Reference
Glossary
Short, plain-English definitions. Each term links to the guides that cover it properly.
A
- Affiliate disclosure · also paid link
- A clear statement that a site earns from its links. The FTC says it should sit close to the recommendation, Amazon requires Associates to say they earn from qualifying purchases, and Canada's Competition Bureau asks for material connections to be disclosed prominently. Read more: Ratings and buying
- Ankle strap · also ankle cuff
- A padded cuff worn on the ankle and clipped to a low pulley. DMoose lists a nylon strap, 8 mm neoprene padding, a hook-and-loop closure and two D-rings; Body-Solid's NAS3 has metal D-rings. Read more: Ankle straps for cable machines: closure, padding, D-rings and sizing, Ankle straps and cuffs
- ASTM F2216
- ASTM F2216 is the Standard Specification for Selectorized Strength Equipment, covering design and manufacture for indoor use; the active edition is F2216-17a(2025). It is not a rating for add-on pins. Read more: Cable machine standards and recalls
- ASTM F2276
- ASTM F2276 is the Standard Specification for Fitness Equipment, intended for indoor fitness products; the active edition is F2276-23. Read more: Cable machine standards and recalls
B
- Bar length · also overall length
- A bar's overall length, which can differ from the length you can grip. American Barbell lists 21 in for its Revolving Straight Bar but conflicts on grip length, and Bells of Steel's "30 D-Handle Bar" page gives no length. Read more: Lat bar length vs grip spacing and grip diameter, Straight and revolving cable bars: length, grip and connection
- Bolt assembly · also mounting bolts, mounting hardware
- The bolts and matching hardware a maker supplies to fix an attachment to a rack. They are product-specific: Rogue uses 1 in Monster bolt assemblies on the Monster Slinger and 5/8 in assemblies on the Lite version, and Valor supplies M12 x 110 bolts for 1/2 in holes. Read more: Pulley mount hole sizes: 5/8 in, 1 in and 1/2 in
- Bolt-down rack
- A rack version designed to be fastened to the floor. Titan lists its lat tower attachment for its T-3 and X-3 bolt-down power racks, not their Flat Foot versions. Read more: Pulleys on folding, flat-foot and wall-mounted racks
- Breaking strength · also MBS, kN, minimum breaking strength
- The load at which a part fails, often given in kilonewtons (kN) for carabiners. It is not a gym working load, so a kN figure should never be converted into a weight to lift. Read more: What a cable attachment load rating covers, Carabiner gates and loading direction: what connector makers say
C
- Cable attachment
- Any bar, handle, rope or cuff that clips to a cable. REP says its attachments use a standard carabiner-style connection and advises confirming carabiner size and pulley spacing if you use specialty connectors. Read more: A small cable attachment set: what to start with, Handles and ropes
- Cable coating · also cable jacket, sheath
- A plastic jacket, such as PVC, vinyl or nylon, over a steel cable. Lexco describes coatings as a jacket over the cable but does not say whether a listed diameter is over the core or the coating. Read more: Gym cable inspection and replacement parts: follow the maker
- Cable diameter
- The thickness of a cable. Decathlon gives 5 mm for its weight training pulley cable; for coated cable, a listed diameter may not say whether it includes the coating. Read more: Gym cable inspection and replacement parts: follow the maker, Cable length for a rack pulley: rack height and the maker's options
- Cable end stop · also cable stop, stop ball
- A stop on the cable end that keeps it from being pulled back through the pulleys. Bowflex's Xtreme 2 SE manual calls it a Cable End Stop Ball, fitted over the cable ferrule. Read more: Gym cable inspection and replacement parts: follow the maker
- Cable length
- The listed length of a cable. Fringe lists 52 in for the Sidewing (82 in with its extension chain), and Body-Solid lists separate 9300 mm and 5875 mm cables for the SPRFT kit. Read more: Cable length for a rack pulley: rack height and the maker's options, Cable travel vs cable length, and how ratio changes it
- Cable ratio · also pull ratio, 2:1, 1:1
- How stack weight relates to the pull at the handle. REP explains that at 1:1, 20 lb of stack feels like 20 lb, while at 2:1 it feels like 10 lb and the weight travels half the cable's distance. Read more: 1:1 vs 2:1 cable ratio: stack weight vs what you pull
- Cable travel
- How far the handle can move, which is not the same as cable length. REP's guide gives 6 to 8 ft of travel for the Ares 2.0 and 106 in for the Athena on a 93 in rack. Read more: Cable travel vs cable length, and how ratio changes it
- Carabiner · also clip, biner
- A metal link with a spring-loaded gate that joins an attachment to a cable. The elitefts 2-pack is 3 in tall with a spring snap gate, and MakeIt states a 12 kN breaking strength that it says is not a working load. Read more: Will my carabiner fit the attachment? Eyelet, gate and body size, Carabiners and connectors
- Clearance
- The free space an attachment, plate or moving part needs. Surplus Strength's UPS Low needs a lower crossmember top height of at least 6.75 in, and GymPin advises checking that plates clear the full range of motion. Read more: Identify your rack before buying a pulley, Stack adders and machine load limits: is a gym pin safe?
- Clevis · also clevis plate
- A U-shaped or plate fitting with a pin or hole that links an attachment to a connector. Rogue's Rotating V-Grip uses a stainless steel clevis plate. Read more: Triceps V-bar vs close-grip row handle
- Counterfeit · also fake
- A fake product sold as a brand's own. MIKOLO says it has not authorized other resellers and flags an AliExpress listing as fake, and Health Canada lists an unusually low price and poor spelling as warning signs for electrical goods. Read more: Buying cable attachments on Amazon or AliExpress: what to check
- CPSC recall · also product recall
- A US product recall listed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, searchable by date, hazard and product category. In 2022 Core Health & Fitness agreed to a civil penalty for not immediately reporting a carriage defect in two of its pulley machines. Read more: Cable machine standards and recalls
- Cross-loading · also minor-axis loading
- Loading a carabiner across its short axis or against its gate instead of along its spine. Petzl says its carabiners are strongest closed and loaded on the major axis, and that wide webbing or large bars on the carabiner can reduce strength. Read more: Carabiner gates and loading direction: what connector makers say
- Crossmember · also cross member
- A horizontal tube joining two uprights. Some pulley mounts attach to one: Surplus Strength's UPS Low needs a lower crossmember with a top height of at least 6.75 in, and Rogue says standard Monster Lite crossmembers lack cable holes. Read more: Identify your rack before buying a pulley, Pulley mount hole sizes: 5/8 in, 1 in and 1/2 in
D
- D-handle · also single handle, stirrup handle
- A one-hand handle shaped like a D. REP sells steel (32 mm grip), urethane (34 mm) and Pro Series (25 mm) D-handles, singly or in pairs, without a carabiner. Read more: D-handles: steel, urethane and strap versions compared by spec
- D-ring
- A D-shaped metal ring on a strap or cuff where a carabiner or cable clips on. DMoose lists two stainless steel D-rings on its ankle strap, and Body-Solid says cables attach to the NAS3's metal D-rings. Read more: Ankle straps for cable machines: closure, padding, D-rings and sizing
- De minimis · also duty-free threshold
- A duty-free entry route for low-value US imports. CBP stopped accepting it from all countries on August 29, 2025, and June 2026 interim rules suspend it indefinitely for non-postal shipments and mail; check the current rules before ordering. Read more: Buying cable attachments on Amazon or AliExpress: what to check
- Design factor · also safety factor
- Certex defines it as the ratio of a rope's breaking strength to its maximum working load. Its figures are industrial minimums for slings and cranes, not values to apply to gym gear. Read more: What a cable attachment load rating covers
- Dual-hook connection · also dual-hook bar
- A bar with a hook at each end so it can clip to two cables at once. Inspire includes a dual-hook curl bar with the FTX Functional Trainer. Read more: Straight and revolving cable bars: length, grip and connection
E
- EMG (electromyography) · also electromyography, sEMG
- A recording of the electrical activity of muscles. A 2018 review says surface EMG measures excitation, not force, and is not a validated predictor of long-term strength or muscle growth. Read more: Rope vs bar for triceps pushdowns: what the studies measured, Lat pulldown grip width and attachments: what one study found
- End fitting · also cable end fitting
- Hardware fixed to a cable's end, such as a snap hook, threaded stud or swivel end. A UK retailer lists such fittings for 4 mm and 5 mm gym wire rope in several threads; they are replacement parts, not a guide to making cables. Read more: Gym cable inspection and replacement parts: follow the maker
- Extension chain · also cable chain
- A short chain between a cable and an attachment that changes where the handle sits. Fringe's Sidewing cable reaches 82 in with its chain, and Bodycraft sells a 21-inch stainless steel extension chain. Read more: Cable extension chains and snap links: what makers list
- Eyelet · also loop, attachment eye
- The hole or loop on an attachment where a carabiner clips through. Lattice describes a carabiner-friendly mounting hole on its Lifting Pin, and REP advises confirming carabiner size if you use specialty connectors. Read more: Will my carabiner fit the attachment? Eyelet, gate and body size
F
- Ferrule
- A metal sleeve fixed onto a cable, often at its end. In the Bowflex Xtreme 2 SE manual, the Cable End Stop Ball's core fits over the ferrule so the cable cannot slip back through the pulleys. Read more: Gym cable inspection and replacement parts: follow the maker
- Flat-foot rack · also flat-footed rack, Flat Foot
- A rack built on flat base feet, sold by some makers as a separate version of a bolt-down rack. Titan's T-3/X-3 lat tower does not fit Flat Foot racks, and REP's Ares 2.0 does not fit flat-footed racks such as the Omni and Apollo. Read more: Pulleys on folding, flat-foot and wall-mounted racks
- Fold-back rack · also folding rack, wall-folding rack
- A rack that folds toward the wall when not in use. Rogue says its Monster and Monster Lite Slingers are not compatible with fold-back racks; that exclusion is Rogue's, for those products. Read more: Pulleys on folding, flat-foot and wall-mounted racks
- Fractional weight · also add-on weights, add-on weight, micro plates
- A small weight added to a stack for finer steps. Force USA's US pair is two 3 lb plates that split into 1.5 lb halves; its UK pair is 2 x 1.5 kg, a different product. Read more: Add small increments to a weight stack: maker options first
- Free return · also Free Returns
- A return with no shipping charge. On AliExpress it applies only to products marked with a Free Returns icon, once per order, and the return window depends on where the seller is. Read more: Buying cable attachments on Amazon or AliExpress: what to check
G
- Gate opening
- The clear gap when a carabiner's gate is open, which has to pass the attachment's loop. It is not the body width: elitefts' 1.5 in figure is the width at the top, and REP advises confirming carabiner size. Read more: Will my carabiner fit the attachment? Eyelet, gate and body size
- Grip diameter · also handle diameter
- The thickness of the part you hold. REP lists 32 mm for its steel D-handle, 34 mm for the urethane one and 25 mm for the Pro Series. Read more: D-handles: steel, urethane and strap versions compared by spec
- Grip spacing · also handle spacing
- The distance between a bar's two grips. REP lists 29 in between handles on its Neutral Grip Lat Bar but does not say whether that is measured center to center. Read more: Lat bar length vs grip spacing and grip diameter, Lat pulldown grip width and attachments: what one study found
H
- High pulley · also top pulley
- A pulley mounted at the top of a rack or tower, used for pulldowns and pushdowns. Surplus Strength sells its UPS Low as an add-on to its UPS High. Read more: Rack-mount pulley systems
- Hole diameter · also hole size, pinhole size
- The diameter of the holes in a rack upright or crossmember. Makers size mounting hardware to it: Valor designs the RG-26 bolts for 1/2 in holes, and REP uses 5/8 in pinholes on its 4000 Series and 1 in on its 5000 Series. Read more: Pulley mount hole sizes: 5/8 in, 1 in and 1/2 in
- Hole spacing · also hole pattern, on center
- The distance between neighboring holes, usually given center to center. Rogue lists the Monster Slinger's mounting holes at 8 in on center, and REP says its 5000 Series racks use 2 in spacing throughout. Read more: Pulley mount hole sizes: 5/8 in, 1 in and 1/2 in, Identify your rack before buying a pulley
I
- Insert length · also stack end, rod length
- How far a stack adder's pin goes into the weight stack. GymPin lists 102 mm for the Original's stack end, and Bare Steel offers 3.65 to 6 in rods to suit closed holes or wider stack plates. Read more: GymPin Original vs MiniPin vs KingPin: fit and stated limits, 8 mm vs 10 mm selector pins: measure before buying an adder
- ISO 20957
- An ISO series of safety standards for indoor stationary training equipment. ISO 20957-1:2024 sets general safety requirements and test methods, and ISO 20957-2:2024 adds requirements for stationary strength training equipment. Read more: Cable machine standards and recalls
L
- Landed cost
- What an import costs once it reaches you: the price plus shipping, duty, taxes and any broker or courier fees. Canada's CBSA says imports may owe duty plus GST, PST or HST, and that broker and courier fees are separate. Read more: Buying cable attachments on Amazon or AliExpress: what to check
- Lat bar · also lat pulldown bar
- A long bar for lat pulldowns. REP's Pro Series Neutral Grip Lat Bar lists 28 mm handles and 29 in between handles, without saying how that distance is measured. Read more: Lat bar length vs grip spacing and grip diameter, Cable bars
- Listing claim · also seller claim
- A statement on a seller or reseller listing rather than the maker's page. The Micro Gainz listing says the GymPin Original holds 135 lb, while GymPin's own page states 60 kg. Read more: What a cable attachment load rating covers, Buying cable attachments on Amazon or AliExpress: what to check
- Loading pin · also plate pin, lifting pin, plate-loading pin
- A steel post that holds weight plates and clips to a cable, turning a pulley into a plate-loaded station. Rogue lists its Loading Pin as 12 in long, in steel. Read more: Choose a loading pin for the plates you own, Loading pins
- Locking gate · also screw lock, auto lock
- A carabiner gate with a sleeve that locks it shut. Petzl describes the trade-off as security against ease of use, and its connector instructions say to use the gate closed and locked. Read more: Carabiner gates and loading direction: what connector makers say
- Low pulley · also bottom pulley
- A pulley near the floor, used for rows, curls and ankle-strap work. Surplus Strength's UPS Low mounts on a lower crossmember with a top height of at least 6.75 in. Read more: Rack-mount pulley systems, Ankle straps for cable machines: closure, padding, D-rings and sizing
M
- Major axis · also long axis
- A carabiner's long axis, along its spine. Petzl says carabiners should be loaded on the major axis with the gate closed, and that only the major-axis, gate-closed rating suits vertical loads. Read more: Carabiner gates and loading direction: what connector makers say
- Maker claim · also manufacturer spec
- A statement on the maker's own page or manual, such as a rating, size or fit list. It is the maker's word, in the maker's scope, not an independent test. Read more: What a cable attachment load rating covers, Buying cable attachments on Amazon or AliExpress: what to check
- Metric tubing · also metric 3x3
- Rack tubing made to millimeter sizes and sometimes sold under inch labels. Fringe Sport describes metric 3x3 as about 75 mm (2.95 in) per side, and SYL Fitness sells pulley variants for 50, 60, 70, 75 and 80 mm uprights. Read more: 2x2, 2x3 and 3x3 vs metric uprights for pulley mounts
N
- Neutral grip · also parallel grip, hammer grip
- A grip with the palms facing each other. REP's Pro Series Neutral Grip Lat Bar lists 29 in between its handles. Read more: Lat pulldown grip width and attachments: what one study found, Lat bar length vs grip spacing and grip diameter
- Nominal size · also nominal
- The size a product is sold under, which may not be its exact measurement. SYL Fitness labels a 50 mm upright "2x2", while 2 in calculates to 50.8 mm at 25.4 mm per inch, and Fringe Sport gives metric "3x3" as about 75 mm. Read more: 2x2, 2x3 and 3x3 vs metric uprights for pulley mounts
O
- Olympic plate · also 2 inch plates
- A weight plate with a 2 in center hole. GymPin's Original takes 2 in Olympic plates on its 49.5 mm plate end, and Spud sells a separate Olympic strap loading pin. Read more: 1-inch vs 2-inch loading pins: why the shaft is not the plate hole
P
- Plate bore · also center hole
- The hole through the middle of a weight plate. A pin or sleeve must suit it: GymPin designs the Original's 49.5 mm plate end for plates with a 2 in (50.8 mm) center hole. Read more: Choose a loading pin for the plates you own, 1-inch vs 2-inch loading pins: why the shaft is not the plate hole
- Plate-loaded
- Resistance from weight plates on a pin or sleeve rather than from a selectorized stack. Valor's RG-26 has a 14 in plate holder for 2 in plates, and MIKOLO's G3 is a plate-loaded tower. Read more: Rack-mount pulley systems, Choose a loading pin for the plates you own
- Pronated grip · also overhand grip
- A grip with the palms facing away from you, as in an overhand lat pulldown. A 2014 study compared pronated pulldowns at 1, 1.5 and 2 times shoulder width. Read more: Lat pulldown grip width and attachments: what one study found
- Proof load · also proof test
- A factory test in which a measured force is applied to an assembly for a set time, after which it is inspected for defects, per Lexco. It is not a working load limit, and not something to try on your own gear. Read more: What a cable attachment load rating covers
- Pulley · also sheave, pulley wheel
- A grooved wheel that guides a cable and changes its direction. Rogue's Monster Slinger uses 6 in pulleys, and MIKOLO's aluminum pulley set listing shows both 90 mm and 58 mm wheels. Read more: Rack-mount pulley systems, What comes in a rack pulley kit (and what does not)
R
- Revision · also version, production year
- A later version of a rack or attachment that changes its fit. Fringe excludes Garage Series racks ordered June to October 2020, Titan excludes T-3/X-3 racks bought before October 2021, and REP needs the updated PR-5000 for the Ares 2.0. Read more: Identify your rack before buying a pulley
- Revolving bar · also rotating bar
- A bar with a grip or hanger that turns so the bar can rotate in use. American Barbell calls its straight bar a multi-axis revolving swivel design but does not say which part rotates. Read more: Straight and revolving cable bars: length, grip and connection
- Row handle · also close-grip row handle, triangle handle, double D handle
- A close-grip handle, often two D-shaped grips side by side, used for seated cable rows. It is a different attachment from a V-bar. Read more: Triceps V-bar vs close-grip row handle
S
- Selector pin · also weight stack pin
- The pin pushed through a weight stack to choose the load. GymPin says diameters vary between makers, models and years, warns against putting an 8 mm pin in a 10 mm hole, and says to match the original pin. Read more: 8 mm vs 10 mm selector pins: measure before buying an adder
- Selectorized stack · also weight stack
- A stack of weight plates on guide rods, where a selector pin sets how many plates the cable lifts. ASTM F2216 is the Standard Specification for Selectorized Strength Equipment. Read more: 8 mm vs 10 mm selector pins: measure before buying an adder, Weight-stack adders
- Seller of record · also Sold by, Ships from, ASIN
- The business that actually sells you an item, shown on Amazon as "Sold by" next to "Ships from". A brand name in the title or store byline does not by itself show that the seller is authorized. Read more: Buying cable attachments on Amazon or AliExpress: what to check, Ratings and buying
- Shaft diameter
- The measured outside diameter of a pin's loading shaft, which can differ from the plate-family label. Rogue lists its Loading Pin at 1.91 in, smaller than a nominal 2 in plate hole. Read more: 1-inch vs 2-inch loading pins: why the shaft is not the plate hole
- Snap hook · also spring hook
- A hook with a spring-loaded keeper that closes its opening. Bowflex lists a Snap Hook in the Xtreme 2 SE hardware, and a UK gym-parts retailer sells snap hooks among its cable end fittings. Read more: Cable extension chains and snap links: what makers list
- Snap link
- A connector that snaps closed over a cable end, chain or attachment. Body-Solid's SPRFT parts list names a snap link as a separate part, without dimensions or a rating. Read more: Cable extension chains and snap links: what makers list
- Spring gate · also snap gate, non-locking gate
- A carabiner gate held shut by a spring, with no lock. The elitefts and MakeIt carabiners sold for cable work both use spring gates. Read more: Carabiner gates and loading direction: what connector makers say
- Stack adder pin · also gym pin, stack extender, loading sleeve
- A pin that goes into a weight stack and carries extra plates on a loading sleeve. GymPin says a stronger pin does not raise the machine's rating, and Bare Steel states 135 lb for its 10 mm pin. Read more: Stack adders and machine load limits: is a gym pin safe?, Weight-stack adders
- Standard plate · also 1 inch plates
- A weight plate with a 1 in center hole. Spud makes a separate strap loading pin for standard plates, and Arm Kombat sells its loading pin for 1 in plates. Read more: 1-inch vs 2-inch loading pins: why the shaft is not the plate hole
- Stated load rating · also maker's rating, capacity
- The load figure a maker or seller publishes, in its own scope. Fringe's 200 lb applies only with its Gibbon Arms, and a Yes4All listing's 880 lb does not say which part of the set it covers. Read more: What a cable attachment load rating covers
- Straight bar · also short straight bar
- A short straight bar for pushdowns, curls and rows. American Barbell lists its Revolving Straight Bar at 21 in long with a 25.4 mm grip. Read more: Straight and revolving cable bars: length, grip and connection
- Strand construction · also 7x19, 7x7
- How a wire rope is built, written as strands by wires per strand. In Lexco's glossary, 7x7 and 7x19 are common aircraft-cable constructions. Read more: Gym cable inspection and replacement parts: follow the maker
- Strap loading pin · also strap pin
- A loading pin that hangs from a strap. Spud makes 1 in and Olympic strap pins for its Econo Pulley Systems, linked through an attached ring; the Olympic version comes with 12 in or 18 in straps. Read more: Strap loading pin vs rigid loading pin
- Supinated grip · also underhand grip
- A grip with the palms facing you. MAG sells its close and medium grip handles in neutral, pronate and supinate versions. Read more: Lat pulldown grip width and attachments: what one study found
- Swivel · also swivel hanger
- A joint that lets an attachment turn freely around its connection. Rogue's Rotating V-Grip has a 360-degree swivel with bronze bushings at its center. Read more: Triceps V-bar vs close-grip row handle, Straight and revolving cable bars: length, grip and connection
T
- Total pin length · also overall length
- A loading pin's overall length, end to end. Rogue lists 12 in and Golden Grip about 32 cm (12.5 in), but neither says how much of that length holds plates. Read more: Choose a loading pin for the plates you own
- Triceps rope · also tricep rope
- A short rope with stops at both ends that clips to a cable at its middle. Rogue lists its Tricep Rope Attachment at 28 in long including the rubber ends, or about 11.5 in once doubled. Read more: Triceps rope length: overall vs doubled length, Rope vs bar for triceps pushdowns: what the studies measured
- Trolley · also carriage
- The sliding block that carries a pulley up and down a functional trainer's column, so the cable height can be set. Read more: Rack-mount pulley systems
- True 3x3 · also true 3 x 3
- Upright tubing that measures 3 in per side, which is 76.2 mm at 25.4 mm per inch. Fringe Sport says its Sidewing Bottom Pulley fits metric 75 mm "3x3" tubing but not true 3x3. Read more: 2x2, 2x3 and 3x3 vs metric uprights for pulley mounts, Rack upright size finder
U
- Upright · also power rack upright, post
- One of the vertical steel tubes of a power rack. Makers size them by outside width, such as 2x2, 2x3 or 3x3 in, and Fringe Sport describes true 3x3 as 3 in per side. Read more: 2x2, 2x3 and 3x3 vs metric uprights for pulley mounts, Identify your rack before buying a pulley
- Usable loading length · also loadable length
- The part of a pin or sleeve that actually holds plates, which is shorter than the whole pin. Most makers do not publish it: Rogue gives only a 12 in length, and Lattice's 28 cm figure is a listed dimension, not a loading length. Read more: Choose a loading pin for the plates you own
V
- V-bar · also V-grip, V handle
- A short bar bent into a V, used for pushdowns and close-grip pulls. Rogue's Rotating V-Grip has a 360-degree swivel at its center, 32 mm handles and a stated width of 14.4 in. Read more: Triceps V-bar vs close-grip row handle
- Variant · also option
- One option of a product, such as a size, length or region. Spud's 1 in strap pin lists 11 in and 17 in straps, and Force USA's UK fractional plates are a different product from its US ones. Read more: Buying cable attachments on Amazon or AliExpress: what to check
W
- Wire rope · also aircraft cable, steel cable
- Cable made of steel wires twisted into strands. Lexco's glossary uses 7x7 and 7x19 as aircraft-cable constructions, typically from 1/32 to 3/8 in in diameter, as general industrial terms. Read more: Gym cable inspection and replacement parts: follow the maker
- Working load limit · also WLL
- The most load a part is meant to carry in normal use, set below its breaking strength. MakeIt says its carabiner's 12 kN breaking strength must not be confused with a recommended working load. Read more: What a cable attachment load rating covers