Cable RDL

How to Perform the Cable RDL

Set a cable pulley to the lowest position and attach a straight bar or rope handle. Stand facing the machine about 1-2 feet back.
Grab the attachment with both hands and step back until there is tension on the cable, standing with feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in your knees.
Brace your core and maintain a flat back as you initiate the movement by hinging at the hips, pushing your glutes backward.
Lower your torso toward the floor while keeping the cable handle close to your legs, stopping when you feel a deep stretch in the hamstrings or your torso is roughly parallel to the floor.
Drive your hips forward to return to the standing position, squeezing your glutes hard at the top.
Repeat for the prescribed number of reps, maintaining constant tension from the cable throughout.

Rounding the lower back during the hinge

Keep your back flat and chest up by thinking about pushing your hips back rather than bending forward with your torso.

Bending the knees too much, turning it into a squat

Maintain only a slight knee bend; the movement should be a hip hinge, not a squat.

Standing too close to the machine, losing tension

Step back far enough that there is tension on the cable throughout the entire range of motion, including at the top.

✓Provides constant tension throughout the movement, unlike free weights where tension decreases at the top.
✓Lower injury risk than barbell RDLs due to the guided resistance path.
✓Excellent for building a mind-muscle connection with the hamstrings and glutes.

●The constant tension from the cable makes this variation excellent for hypertrophy.
●Face away from the machine and pass the cable between your legs for a different angle of resistance.
●Focus on feeling the hamstring stretch at the bottom and the glute squeeze at the top.

Strength

4-5 sets of 6-8 reps

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 10-15 reps

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps

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