For racket sports
For racket sports, cable external rotation rates well ahead on our research criteria: more carry-over to racket sports, more injury protection.
Both are good choices that work the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Cable External Rotation. Rotator cuff strength protects the serving shoulder. A warm-up programme built on it cut shoulder problems by 28% in elite handball.
For swimming, cable external rotation rates well ahead on our research criteria: more carry-over to swimming, more injury protection.
For climbing, cable external rotation rates higher on our research criteria: more injury protection.
For racket sports, cable external rotation rates well ahead on our research criteria: more carry-over to racket sports, more injury protection. Both are good choices that work the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
About the same: both are easy to learn.
Band pull-apart needs a band, so a home gym covers it. Cable external rotation needs a cable station, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.
Cable external rotation: it rates Excellent for injury protection in our research rubric, against Strong for band pull-apart.