Glute cable pull through-troubleshooting

Raegold
Raegold Posts: 191 Member
edited November 20 in Fitness and Exercise
I tried this at my gym a couple days ago, and I liked it, it seemed to be a similar motion to the deadlift but with more of a glute squeeze at the top. I did it again today, but almost immediately felt my left QL (lower back) cramp up. I checked my form and tried again, but it did the same thing. Is this exercise even worth doing?

Side note, I had done sumo deadlifts 5 minutes before this, 4 sets of 45-45-45-55, which is the most I've lifted. Maybe overkill? Or just ditch the pull throughs?

(I have a prior SI injury from childbirth 5 years ago, so I'm super cautious about stuff like this)

Replies

  • mjudd1990
    mjudd1990 Posts: 219 Member
    Barbell glute bridges would probably isolate your glutes more with less lower back strain. I'd swap the pull throughs for those.
  • Raegold
    Raegold Posts: 191 Member
    Thanks. Is there an advantage to barbell bridges vs hip thrusts?
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Raegold wrote: »
    I did it again today, but almost immediately felt my left QL (lower back) cramp up. I checked my form and tried again, but it did the same thing. Is this exercise even worth doing?

    It's kind of redundant if you're dong deadlifts or RDLs, but i'll do them when i'm traveling and the gym doesn't have a good weights selection.

    Try stretching your QL just prior to the cable pulls to see if it quiets the muscle:
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=m0kMPOfxPos
    Do it lightly, not deep, and hold for 30 seconds. Only do your left side (arch to the right). :+1:
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    i've just started working on pullthroughs myself as a possible glute warmer-upper and activator, and maybe a deadlift accessory too. it's only been a week so idk yet if i have very much.

    i haven't had any backchat from my ql so far. but our mileages may vary as our challenges may be a bit different. for myself, it's all about the deep hip muscles, down at the other end of the pelvic girdle.

    so the challenge for me is trying to activate the big glute without all those little ones trying to come along for too much of the ride. as far as that goes, i am liking pullthroughs more than all the other well-known options so far, because i find them far more controllable and far more amenable to me really taking my time and cherrypicking exactly which muscle i want to be working and which muscles i want to sit down and shut up.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    First I would make sure you aren't going too heavy on the weight. If you go too heavy and start losing balance, that is no good.. lower the weight to a very comfortable level especially when starting off. You can play with the height of the machine as well, if it is too low and you find yourself dipping too low down, raise it up a little. Also don't go too far or too close from the machine.

    You can even try a banded pull through to see if that is more comfortable.

    Do you feel pain if you do a kettlebell swing? The hinge motion is fairly similar so if you also feel pain it could have to do with your body and not your form.

    I don't have experience with SI injuries, so if you continue to feel pain despite modifying your form, skip it. While it is great, it is not a glute exercise worth injuring yourself over. Hip thrust would be far superior, in my opinion.
  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
    I do them and really like them. I wonder if you're overextending your back at the top. Also, I think they're similar to romanian deadlifts but not so much regular deadlifts.
  • Raegold
    Raegold Posts: 191 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Raegold wrote: »
    I did it again today, but almost immediately felt my left QL (lower back) cramp up. I checked my form and tried again, but it did the same thing. Is this exercise even worth doing?

    It's kind of redundant if you're dong deadlifts or RDLs, but i'll do them when i'm traveling and the gym doesn't have a good weights selection.

    Try stretching your QL just prior to the cable pulls to see if it quiets the muscle:
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=m0kMPOfxPos
    Do it lightly, not deep, and hold for 30 seconds. Only do your left side (arch to the right). :+1:


    Thanks!! I've never tried that particular stretch, it looks good
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    Raegold wrote: »
    I tried this at my gym a couple days ago, and I liked it, it seemed to be a similar motion to the deadlift but with more of a glute squeeze at the top. I did it again today, but almost immediately felt my left QL (lower back) cramp up. I checked my form and tried again, but it did the same thing. Is this exercise even worth doing?

    Side note, I had done sumo deadlifts 5 minutes before this, 4 sets of 45-45-45-55, which is the most I've lifted. Maybe overkill? Or just ditch the pull throughs?

    (I have a prior SI injury from childbirth 5 years ago, so I'm super cautious about stuff like this)

    lower the weight so that you can do them correctly .
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