Understanding cable ratios: everything you need to know

It’s a common misconception that every cable machine is the same. It’s a steel cable pulling a weight stack; what’s there to change?

The truth is that cable machines have lots of nuance to them, none more significant than the difference between 1:1 and 2:1 cable machines. You might be scratching your head as to what these terms mean, so we’re going to explain everything along with each variant’s pros and cons.

What does 1:1 and 2:1 mean?

1:1 and 2:1 refer to cable ratios. The ratio of your cable machine dictates how much resistance you feel at the handle.

A cable machine set on a 1:1 ratio means the weight at the handle is equal to the weight you’ve selected on the stack. 40kg of weight plates on a 1:1 machine generates 40kg of resistance when you lift it up.

The resistance you feel on a 2:1 cable machine is half of what’s selected on the weight stack. So that same 40kg of weight plates would translate to 20kg of resistance.

These are the two most common types of cable machine, though 3:1 and even 4:1 options do exist. As you can guess, 3:1 cable machines generate one third of the resistance at the handle while a 4:1 setup generates a quarter.

You might be asking why someone would choose not to access their entire weight stack, but there are a number of pros and cons between the two cable ratios that should be considered.

Max weight

A key difference between 1:1 and 2:1 cable machines is the amount of weight you can access.

1:1 cable machines allow you to access the entire weight stack. This is great for heavier lifts like lat pulldowns and low rows where the strongest lifters may need 100kg of resistance or even more to work in their desired rep range.

2:1 cable machines only allow you to access half of the stack’s weight. This is unlikely to be an issue for isolation exercises like bicep curls and lateral raises, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you’re wanting to lift heavy on a 2:1 machine.

Smooth glide

The smoother the glide of your cable machine, the more effective it is for rehabbing injuries and performing slow eccentrics in your workouts. Plus, it's just generally nicer to train on.

1:1 cable machines sacrifice some of the smoothness in their glide in order to access the entire weight stack. You're less likely to notice this in heavy lifts, but if you use a 1:1 machine for isolation movements then it might become apparent.

2:1 cable machines have a luxurious glide that you won’t find in 1:1 products. Not only does this provide a more premium feel, but it's also beneficial if you're using cables to rehab an injury.

Increment jumps

Each cable machine has a different weight stack and its own increment jumps between plates.

1:1 cable machines can make it difficult to progress to the next weight. Cable machines typically progress in 5kg increments and remember — you feel each and every ounce of that in a 1:1 machine. This means that to take your shoulder lateral raise from one plate to two, you'll be moving from 5kg to 10kg. That's a lot for such an isolated exercise.

It's becoming increasingly common for manufacturers to release increment plates that sit on top of 1:1 machines to solve this issue. We do it on our popular Multi-Functional Trainer through an in-built increment plate that can be added to the weight stack when you need those smaller jumps.

2:1 cable machines provide lighter graduations in weight — usually in 2.5kg increments. This is why they’re favoured for isolation exercises and tend to make it easier to progressively overload. 

Cable travel

Since one of the most popular cable movements is the cable crossover, it’s important that you have enough travel in your cables to hit the exercises you want to. Cable travel simply refers to how far the cable can be extended away from the rack.

1:1 cable machines travel in tandem with the weight stack. What this means is that, if you’ve lifted the stack up by half a meter, the cable will have travelled half a meter from the rack. For this reason you want to make sure that any 1:1 cable machine you’re considering has a tall enough weight stack to give you the room you need for cable flys, rows and any other exercise you’re looking to perform.

2:1 cable machines extend farther than their 1:1 cousins. If you lift the weight stack up by half a meter, the cable will have travelled a full meter from the rack. This gives you peace of mind that you’ll be able to perform dual cable movements with ease.

What about using both ratios on a single rack?

Now you're thinking! Combining both a 1:1 and 2:1 setup is the way to go in our eyes. In fact, our bestselling racks do just this in order to give customers the very best lifting experience.

The Advanced Multi-Functional Trainer uses a 2:1 ratio on its adjustable side pulleys and a 1:1 on the heavy rear stack, complete with a lat pulldown seat and low row footplate for all of your heavy movements. 

Our Phase 3 Short and Full-Sized systems provide adjustable 2:1 pulleys on the side of the rack along with fixed 1:1 pulleys on the top which are ideal for lat pulldowns.

Finally, our commercial Phase 4 cable racks have the same system that we mentioned for Phase 3, as it really is a design we swear by.

Clearly, there are positives and negatives to both cable ratios. To end with some closing thoughts, this is where we think the crux of the matter lies.

• If you’re prioritising lifting heavy, then a 1:1 system is for you.
• If you’re prioritising all-round performance, then a 2:1 system is for you.

We hope the information here has helped your purchasing decision. Happy training!

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