Author: Ihor Shymechko (26 years of Oly Lifting & Training experience)
With the right attachments, cable machines allow you to perform near full-body workouts.
Some of the best leg and glute exercises you can do use machine ankle straps.
This article compares the six best ankle straps for cable machine exercises to help you find the best choice for your needs.
In a hurry?
In a hurry?
In a hurry and can’t keep reading? How about you check out the DMoose Ankle Strap for Cable Machines.
Attachment to the cable machine is done with a pair of powder-coated D-ring buckles, which won’t break as easily or corrode as copper or aluminum rings found on cheaper products.
I’ve tried a dozen similar products from various manufacturers throughout my fitness journey.
After comparing my findings to the experience of my colleagues and other reviewers, I’ve narrowed the list down to the six best ankle straps.
Overall, there are very slight differences between the products and I recommend checking all of them.
Their position on the list often comes down to minor details, such as slightly better pricing or a unique feature not found in other items.
Without further ado, let’s start with my top pick for cable machine ankle straps.
Top 6 Best Ankle Straps Reviewed
- DMoose Ankle Strap for Cable Machines — Top Pick
- Gymreapers Ankle Straps For Cable Machines — Runner-up
- Hawk Ankle Straps For Cable Machines — Budget Pick
- Rogue Ankle Cuff Cable Attachment (Pair) — Premium Pick
- FITGIRL Ankle Strap for Cable Machines — Best For Women
- AIIO Ankle Straps for Cable Machines
1. DMoose Ankle Strap for Cable Machines — Top Pick
- Tension: Up to 500 Pounds
- Size: Length 10 inches, width 4 inches
- Material: Nylon, neoprene, stainless steel
- Color Palette: Black, cyan, pink, magenta, red, blue, gray camo, American flag
My top choice for the best cable machine ankle straps is from the brand DMoose.
The straps offer excellent build quality, especially considering the fairly affordable price range they fall into.
They can be bought both individually or as a pair and, apart from the standard black, there are seven other color options.
Photo by @darrinbaker_dkbtransforms
This is a unisex product with a standardized 10 x 4 inch sizing, so any color choice will fit well on all athletes.
The color variety is decent, and the American flag pattern is a unique choice I haven’t seen in competitors.
The 0.2 inches thick neoprene padding is slightly thicker than on similarly priced ankle straps, but not too big to loosen up the fit of the strap.
The straps are lightweight, breathable, and don’t absorb sweat, so they won’t have a bad smell and are easy to clean after use.
Attachment to the cable machine is done with a pair of powder-coated D-ring buckles, which won’t break as easily or corrode as copper or aluminum rings found on cheaper products.
The main casing they’re made of is doubly stitched nylon, which is sturdier and won’t rip as easily as other common synthetic materials like polyester.
The maximum capacity is advertised at 500 pounds, but I feel the need to mention that some reviews claim they broke at roughly 200 pounds for them.
Positives:
The 100% Nylon casing is doubly stitched, making it sturdier than others
Double powder-coated steel D-ring buckles
The gray camo and American flag are unique design choices
Could be better:
The velcro can come undone if not tightly fastened
2. Gymreapers Ankle Straps For Cable Machines — Runner-up
- Tension: Recommended up to 100 pounds
- Size: Length 10.6 inches, width 4 inches
- Material: Nylon, neoprene, stainless steel
- Color Palette: Black, mint, cyan, pink, purple, red, and ranger green
The neon colors are a unique design choice that makes these straps stand out from competitors.
The 7 mm thick neoprene padding is soft and breathable and held together by a premium nylon exterior.
Extra stitching is added to the interior of the padding and connects to the velcro strap, to prevent ripping.
The straps are secured to the cable machine using a pair of sturdy stainless steel D-ring buckles found on each strap.
All of this makes the Gymreapers strong and ideal ankle straps for weightlifting, too.
As a nice bonus, Gymreapers offer free replacements at no extra cost if you receive a faulty product.
Positives:
Tested by powerlifters, IFBB athletes, and world class trainers
- The durable velcro is reinforced with extra stitching
Could be better:
The neon colors can fade away over time
3. Hawk Ankle Straps For Cable Machines — Budget Pick
- Tension: 220 pounds
- Size: Length 10.8 inches, width 4.4 inches
- Material: Vegan leather, stainless steel, neoprene
- Color Palette: Black
Hawk is a young start-up company primarily focused on making affordable sports and motorsports apparel.
Their ankle cuffs for cable machine use are a good choice if you're buying on a tight budget.
They come in standard unisex sizing and are made from the usual build materials, with a 3-year replacement and refund warranty for every purchase.
Photo by @hawk_fitness
Unlike other products which come in nylon or polyester, the exterior of these straps is made from vegan leather.
Each side of the strap is secured to the cable machine with two matt black, anti-rust coated stainless steel D-rings buckles that can handle heavy stress.
The rounded edges wrap smoothly around your leg and prevent scratches by the material.
The quickly adjustable hook-and-loop closure mechanism makes the velcro strap sturdier and more secure.
The 4 mm thick inner padding is good enough, however, there are more comfortable options for slightly higher prices.
Positives:
Excellent quality considering the price range
3-year replacement and refund warranty
Extra-wide for more comfort and stability
Could be better:
Only available in black
4. Rogue Ankle Cuff Cable Attachment (Pair) — Premium Pick
For those who aren’t afraid to spend a bit more, I suggest Rogue ankle attachments with foot straps for cable machine workouts.
Rogue Fitness is a premium workout equipment brand and their products are used in all levels of fitness, from garage gyms, training centers, and even the highest tier competitions.
These straps were co-developed with professional natural bodybuilder, five-time IFBB Pro champion, and Mr. Universe winner - Tim Martin.
- Circumference: Adjustable 9 to 14 inches
- Size: Length 15 inches, width 4 inches
- Material: Cordura, foam, steel
- Color Palette: Black
The higher price compared to similar products is noticeable at first glance, however, keep in mind that the product always comes in pairs.
Each pair has a left and right leg ankle strap that also features a bottom foot strap.
The bottom straps help provide better weight distribution and utilize the pushing force of your feet, allowing you to perform higher-weighted exercises.
The four welded steel connective links are made to fit a variety of exercise equipment, including weight towers, crossover machines, and other multifunctional training stations that use cable attachments.
The cuffs can easily be adjusted for a circumference from 9 to 14 inches to fit athletes of various shapes and sizes, without losing the protective padding benefits.
The interior surface has antimicrobial properties and prevents sweat and smell from accumulating.
The exterior is made from extremely durable Cordura fabric and the padding is foam-based 0.25 inches thick.
Positives:
Made in the U.S.A.
Four attachment buckles compared to just one on most competitors
Adjustable circumference
Durable Cordura fabric exterior
Antimicrobial interior surface
Could be better:
There are similar products at half the price or less
5. FITGIRL Ankle Strap for Cable Machines — Best For Women
- Tension: Recommended up to 50 pounds (by the manufacturer)
- Size: Length 15 inches, width 4 inches
- Material: Nylon, neoprene, metal
- Color Palette: Black, gray camo, animal print
As the name suggests, the brand FITGIRL focuses on fitness accessories for women.
Compared to standardized unisex fitness products, FITGIRL products are made to better fit the female body type.
It’s not uncommon for smaller female athletes to have trouble fitting into the “one size fits all” products common across public gyms.
If that problem sounds relatable, then these ankle straps can be your solution.
Photo by @sunnyrunsandlifts
The straps are available for purchase in pairs or individually, making them easily replaceable if something goes wrong with one.
The velcro is just two inches long, making them easy to adjust, put on, and take off - but also somewhat easier to tear under heavier weight.
Apart from the standard black version, they come in two interesting color options in the form of gray camo and animal print, which both look very nice and unique.
Also, this is personal taste, but I find the minimalistic pink to look good on them visually.
Positives:
Designed specifically for female athletes
Visually appealing design with two interesting print choices
Sold both individually or in pairs, making replacements easy if necessary
Could be better:
The strap is ideal for light to medium weight, but is prone to failing on higher weight settings
Last but not least, we have the VAIIO ankle and leg straps for cable machine workouts.
With full-length stitching across the interior and heavy-duty nylon build, these can be a great choice for heavier lifts.
- Tension: Recommended up to 100 pounds
- Size: Length 9.8 inches, width 3.5 inches
- Material: Nylon, neoprene, metal
- Color Palette: Black, white, and yellow
The adjustable hook and loop design with velcro closure is convenient to put on and take off and is made to fit all sizes.
With the dual D-ring on the back and two more on the side, the strap has 4 connective points, which can make some exercises, such as side leg raises, easier.
The nylon exterior is shaped like a web and has plenty of holes that allow air flow and prevent heating up and collecting sweat.
The neoprene pad is the thickest of all the listed straps at 9 mm (roughly 0.35 inches), making this product arguably the most comfortable.
This makes the ankle straps breathable and light compared to other products, despite the thick padding.
While having the foot strap for extra support is a nice addition, I have to point out that it’s not adjustable.
If it’s too loose or too tight, you may have to adjust the height of the ankle strap on your leg.
Positives:
The 9 mm thick padding is the thickest on the list
The 4 connective points open up exercise possibilities
The web-shaped nylon exterior allows for better breathability
The full-length interior stitching prevents tearing
Could be better:
The foot strap is not adjustable by length and doesn’t stretch either, so it may not fit everyone
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What are the Benefits of Using Ankle Straps for Cable Machines?
✅ Exercise Versatility
A cable machine foot strap allows you to perform a variety of popular leg and glute exercises - such as hip abductors, cable crunches, leg extensions, and others - from one workout machine.
✅ Low-impact Exercising
Most leg workout machines require push-based weighted workouts that have a high impact on your legs.
This can wear you out easier and also increases the risk of injury.
Cable machine exercises are pull-based, meaning they don’t put much strain on your body and are easier to control.
✅ Convenience
Cable machine ankle straps are inexpensive, and they can easily be carried to the gym or on the machine in your home or garage gym.
When Do You Need Ankle Straps for Cable Machines?
Ankle workout straps are typically used on cable machines to perform exercises that target the lower leg muscles and glutes.
They’re quite popular because the exercises are effective yet very low impact compared to using standard leg workout equipment, such as a leg press machine for example.
Cable machine exercises mainly rely on a pull instead of a push motion for exercise resistance.
This makes them safer and easier to use, as there are no other body parts engaged and all you need to do to disengage is stop the exercise.
Compared to, for example, standing calf machines, not only do you put a lot more pressure on your knees and ankles, but it also requires you to support the weight with your shoulders.
With more contact points, there’s a bigger chance of hurting yourself.
Not to mention that to properly dismount, you have to use the locking mechanism to secure the machine, or else the moving parts could break or even hurt you.
These are just some of the reasons professional athletes avoid weight-based leg machines and prefer cable machine foot strap exercises.
They’re especially good for beginners, athletes recovering from injuries, or people with chronic pain in their knees or joints, for example.
Some of the common exercises involve the calf raise, leg press, and most notably cable kickbacks.
What to Look for in Ankle Straps for Cable Machines?
1. Design
Ankle cuffs for cable machine workouts have a fairly standardized design across manufacturers to fit into most public or home gyms.
The main part consists of a strap that wraps around the ankle and a locking mechanism, usually velcro.
Some ankle cuffs have added straps that wrap around the bottom of your foot.
These can provide extra support during the exercise by acting as a sort of pedal, which can either alleviate some of the pressure from your ankle or allow you to use more weight.
Visually they’re mostly the same, though some brands offer more colors than the usual black, which is a nice touch.
2. Comfort
Nearly all cable machine ankle straps have some sort of padding on the inner side for extra comfort.
The most common material used in this padding is layered neoprene, a form of soft synthetic rubber.
The material is thick and durable, yet it easily changes shape to adapt to your ankle.
It’s lightweight and breathable and doesn’t absorb sweat as easily as some materials found in other ankle straps, such as foam.
3. Reliability
Cable machine ankle attachments are inexpensive consumables that you will most likely throw away and replace if they break.
However, getting a bad pair will force you to cycle through them faster and easily stack the cost up.
Manufacturers choose different ways to make the ankle straps more reliable and extend their life cycle.
For example, extra stitching around the strap to prevent material tear, higher quality metal for the connective d-rings, industrial grade velcro that won’t lose stickiness as easily, etc.
For the average user with moderate usage time and weight, all six options on this list will be good and last you a long time.
However, if you require ankle straps for weightlifting, look for those made out of leather, as they’re more resistant to higher-weight exercising.
4. Compatibility
Gym consumables such as cable machine ankle attachments are made to fit as many people and machines as possible.
To ensure this, ankle cuffs have a fairly standardized design - an adjustable unisex strap, metal connective d-rings for machine attachment, and a velcro securing mechanism.
All options on this list follow this trend and will easily fit into a home or public gym, so you won’t have to worry about them being incompatible.
Tips From the Champ
Olympic Weightlifting Champion
5. Price/Quality
Ankle workout straps are fairly inexpensive across the board, even among premium gym brands.
The top choices on these lists have the best quality for price relationships overall and usually fall somewhere in the middle price tier.
However, there are budget or premium priced picks on the list as well.
When it comes to quality, the premium pick will always outshine the budget pick, but the budget pick will get praise if it does a good job for the price range.
Ultimately, the choice is yours on how you want to spend your money, and reading every product breakdown and comparing their pros and cons should help you decide.
How to Use Ankle Straps for Cable Machines?
First, you need to make sure the machine you intend to use has the necessary attachment hook.
Not all cable machines in a public gym will have them, they can get lost, and sometimes they might be broken, so check for that as well.
Before attaching them to the machine, wrap and secure your ankle workout straps around your leg first.
Make sure to wrap it tightly, but don’t overdo it.
The strap should have a snug and comfortable fit, but it should be loose enough to allow for proper blood flow.
If you have sensitive skin, for example prone to rashes and scratches, always place your ankle strap over your leggings or a pair of sports socks.
Once you’re ready, before adding any major weight or attempting to exercise, pull the cable with your leg to check for any faults at a low-weight setting.
FAQ
Can You Do Cable Kickbacks Without Ankle Straps?
Technically you can, but it’s not preferable.
I’ve seen people use arm handles or resistance band loops.
However, neither of these DIY solutions is stable enough to secure your leg during movement, so it’s easier to hurt yourself.
Do Gyms Have Ankle Straps for Cable Machines?
Gyms often have ankle straps lying around as it’s common to get them when purchasing a cable machine or similar equipment.
However, since many people use them, it’s not uncommon for them to be occupied, worn out from usage, get lost, and even stolen.
However, some gyms stopped offering shared ankle straps as part of their Covid policy.
It’s better to bring your personal pair to be safe, as they’re inexpensive and easy to carry.
Conclusion
If you exercise using cable machines at home or the gym, always have an ankle attachment for cable machine use with you.
It allows you to do practical and convenient low impact leg and glute exercises wherever you can connect them.
After trying many similar products, I concluded the DMoose Ankle Straps to be the overall best ankle straps for cable machine workouts.
However, other options on the list have their benefits, so take a look at them as well before you buy.
Do you exercise with ankle straps? Have you bought your pair yet? Tell me in the comments below, and make sure to follow me on social media for more workout tips and fitness product reviews.
References:
- Bekir Mustafic, "6 SIMPLE ANKLE STRAP EXERCISES," Gymreapers, https://www.gymreapers.com/blogs/news/6-simple-ankle-strap-exercises (May 26, 2020)
- James Cunningham, "How To Do Cable Kickbacks (From a Personal Trainer)," TotalShape, https://totalshape.com/training/how-to-do-cable-kickbacks/ (January 16, 2024)
- Jacqueline Raymond, "The effect of ankle taping or bracing on proprioception in functional ankle instability: a systematic review and meta-analysis," PubMed 15(5):386-92.
- Ravi H, "Get Better Results Using Ankle Straps With Cable Machine," JoyFit,
https://joyfit.in/blogs/fitness-workout-tips/ankle-straps-exercises (September 09, 2020) - MBN, "How to Get Better Results by Using Ankle Straps With Cable Machine," Market Business News, https://marketbusinessnews.com/how-to-get-better-results-by-using-ankle-straps-with-cable-machine/289241/ (Published Jan 29, 2022)
- Photos made by Torokhtiy Media Team; Canva.
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My name is Ihor and I have been a professional weightlifter since 1996. With over 20 years of competition experience, my resume includes European Champion in 2009 and the silver medalist at 2011's Senior World Championships – 105kg division.
I competed at the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.
After hanging up my own competitive lifting shoes, I decided to share my huge background as a coach. I am currently coaching multiple athletes who are competing at national and international competitions.
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