Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Cable Pull Through (With Rope): How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The cable pull through (with rope) is a hip hinge exercise that targets the glutes, with secondary emphasis on the hamstrings and lower back. It is performed using a cable machine and a rope attachment, focusing on hip extension and posterior chain activation.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings
Equipment
Cable
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the cable pull through (with rope)
Front view: muscles worked by the cable pull through (with rope). Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings.
Back view: muscles worked by the cable pull through (with rope). Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings.
Primary Secondary

How to do the cable pull through (with rope)

  1. Step 1: Stand facing away from the cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Step 2: Grab the rope attachment with both hands and step forward, creating tension in the cable.
  3. Step 3: Bend at the hips and lower your upper body until it is parallel to the ground, keeping your back straight.
  4. Step 4: Engage your glutes and hamstrings to pull your body back up to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the cable pull through (with rope) 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 Pull Through (With Rope) alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

See the best glute exercises, ranked →

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.