Below you can find a list of the best exercises on a functional trainer that focus on a specific body part. Performing these exercises on your feet will involve your whole body but the main driver of the exercise will still be targeted the most.

Suggested: Which muscles can a functional trainer work?

This is by no means an exhaustive list. A functional trainer allows you to change so many variables that it would be impossible to list all variations. The biggest variables you can change are; pulley height, body position, and cable attachment. However, in the list below, you can find all the popular exercises that are commonly performed on cable machines and some less popular ones.

Click the link on the name of the exercise to find a YouTube video showing exactly how to do it.

Biceps Cable Exercises

Here are all the cable exercises you need for a grueling bicep cable workout.

Exercise	# of Pulleys	Best Attachment
Standing curls	1 or 2	EZ bar, straight bar, D handles
Cable preacher curl	1	Ez bar, straight bar, D handles
Cable hammer curl	1	Tricep rope, Single grip tricep rope
Incline bench cable curl	2	D handles
Overhead cable curl	2	D handles
Reverse EZ bar curl	2	EZ bar

Triceps Movements

The back of the arms often don’t get as much love as the biceps. Here are the best cable movements to take care of your triceps and give them as much attention as they deserve.

Exercise	# of Pulleys	Best Attachment
Triceps pushdown	1	Triceps rope, straight bar
Cable overhead extension	1	Triceps rope, straight bar
Horizontal tricep extension	1	D handle
High pulley overhead extensions	1	Triceps rope
Triceps kickback	1	Single grip triceps rope, D handles
Reverse tricep pushdown	1	Straight bar

Core Exercises

Looking for core stability, strength, athleticism and maybe even 6-pack abs? These cable core movements will you on your way.

Exercise	# of Pulleys	Best Attachment	Main Target
Kneeling Cable Crunch	1	Triceps rope	Rectus Abdominis (upper part focus)
Hanging leg raise	0	Pull up bar	Rectus Abdominis (lower part focus)
Standing Cable Pallof Press	1	D handle	Obliques
Standing cable crunch	1	Triceps rope	Rectus Abdominis (upper focus)
Kneeling Oblique Cable Twists	1	Triceps rope	Obliques
Reverse cable crunch	1	Strap	Rectus Abdominis (lower part focus)
Plank cable row	1	D handle	Transversus Abdominus
Wood chop	1	D handle	Transverse abdominis, obliques

Legs Building Cable Movements

Leg day is painful but necessary if you don’t want chicken legs. These cable leg exercises won’t make leg day any easier but they are effective.

Exercise	# of Pulleys	Best Attachment	Main Target
Cable squat	2	Cable barbell, D handles	Quads, Glutes, Hams
Cable lunges	1	D handles	Quads, Glutes, Hams
Ankle strap front/back/side lunge	1	Ankle strap	Quads, Glutes, Hams, Adductors, Abductors
Single leg squat	2	D handles	Quads, Glutes, Hams
Hamstring Cable Curl	1	Ankle strap	Hamstrings
Calf raise	2	Cable barbell, D handles	Calves
Donkey kickback	1 or 2	Cable barbell, D handles, ankle strap	Glutes
Pull Through	1	Triceps rope	Glutes, Hamstrings

Functional Trainer Back Exercises

These are all the movements you need for a stronger, bigger back. A strong back is great for looks as well as spine health and overall strength.

Exercise	# of Pulleys	Best Attachment	Main Target
Lat pulldown	1 or 2	Straight/bent bar	Latissimus dorsi
Standing row	1 or 2	Straight bar/ D handles	Lats, rhomboids, trapezius, biceps
Seated row	1 or 2	Straight bar/ D handles	Lats, rhomboids, trapezius, biceps
Single arm row	2	D handle	Lats, rhomboids, trapezius, biceps
Straight arm pushdown	1 or 2	Straight bar	Lats, Upper back, Rear deltoid, Triceps, Chest, Core
Reverse cable fly	2	D handle	Rear deltoid, Trapezius, Rotator cuff
Face pull	1	Triceps rope	Rear deltoids, trapezius, rotator cuff, traps

Cable Crossover Chest Movements

The pecs can be hit from a lot of different angles. The list below gives you plenty of options and variations.

Exercise	# of Pulleys	Best Attachment
Cable crossover	2	D handles
Cable fly	2	D handles
Low cable fly	2	D handles
Unilateral cable press	1	D handles
Bench cable press	2	Cable barbell, D handles
Incline cable press	2	Cable barbell, D handles
Cable iron cross	2	D handles

Shoulder Cable Exercises

To get that coveted V-taper, you have to build wide shoulders. The movements below are all the cable movements you’re going to need.

Exercise	# of Pulleys	Best Attachment
Lateral raise	2	D handles
Front Delt Raise	2	D handles
Rear delt fly	2	D handles
Leaning Single-Arm Lateral Raises	1	D handles
Shoulder press	2	D handles
Upright row	1	Straight bar
Rear delt crossover	2	D handles
Cable shrug	2	D handles

Click here to find the 5 cable attachments you need for a full-body workout

Can a Functional Trainer Provide a Full Body Workout?

The cool thing about a functional trainer being called ‘functional’ is that it makes you work out while you’re standing up. So, when your arms are doing something, your whole body has to join in to make the movement possible because the only way to stay steady is by using all your muscles.

This way of exercising means you integrate the increased strength of the targeted muscle into your whole body, not just making one muscle stronger. So in that way, working out on a functional trainer is always full-body to some degree.

But aside from that, it’s possible to work out every muscle in the body by using a cable crossover machine. The height-adjustable pulleys and all the different attachments mean you can do a ton of different exercises for pretty much every muscle in your body, you can see the evidence in the list above.

Suggested: How much does a functional trainer cost?