Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Cable Deadlift: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The cable deadlift is a compound exercise targeting the glutes, with secondary emphasis on the hamstrings, quadriceps, and lower back. It involves lifting a cable from a lowered position by hinging at the hips and extending the body to a standing position.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings , Quads
Equipment
Cable
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the cable deadlift
Front view: muscles worked by the cable deadlift. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings and quads.
Back view: muscles worked by the cable deadlift. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings and quads.
Primary Secondary

How to do the cable deadlift

  1. Step 1: Stand facing the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Step 2: Bend at the hips and knees, lowering your torso until your back is parallel to the ground.
  3. Step 3: Grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip, keeping your arms straight and your shoulders back.
  4. Step 4: Engage your glutes and hamstrings to lift the cable handles, extending your hips and standing up straight.
  5. Step 5: Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the cable handles back down to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the cable deadlift by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Cable Deadlift alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.