Cable crossover Machine? Ya or Nay?

[wootoom]

i was planning on buying one in the spring time. are they good for your chest? or is the bench just good enough? i have a pulldown machine and you can do everything on this machine. should i buy it? cable crossovers seem they shouls be good for the chest etc.. info please thanks

 

[eat big]

well you can use them for more than just chest, if the handles are detachable you can do arms and shoulder exercises on them. your talking about the two columns about 8 feet apart right?

 

[curgeo]

Honestly....you would be better served with a power rack.

You can simulater anything you want in it safely. Cable crossovers will not put mass on your chest, but an incline bench press will.

 

[InTraining]

I will use cable crossovers as a finishing type of exercise but I've never experienced mass gain from them...can be helpful for establishing a mind-muscle connection, though.

 

[gymtime]

I will use cable crossovers as a finishing type of exercise but I've never experienced mass gain from them...can be helpful for establishing a mind-muscle connection, though.

Agreed. I've always looked at any kind of fly type excercise as a secondary chest movement. Personally, I couldn't see spending money on a fly machine.

 

[wootoom]

it would be secondary on the chest. i can do pulldowns and everything with this. i would always rely on the bench for chest but its it seems coming across with the cables would work different parts of your chest wouldnt it?

 

[wnt2bBeast]

nay..save the money bruh
its the dumbest exercise..and before everyone jumps on me even Dexter Jaclkson a BB'er has stated in his column in MD that he thinks cables are a complete waste if youre not pressing over 350 for sets of 10

 

[view]

Agreed. I've always looked at any kind of fly type excercise as a secondary chest movement. Personally, I couldn't see spending money on a fly machine.

From a physiological standpoint, the function of your chest is to move your arms across your body.

What do you do with cable crossovers? you move your arms across your body. Doesn't seem second rate to me. IMO, you need both a pressing movement, and a movement to bring the arms across the body. Either cable crossovers, or flyes accomplish this.

 

[mad_monkey59]

From a physiological standpoint, the function of your chest is to move your arms across your body.

What do you do with cable crossovers? you move your arms across your body. Doesn't seem second rate to me. IMO, you need both a pressing movement, and a movement to bring the arms across the body. Either cable crossovers, or flyes accomplish this.

There are two major parts: as you said the pectoral minor allows you to touch your left shoulder with your right arm for example, and is needed for movements across your chest.

The pectoral major, however, is what allows you to push objects.

Cable Cross-overs are great for mixing up a routine and Platz recomends them for adding striations across your chest...

However, IMO there are better places to spend your money, like a power rack.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

Cable Cross-overs are great for mixing up a routine and Platz recomends them for adding striations across your chest...

look at my reply above..thast exactly what i was talking about..if you have no chest you cant add striations..

 

[mad_monkey59]

look at my reply above..thast exactly what i was talking about..if you have no chest you cant add striations..

Platz recommends for them for adding striations... granted you have a point, but I can't see a post where he specified he didn't 'have a chest'...If he has a chest and wants to add striations, this maybe what he's looking for.

Platz was an awesome BBer, and had a great knowledge of the sport, as a great BBer I respect his advice.

Im just covering all the angles

 

[BOOEY]

Like someone above mentioned, you can do a lot of shit with one of these towers. If you have the money to spend, I say go for it.

 

[big4life]

If you already have the main items like a power rack, benches, etc., and the extra money then go for it.

 

[anthrax]

I use the cable crossover for the shoulders...

What else do you have ?

 

[wnt2bBeast]

Platz recommends for them for adding striations... granted you have a point, but I can't see a post where he specified he didn't 'have a chest'...If he has a chest and wants to add striations, this maybe what he's looking for.

Platz was an awesome BBer, and had a great knowledge of the sport, as a great BBer I respect his advice.

Im just covering all the angles

ive seen woot has has a good build..and i see your point as well..
and platz was awesome those quds were sick..

this may illustrate my point a little better..I would not look to carve in striations unless i had a build like Needsize or Galaxy..when you get to that point then you look to bring out striations which you will need to diet down to achieve..build then carve

 

[wootoom]

thanks for the info Beast

 

[eat big]

id actually say theyve helped my chest grow, dexter is just one person. tehyve helped my chest in the center specifically. id recommend them (cable columns) bc you can do so much more than cable flies. if youve got the money, id get them.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

they do absolutely dick for you..they will not increase your bench your incline or your decline..its just another stupid isolation exercise that people add to a routine because they see pics of BB'ers doing them in mags..lets be honest here even if you do your presses in the 10-15 rep range i dont see how these will help you at all..yet you can get a pump from them but that doesnt mean shyte..
just my .02

 

[casualbb]

There are two major parts: as you said the pectoral minor allows you to touch your left shoulder with your right arm for example, and is needed for movements across your chest.

The pectoral major, however, is what allows you to push objects.

Cable Cross-overs are great for mixing up a routine and Platz recomends them for adding striations across your chest...

However, IMO there are better places to spend your money, like a power rack.

that's completely not true.

the pec minor is related to moving the scapulae away from the spine.

the pec major, both parts, is responsible for moving your arms towards the center of the body. This, combined with arm extension, is the BENCH PRESS.
This, without arm extension, is the cable crossover or pec deck machines.

If you did no pressing motion of any kind and just did direct pec isolation, YES your pecs would grow.

I think compound movements are better because they shorten your workout, promote muscle balance, and build better functional real-world strength, but not because they make you grow more

 

[needsize]

if you are going to do a fly movement, I would always pick free weight over a machine. I do my incline flyes with 90lb dumbells, there is no way a fly machine could duplicate that kind of stress on my muscles
And i honestly dont buy the building striations deal. I have never done exercises like that, but when I got down to contest shape, no one on stage had more striations than me. And it was all done with heavy free weights, even the contest prep

 

[eat big]

they do absolutely dick for you..they will not increase your bench your incline or your decline..its just another stupid isolation exercise that people add to a routine because they see pics of BB'ers doing them in mags..lets be honest here even if you do your presses in the 10-15 rep range i dont see how these will help you at all..yet you can get a pump from them but that doesnt mean shyte..
just my .02

yes as i do agree that they do not add strength, they do add size, at least they have for me

 

[BOOEY]

Yeh, striations have more to do with low bodyfat than anything else. But again, you can do more than cable crosses with these. I think it's good to have for variation, instead of doing presses every day