💪 10 Best Cable Exercises for Big-Time Growth

The Ripped Report is back to give you the boost you need to get through the mid-week doldrums. Think of us as digital pre-workout. (Just not watermelon-flavored, please.)

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• The best cable exercises for bodybuilding.

• The two best biceps exercises, according to a bodybuilding coach.

• A full recap of the 2024 New York Pro.

EXERCISE TIPS

Cable Plan

A good bodybuilder uses every tool at their disposal to build muscle: Barbells for maximal loading, dumbbells to identify and attack muscular imbalances, and, especially, cables. The cable tree is, in many ways, your best friend in the weight room.

By freeing yourself from the constraints of gravity, you open up a wide array of new exercises and techniques for building muscle. Think of the cable lateral raise, which applies tension to your shoulder from top to bottom. Or perhaps the tried-and-true chest flye — few exercises help you squeeze your pecs better.

You can train basically every muscle in your body with cables, sure, but for maximal muscle growth, context and application reign supreme. Some cable exercises are simply better for bodybuilding than others, and these 10 movements stand above the rest.

TRAINING

Two of a Kind

Building buff biceps is a big deal to bodybuilders, broadly speaking. But here’s the kicker — with so many biceps curl variations out there, how are you supposed to know which kind of curls kick butt and which fall flat?

That’s where professional muscle-maker Joe Bennett comes in. “The Hypertrophy Coach” trains and consults some of the baddest physique athletes on the planet, including two-time Arnold Classic winner Terrence Ruffin and Ms. Physique Olympia Dana Linn Bailey.

In a May 14 YouTube video, Bennett detailed his picks for the pair of biceps curls that stand above the rest: The single-arm preacher curl and the Bayesian cable curl

Here’s how to do them to build muscle.

SHOW RESULTS

The Mutant Takes Manhattan

The 2024 New York Pro saw the return of Nick Walker to the bodybuilding stage — it also saw him win the Men’s Open bodybuilding division. He was one of 20 athletes who entered the 20th edition of the contest on Saturday, May 18, in Teaneck, NJ. Martin Fitzwater came in second place, and rounding out the top three was 2023 champion Tonio Burton.

Aside from the win, Walker is now qualified for the 2024 Mr. Olympia, which will be held the weekend of Oct. 10-13 in Las Vegas.

THE DROP SET

Arnold’s Near-Hulk Experience

• Arnold Schwarzenegger is synonymous with roles like Conan the Barbarian and the Terminator — but did you know he could have also played the Hulk? If only he were just a little taller…

• You’re a BarBend reader, so, of course, you want to squat more weight. And mastering the 90/90 stretch might help you move a few extra lbs.

• If dips aren’t part of your gym routine, they should be. And if they are a part of it, please make sure you’re doing them right.