Cable weight vs free weight

[Joe S.]

Just curious if anyone knows or has an idea of the difference between both. I'm sure there has to be some kind of scientific explanation.

For instance, I can bang out 4 sets of 10 with the cable rack of 200lbs doing curls with the cable curl bar, but I can't do 4 sets of 10 with 60 lb dumbells single armed.
I'm assuming other muscles are getting involved in the cable bar compared to dumbbells, but do you think you use that much from the other muscles to compensate all that weight or is there some kind of difference with it being a cable through pulleys?

Hope that makes sense.

 

[Tazz]

hmmm, never really thought about this


______________________________________
Pharmacom Labs Head Board Rep
Official Distributor since 2008
PM me for website link
"taz15" code for 15% off at checkout

 

[RedMorkai]

Mostly due to pulleys, some machines have notorious ratios. Isometric vs using both arms is playing a small role as well.

 

[medeiros13]

My opinion you use more stabilizing muscles when using free weights vs. cables which is why most can do more weight with cables.

 

[Montgomery]

Basic physics

Pulleys are examples of what scientists call simple machines. That doesn't mean they're packed with engines and gears; it just means they help us multiply forces. If you want to lift a really heavy weight, there's only so much force your muscles can supply, even if you are the world's strongest man. But use a simple machine such as a pulley and you can effectively multiply the force your body produces.

 

[selrahc39]

Also your getting constant tension on the muscle with a pully.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

 

[Joe S.]

Thanks so that kind of leads to the main question, but I guess that would depend on amount of pulleys and a bunch of other factors.
If you are doing 200lbs what would that actually equate too in actual weight. For instance does a pulley system reduce weight tension by 40 lbs 50 lbs etc.
So in all actuality you really don't know what the actual weight is, I guess each machine would have a specific weight difference based on pulleys and leverage that would have to be measured.

 

[Montgomery]

My gyms push down cable machine I do 4-5 sets 60-70 pounds on the plates, I go to the cable cross over rack and I can do the whole stack 200 pounds!!!
There is one extra pulley invoked in that rack….again physics….not sure how to get what the actual poundage is though

 

[44YOGearHead]

Basic physics

Pulleys are examples of what scientists call simple machines. That doesn't mean they're packed with engines and gears; it just means they help us multiply forces. If you want to lift a really heavy weight, there's only so much force your muscles can supply, even if you are the world's strongest man. But use a simple machine such as a pulley and you can effectively multiply the force your body produces.

^^^^THIS. When you use a machine look at the total number of pulleys involved on that equipment. The more pulleys, the lighter the feel, the less the heavier the feel. Simple mechanics. That's why you see hero's loading up certain machines like they're Chuck Norris'd the fuck out and they avoid the free weights like Ebola is slathered on them. BOOM!

 

[Joe S.]

that's why you see hero's loading up certain machines like they're chuck norris'd the fuck out and they avoid the free weights like ebola is slathered on them. Boom!

lmao!!!!!
.....

 

[RedMorkai]

The more pulleys, the lighter the feel, the less the heavier the feel.

Size matters too!

 

[SdBronco]

I could be 100% wrong but somewhere Ive heard or read that using cables is a lot more closely related to using free weights than your other types of machines. Even though they obviously assist you they still put more stress on the muscles than lets say a bicep curl or a chest fly machine if you did the same exercises with cables. Forgot where i heard that from but it definitely stuck with me.

 

[RickRock]

Basic physics

Pulleys are examples of what scientists call simple machines. That doesn't mean they're packed with engines and gears; it just means they help us multiply forces. If you want to lift a really heavy weight, there's only so much force your muscles can supply, even if you are the world's strongest man. But use a simple machine such as a pulley and you can effectively multiply the force your body produces.

Perfect explanation right here. You can't compare cables using pulleys, utilizing Leverage and mechanical advantage to that of linear resistance

 

[RickRock]

Thanks so that kind of leads to the main question, but I guess that would depend on amount of pulleys and a bunch of other factors.
If you are doing 200lbs what would that actually equate too in actual weight. For instance does a pulley system reduce weight tension by 40 lbs 50 lbs etc.
So in all actuality you really don't know what the actual weight is, I guess each machine would have a specific weight difference based on pulleys and leverage that would have to be measured.

The weight on a cable system is just a guideline to follow. Don't think of it as actual weight you are lifting because that is definitely not the case. Once it goes through the pulley system the actual load on your muscles is significantly reduced.

 

[jp1957]

The same difference applies to using dumbbells versus barbells.

I use dumbbells as much as possible, just to activate more supportive muscles.

 

[DylanGemelli]

montgomery explained it perfectly.. think like this... when you can bench, say , 300 lbs but you try to do it to 100 pound person, its far different... its all proportioned different, constructed different etc... they both have their benefits, its just a different movement and different proportion...

 

[Roidrage718]

How do you think they made the pyramids? They definitely weren't doing overhead presses lol

 

[JackSteel]

I'll add that it's common for machine weights to be off in weight. There's one at a gym I go to that is way the fuck off. On one side when you do cable flyes it's super imbalanced. But mostly the simple machine explanation Montgomery gave.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[44YOGearHead]

This can't happen with cables...
https://media.giphy.com/media/LhsbiAHBmxxBe/giphy.gif

Unfortunately neither does huge gains that free weights offer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bodean30]

Ouch. Close those thumbs.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk