Intermediate

Cable Squat to High Pull

You squat holding a low handle, then explode up and pull it to chin height with the elbows leading, so leg drive powers a shoulder and trap effort. It is a smooth, joint-friendly way to train triple extension and vertical pulling without the technical demand of an Olympic lift. Program it for athletic power endurance or as a full-body conditioning piece.

Equipment
Cables
Body part
Quads, Shoulder
Type
Functional, Strength
Browse by movement
Shoulder Raise, Squat
Muscles worked
Target
Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Deltoid Middle
Secondary
Gluteus Maximus, Trapezius Upper, Deltoid Posterior, Biceps Brachii Short Head
Tertiary
Erector Spinae, Brachioradialis

How to do it

  1. 1

    Set a low pulley and hold a straight bar or rope handle with both hands, facing the stack.

  2. 2

    Stand with feet shoulder-width, brace, and sit into a squat while keeping the handle near your shins.

  3. 3

    Drive up out of the squat powerfully to stand tall.

  4. 4

    As your hips finish, pull the handle up to collarbone height with the elbows high and wide.

  5. 5

    Lower the handle and sink straight into the next squat under control.

  6. 6

    Keep a rhythmic pace and exhale on each pull.

Tips

  • Let the legs start the pull; the arms only finish the movement.
  • Keep the handle close to your body as it rises, elbows above the wrists.
  • Do not overload; a light, fast pull beats a heavy grind here.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The arms start the pull from the bottom of the squat instead of the legs, turning a leg-powered movement into an arm curl with extra steps.
  • The handle drifts away from the body as it rises instead of staying close, dropping the elbows below the wrists and shifting strain into the shoulders.
  • Loading the cable heavy enough that the pull turns into a grind instead of a fast pop defeats the point of training triple extension.
  • The squat depth shrinks as the set goes on, so what started as a full squat ends up as a shallow dip by the last few reps.
  • Pulling the handle only to chest height instead of collarbone height cuts off the top of the pull where the elbows should finish high and wide.
  • The knees cave inward on the drive out of the squat, a habit easy to miss when all the focus is on timing the pull.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the cable squat to high pull should you do when you are new to the exercise?
Use a light weight for 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps, prioritizing a fast, crisp pull over how much weight is on the stack. Add reps toward 12 before you add weight, since speed matters more here than load.
What can I use instead of a cable machine for the squat to high pull?
A kettlebell or dumbbell high pull, squatting down to grab it and exploding up into the same pull, trains an almost identical pattern without a cable stack. A resistance band anchored low works too if neither a weight nor a cable machine is available.
What is the cable squat to high pull good for, and when should I skip it?
It trains triple extension and vertical pulling together in one smooth, joint-friendly movement, making it a good athletic power or conditioning tool without the technical demand of an Olympic lift. Skip it, or keep the weight light, if you have shoulder pain when pulling something up toward chin height, since that pulling motion is central to the exercise.

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