In this paper, a generalized form of the antipodal method from multi-finger grasping is presented and implemented for investigating the workspace of a wide range of planar wire-actuated parallel manipulators. Manipulators with distinct wire attachment points on the base and mobile platform are considered, in the absence and presence of external force. The examined workspaces are verified with the corresponding workspaces developed using static force analysis. By applying an external force, modeled as a wire for the antipodal method, the characteristics of the manipulator could be altered by enlarging its workspace in the direction of the applied force.