Cable Pull-through

How to perform it

1. 1Preparation and positioning. Attach a rope to the lowest setting of a cable column. Face away from the stack, pass the rope between the legs and hold one end in each hand.
2. 2Starting position. Step forward until the cable is under tension with the arms hanging. Stand about hip to shoulder width apart, knees softly bent, and let the arms stay passive throughout — they connect you to the load, they do not pull it.
3. 3Eccentric phase. Push the hips backwards and let the rope travel between the legs. The shins stay close to vertical and the trunk inclines as a unit; the range ends where hip motion stops and the low back would begin to round.
4. 4Concentric phase. Drive the hips forward to stand tall. The load moves because the hips extend, not because the arms row the rope or the trunk leans backwards.
5. 5End position / lockout. Finish upright with the glutes contracted and the ribs stacked over the pelvis. Do not lean past vertical to feel a stronger finish.
6. 6Breathing and bracing. Inhale as the hips travel back, brace moderately, and exhale as you stand up. Re-set the breath between repetitions when the load is heavy.
7. 7Valid repetition. Count one repetition when the hips reach the defined back position and return to a fully upright, controlled lockout without the arms taking over.

Common mistakes

• Turning it into a squat

  Fix: Send the hips backwards, not down; the knees bend only as much as the hinge requires.

• Rowing with the arms

  Fix: Let the arms hang like straps and think only about the hips moving forward and back.

• Leaning back at the top

  Fix: Stop when you are tall; the set ends at vertical, not behind it.

• Standing too close to the stack

  Fix: Walk out until there is tension in the starting position, otherwise the first part of the range is unloaded.

Safety

• The usable range is the controlled hip-hinge range of the individual; it is not defined by how far the rope can travel.
• Known low-back, hip, or hamstring symptoms require an individually tolerated load and range; this is not a rehabilitation prescription.
• Check that the rope attachment is secure and that there is room behind you before the first repetition.
• Reduce the load before the setup becomes unstable — being pulled towards the stack is a load problem, not a technique problem.

Progressions & alternatives

• regressionBodyweight Hip Thrust— Learn hip extension against a shorter lever before adding a standing hinge under cable tension.
• progressionDumbbell Romanian Deadlift— Move the same hinge to a free weight, where the load is no longer guided by the cable.
• alternativeHip Thrust Machine— Train hip extension lying down when a standing hinge is not available or not preferred.