Mine was pretty cheap and does the job. It turns out however I don’t really value cable work all that much, but it’s a thing that I use a couple time a week. There are definitely things it does that bands couldn’t.
I’d say where it comes into its own is when I do hypertrophy blocks (which is rare hence probably not valuing it that much). I’ll probably do one of those soon and think it’s useful again.
If you want an excuse to buy it, it might be useful for daily work in that you can target muscles in ways that cause low systemic fatigue and lower stress on joints.
@dagill2 - My knees are good so far, but the quad DOMS this morning caught me off guard.
@alex_uk - Thanks for weighing in. It’s exactly the hypertrophy work I had in mind, so I appreciate your thoughts here. I also like the suggestion re: daily work—it’s yet another elements to add variation, which is not a bad thing.
Monday - 17 March 2025 Workout: Dip, 0840-0950 (40 minutes)
5 rounds of:
a) 10 air squat, 2 dip
b) 15 air squat, 3 dip
c) 25 air squat, 5 dip
d) 50 air squat
e) 3-minute rest Time: 35:30
Air squats: 1000/4000
Fasted.
Used a 45-lbs plate for the dips, but could probably tolerate more while keeping high-quality reps. Getting in and out of the belt is a pain, and adds time, so I kept the between-round rest periods to 60 seconds today.
The thing I love about this is the slow(-ish) burn: I ramp up fast but I’m never redlining, and then BOOOM! I am absolutely wiped out by the end of it—good stuff!
Daily work to follow. Sled pushes are written in, but they were yesterday, too, and the rain forced an audible. Hopefully it moves out and things dry up enough to push this afternoon.
Guess the rain was on the front end of a cold front, because it got chilly today. On the plus side, though, it did clear out and things dried up.
The sled push felt… “good.” I think I said recently how pleased I was with how my condition is coming along, but maybe I should’ve said, “I’m pleased with how my Assault bike rides are coming along,” because like the Farmer’s walks yesterday, this sled push stuff hits differently.
That’s it for today. Air squats and good mornings tomorrow!
Tuesday - 18 March 2025 Workout: Good morning, 0745-0825 (40 minutes)
5 rounds of:
a) 10 air squat, 1 good morning
b) 15 air squat, 2 good morning
c) 25 air squat, 3 good morning
d) 50 air squat
e) 3-minute rest Time: 32:09
Air squats: 1500/4000
Fasted.
Finally got the weight (165 lbs) right: Slow, controlled, and tough good morning reps right out of the gate. Really focused on the squeeze with the air squats, too. Kept the between-round rest periods to 60 seconds.
Daily work to follow.
Edit: The quad DOMS is real.
And I love the full-body pump I get from “just” 500 air squats.
I have the little wall mount cable machine, that was mentioned above. It is a very versatile machine. I do a lot of different things with it tricep Pushdowns, rows, chest Flyes, rear Delt Flyes, & I’m sure you can also do leg stuff with it
@george220 - Thanks for commenting! I do like the versatility of a machine like these, and I’m finding the fixed-ness of my current cable machine to be somewhat limiting—I just didn’t give it much thought when I bought it, so I’m trying to do my homework this time!
Thursday - 20 March 2025 Workout: Press, 0750-0830 (40 minutes)
5 rounds of:
a) 10 air squat, 1 press
b) 15 air squat, 2 press
c) 25 air squat, 3 press
d) 50 air squat
e) 3-minute rest Time: 29:23
Air squats: 2500/4000
Fasted.
Took the press up to 125 lbs today—there might be room for another 5 lbs, though this was a good challenge. DOMS has transitioned to “general tiredness,” but my lower back was feeling yesterday’s sled work: I’m de-conditioned on that, for sure, and low-handle pushes get me every time.
Friday - 21 March 2025 Workout: Dip, 0805-0855 (50 minutes)
5 rounds of:
a) 10 air squat, 2 dip
b) 15 air squat, 3 dip
c) 25 air squat, 5 dip
d) 50 air squat
e) 3-minute rest Time: 37:55
Air squats: 3000/4000
Fasted.
Setup took forever this morning, not sure why. Then I did what was probably an extra set of 25 + 5 in the last round, because I was in a set of 25 + 5 and I suddenly thought I skipped the set of 15 + 3. It was probably extra, based on how long that took, but whatever…
Dips were at 60 lbs today, and that was just about right: Hard, but not too hard—I still had reps in me at the end of each 5-rep set. Rest periods were 60 seconds again today.
Daily work to follow, but I have a lunch meeting today so it won’t be fasted.
Oh, and good news, @BrandonCrawford: That lunch meeting brought out some pants today, and they were tight through the legs and less tight at the waist compared to the last time I had them on. I could still stand to lose a couple (several?) inches from my waist, but my legs are showing the daily work from Block 2 (and maybe even all these air squats, too).
Saturday - 22 March 2025 Workout: Good morning, 0930-1015 (45 minutes)
5 rounds of:
a) 10 air squat, 1 good morning
b) 15 air squat, 2 good morning
c) 25 air squat, 3 good morning
d) 50 air squat
e) 3-minute rest Time: 36:35
Air squats: 3500/4000
Fasted.
That was tough—mentally and physically: I didn’t want to do it, and when I finally did, the work itself was hard. The good mornings ate me alive, still at 165 lbs. Even so, those might’ve been the best squat reps yet: Super-deep, super-slow, super-controlled. 60-second rest periods.
Would’ve liked more time, but it’s just the way things are playing out today. And it’ll all be even more compressed—and a lot earlier—if I want to finish this out before I head to the airport tomorrow.