Skip to content

15 Best Cable Chest Exercises for Better Pec Development

cable chest exercises
15 Best Cable Chest Exercises for Better Pec Development
Sam Coleman

Written by  | Co-founder

Fact checked by Tyler DiGiovanni

It goes without saying that the cable crossover machine is a go-to for chest training, but a lot of people still treat it like a one-trick pony. Cables can hit your pecs from almost any angle, keep tension on the muscle through the whole rep, and make it easier to “feel” your chest working (especially on fly variations).

In this post, we’ll cover 15 of the best cable chest exercises to build size, improve your mind-muscle connection, and round out your pressing work. If your chest days have been stuck on repeat, this will give you plenty of upgrades.

Take Your Fitness To The Next Level

Quick answer: Cable chest exercises are great for hypertrophy because they keep constant tension on your pecs, let you train the upper, mid, and lower fibers with simple angle changes, and are usually easier on the shoulders than going heavy on flys with dumbbells.

Key Takeaways What to do
Best cable combo Pick 1-2 press variations + 1-2 fly variations per session.
Rep ranges Presses: 6-12 reps. Flys: 10-20 reps. Pullovers: 10-15 reps.
Angle rules Low-to-high emphasizes upper chest. High-to-low emphasizes lower chest. Middle hits the mid fibers evenly.
Progression When you hit the top of the rep range for all sets with clean form, move the pin up 1-2 increments next session.
Form priority Shoulders down and back, chest up, slow stretch, hard squeeze, no bouncing.

Table of Contents:

  • 15 Best Cable Chest Exercises
  • Are Cable Exercises Good For Strengthening The Chest?
  • Sample Workout
  • Chest Anatomy
  • Benefits Of Cable Chest Exercises
  • How To Workout Your Chest With A Cable Machine
  • FAQs

15 BEST CABLE CHEST EXERCISES 

We’re going to kick this off with cable presses. After we run through the presses, we’ll hit fly variations and finish with pullovers. If you want a simple structure, think: press for load, then fly for stretch and squeeze.

1. Cable Standing Chest Press 

While horizontal presses from a lying position (supine or pushup) are great for strength, when you think about it, the standing chest press is the most functional type of horizontal press you can do.

The standing chest press (as well as kneeling chest press) requires more core strength and rotary stability because the trainee can’t rely on the bench or a rigid structure to lock them into position. Moreover, since your shoulder blades are free, more protraction can occur, allowing you to get a greater contraction of your pecs and more activation in your serratus anterior. 

Muscle Emphasized: Pec Major, Front Delt, Triceps, Serratus Anterior, Core 

Set Up: Set the pulleys up so that the handles are chest to shoulder height.


How to:

  1. Stand in the middle of the two pulleys and hold one handle in each hand.
  2. Step forward a few feet in front of the cable machine, one leg in front of the other, to create a staggered stance. Your back foot should be on tiptoes, but your front foot should be planted firmly on the floor.
  3. On the next set of the standing cable chest press, it is best to switch which leg is leading.
  4. Retract your shoulder blades and bring your arms to a 90-degree angle. This is your starting position.
  5. Before pressing, make sure your head is up and your core is engaged. Your entire body should be stationary except your arms.
  6. Press forward through elbow extension until your hands meet at the center.
  7. Squeeze, then slowly come back to the starting position. The slower, the better. Really feel the stretch in your chest at the bottom range, then repeat.

Note: Altering the angle of the pulley height will change the emphasis on the muscles targeted. When pressing through the middle, it will provide you more even engagement of your pec major. If pressing up at an angle, you will get more upper chest engagement, and if pressing down at an angle, you will get more lower chest engagement.  

2. Cable Seated Chest Press

The seated cable press is a good option if you want to really hone in on your pec major as the back rest will provide you with more stability. However, it will also slightly limit range of motion, albeit you’ll still have good enough range of motion specifically for your pec major. All in all, it is a good pec isolation exercise. 

Muscles Emphasized: Pec Major, Front Delt, Triceps

Set Up: This exercise is performed from a seated position, so you will need a bench with back rest at 90Ëš. Place the bench in the middle of the two pulleys with the height of the handles set to about chest level when seated.


How to:

  1. Hold each handle with a pronated grip (knuckles facing the direction you're pushing).
  2. Keep your back tight against the bench with your shoulder blades retracted, and then position your arms so that they are in line with your wrists to keep the movement flowing from your elbows. This is your starting position.
  3. Before pressing, make sure your head is up and your core is engaged. Your entire body should be stationary except your arms.
  4. Extend at your elbows, pressing from mid-chest area.
  5. Stop when your hands meet or just cross at the end of the movement and squeeze. You don’t need to lock your elbows at the end of the movement to get a full contraction.
  6. Slowly come back to the starting position. The slower, the better. Really feel the stretch in your chest at the bottom range, then repeat. 

3. Cable Single Arm Rotational Chest Press 

The one arm rotational press provides a few unique benefits. It allows for full protraction of the shoulder, which allows you to fully activate your serratus anterior and maximize contraction of your pec major.

Furthermore, it brings your core into play to a higher degree as it moves you through the transverse plane, challenging you for both rotational stabilization and strength and giving your obliques and transversus abdominis some special attention. Overall, it’s a multiplanar exercise that turns the cable chest press into a bigger compound movement. 

Muscles Emphasized: Pec Major, Front delt, Serratus Anterior, Obliques, Triceps.

Set Up: You will only be using one pulley and one arm at a time. Set the handle height to a little lower than shoulder height and stand in the center of the cable crossover machine.


How to:

  1. Grip the handle palm down with your right hand.
  2. Step your right foot forward to get into a staggered stance. Your back foot should be on tiptoes, but your front foot should be planted firmly on the floor.
  3. With your elbow out at 45Ëš from from your side, extend through your elbow pressing all the way forward. As you reach full extension, protract your shoulder blades and extend even further by bringing your shoulder forward while rotating your torso in the direction of the press (think about it like you are throwing a punch).
  4. Pause at the end for a moment, then slowly return back to the starting position with your shoulders even and squared forward and your elbow back at full flexion, then repeat.
  5. After you do a set number of reps, perform the same movement on the opposite side. 

4. Cable Flat Bench Press 

The bench press using cables is a good way to target your chest with constant tension throughout the entire range of motion. It will definitely penetrate your pec major in a unique way, which can be a nice change if you always use barbell or dumbbells. 

Muscles Emphasized: Pec Major, Triceps, Front Delts 

Set Up: Place a flat bench right at the center of the cable machine and lower the handles all the way to the bottom.


How to:

  1. Grab the handles using a neutral grip (your palms facing in towards your body). Note: If you bring the bench forward in front of the cable pulley machine, your grip will change to a standard overhand grip.
  2. With your arms at 90Ëš, brace your core, retract your shoulder blades, and press up till your arms are fully extended. You can bring your arms more straight up or toward the center to meet. See how both feel in terms of pec activation.
  3. At the top, squeeze your pecs, then slowly lower your arms back down through elbow flexion.

Note: If you bring the bench forward or backward, you can change the angle of the load and your grip, which can allow you to alter how your pecs are being stressed.

Depending on the cable pulley machine, grip will vary as well, as some cable crossover machines have towers that are closer together and you can’t place the bench directly under at the center, so you will naturally be out forward with your hands in the standard overhand grip, as you will see with some other exercises to come.

Cable Stability Ball Chest Press 

chest cables

If you don’t have a bench, you can use a stability ball to a similar effect. The main difference with a stability ball is you will need more core stabilization and your shoulder blades will be free as the support is soft, which allows for a greater range of motion.

5. Cable Incline Bench Press 

The incline cable bench press is the same concept as the flat bench press. You are just changing your body position, which alters the path of motion of your press. With the incline press, you are pressing up at an angle, so you get more shoulder flexion, and thus more upper chest and front delt emphasis.

Muscles Emphasized: Pec Major (Upper Head), Front Delt, Triceps, Serratus Anterior 

Set Up: Place a bench with the back rest at 30-45˚ at the center of the cable machine. You’ll want the bench to be in front of the pulleys, so the cables are angled behind you. Lower the handles all the way to the bottom of the pulley towers.


How to:

  1. Grab the handles with your arms at 90Ëš, brace your core, keep your back firmly against the bench and feet planted into the floor.
  2. Position the handles at the sides of your chest, then exhale and move your arms up and inwards until your hands meet.
  3. Squeeze your chest at the top of the movement, then inhale as you slowly bring your arms back down. Really feel the stretch at the bottom, then repeat.

Cable One Arm Incline Press

bench press with cable

You can also do cable bench press exercises with one arm at a time, so that you can iron out muscle imbalances by placing focus on just one side at a time. Moreover, it is good for activating your core to a higher degree to resist rotation.

6. Cable Decline Bench Press

The cable decline press can be done standing/kneeling by simply setting the handles at the top (or near the top) of the towers and then pressing down and inward at an angle. OR, you can set up a bench in a decline position to mimic that of a decline dumbbell or barbell press. With the bench, you can really hone in on your pec major, and more specifically, the lower head, as decline presses do. 

Muscles Emphasized: Pec Major (Lower Head), Pec Minor, Triceps

Set Up: Place a bench with a 15-30˚ decline at the center of the cable machine. You’ll want the bench to be in front of the pulleys, so the cables are angled behind you. Lower the handles all the way to the bottom of the pulley towers. 


How to:

  1. Grab the handles with your arms at 90Ëš, brace your core, keep your back firmly against the bench.
  2. Exhale and move your arms up and in at an angle that brings your hands to a little below chest level when you reach the top of the press.
  3. Squeeze your chest, then inhale as you slowly bring your arms back down. Really feel the stretch at the bottom, then repeat.  

Cable Decline One Arm Press  

chest workouts on cable machine

7. Cable Middle Fly

This is the standard cable fly variation. The cable fly is an isolation exercise for the pecs and front deltoids, which are the same muscles activated with a flat bench dumbbell fly. The difference with cables is the resistance curve is flat with cables, so you get a constant load on your pecs throughout the whole range.

Muscles Emphasized: Pec Major, Front Delt

Set Up: Position the handles a little lower than shoulder height. You will need to stand directly in the middle of the crossover machine and step forward so that you can start from a position that is stretching your pecs and front delts. 


How to:

  1. With your hands at about shoulder level, put a slight bend in your elbow, and bring your arms back as far as you comfortably can. You should feel a nice stretch your pecs. Brace your core and retract your shoulder blades. This is the starting position.
  2. Exhale as your bring your arms to your center. Your elbow should remain in a fixed position and your shoulders pinned back. Use your pecs to power the movement by contracting them.
  3. Squeeze your pecs hard when your arms at your center, then slowly return your arms back as far as they can comfortably go. Again, really feel that stretching tension.  

8. Cable Standing Fly (High to Low)

With this cable fly variation, you are performing the fly motion from high to low. With that, you are emphasizing the lower head of your pec major, as well as your inner chest as with all flys. 

Like any standing cable fly, you can either stand straight up in a bilateral stance or you can get into a staggered stance with your torso leaned slightly forward. Both are going to work your pecs in a similar manner, but the staggered stance is going to allow you to go heavier than the “T” form. We recommend trying both to see what feels best for you.

Muscles Emphasized: Pec Major (Lower Head), Front Delts, Pec Minor

Set Up: Position the handles at the top of the cable towers. Stand directly in the middle and step forward so that you can start from a position that is stretching your pecs and front delts. 


How to:

  1. With your arms up and back, a slight bend in your elbow, and your hands at about shoulder level, brace your core and retract your shoulder blades. This is the starting position. You should feel a nice stretch your pecs.
  2. Exhale and bring your arms down and in until they meet at the bottom out in front of your hips.
  3. Squeeze your pecs hard, then slowly return your arms back as far as they can comfortably go. Again, really feel that stretching tension.

Here is how it looks with the T form:

cable lower chest

The same general form applies, but your arms will be straight rather than a slight bend in your elbow.

9. Cable Standing Fly (Low to High)

This is the same concept as the previous exercise, but you will be moving your arms from low to high. With that, the emphasis is placed on your upper chest and you’ll get even more front delt activation due to the movement being based on shoulder flexion (and adduction). 

Muscles Emphasized: Front Delts, Pec Major (Upper Head) 

Set Up: Position the handles at the bottom of the cable towers. Stand directly in the middle and step forward so that you can start from a position that is stretching your pecs and front delts.


How to:

  1. With your arms down and back, a slight bend in your elbow, and your hands at about hip level, brace your core and retract your shoulder blades. This is the starting position. You should feel a nice stretch your pecs.
  2. Exhale and bring your arms up and in until they meet at about shoulder height.
  3. Squeeze your pecs hard, then slowly return your arms back as far as they can comfortably go. Again, really feel that stretching tension. Be sure to keep your chest up and your shoulder blades back throughout. 

10. Cable Single Arm Bent Over Pec Fly

If you want to change up angles to stress your pec major in a different manner, you can try the single arm bent over fly. It’s an interesting exercise as it allows you to really maximize contraction with a fly motion. Also, by honing in on just one side, you can iron out some asymmetries.

Muscles Emphasized: Pec Major, Pec Minor (Inner Chest)

Set Up: Position the handles at the top of the cable towers. You will be standing in the middle, but you are using just one arm at a time.


How to:

  1. With this one, you should be aligned with the pulley, not out in front of it.
  2. Step away from the pulled a few feet (to about the center of the crossover machine.
  3. Grip the handle so your palm is facing in. Get into a bent over position by bending at the knees slightly and shooting your hips back. Your spine should be straight.
  4. With a slight bend in your elbow, bring your arm down and to your centerline. Keep your elbow fixed at all time.
  5. Slowly return your arm back and let it go up as high as you can to feel a good stretch, then repeat. Be sure to power the movement by contracting your pecs. 

11. Cable High Fly 

The high fly is a cable fly variations that targets your upper chest. You will be using a slightly higher pulley anchor point than the middle fly and you will be keeping your arms up and raising them up similar to an incline bench.

Muscles Emphasized: Upper Chest, Front Delt

Set Up: Position the handles at about shoulder height. You will need to stand directly in the middle of the crossover machine and step forward so that you can start from a stretched position.


How to:

  1. With your hands and arms at shoulder level, put a slight bend in your elbow, and bring your arms back as far as you comfortably can. Feel the stretch.
  2. Exhale as your bring your arms through an upward fly motion. When your hands meet, they will be well above your head.
  3. Slowly return your arms back through the same path of motion, back into the stretched position, then repeat. 

12. Cable Bench Fly 

This exercise mimics the flat bench dumbbell fly, but again, it provides constant tension throughout. In regards to standing or kneeling cable flys, using a bench will allow you to pin your shoulders back, which can help take your front delts out of the equation so you can really focus on using your chest to power the movement. 

Muscles Emphasized: Pec Major 

Set Up: Place a flat bench right at the center of the cable machine and lower the handles all the way to the bottom. Your chest will be lined up with the cable pulleys when lying down.


How to:

  1. Grab a handle in each hand with your palms facing up, then lay flat on the bench and keep your feet on the ground.
  2. Extend your arms to your side with a slight bend in your elbows. You will keep your elbow fixed in this position for the entire movement. Your arms should be just about parallel to the floor so you have a nice stretch in your pec. This is your starting position.
  3. While keeping your shoulders pinned to the bench and your shoulder blades retracted. Lift your arms in a semi-circle motion directly in front of you. Use your pec to power the motion.
  4. Squeeze the heck out of your chest at the top, then slowly return your arms back down to parallel with the floor. Repeat. 

13. Cable Incline Bench Fly

With the incline bench cable fly, you are going to be emphasizing your upper chest. Your front delts will naturally have more activation than the flat bench due to the shoulder flexion. 

Muscles Emphasized: Pec Major (Upper Head), Front Delt

Set Up: Place a bench with the back rest at 30-45Ëš at the center of the cable machine. Your chest will be lined up with the cable pulleys when lying down.


How to:

  1. Grab a handle in each hand with your palms facing up, then lay flat on the bench and keep your feet on the ground.
  2. Extend your arms to your side with a slight bend in your elbows. You will keep your elbow fixed in this position for the entire movement. Your arms should be in line with your shoulder and just about parallel to the floor so you have a nice stretch in your pec. This is your starting position.
  3. While keeping your shoulders pinned to the bench and your shoulder blades retracted. Lift your arms in a semi-circle motion directly up in front of you. Use your pec to power the motion.
  4. Squeeze the heck out of your chest at the top, then slowly return your arms back down until you feel a good stretch in your pecs, then repeat.

Cable Stability Ball Fly 

how to use cables for chest

You can use a stability ball to do a cable fly as well. If you want the flat fly, then position yourself up higher on the stability ball so your upper body is parallel with the floor. If you want to do an incline fly, rest your back further down on the stability ball so your torso is angled up.

14. Cable Decline Bench Fly 

The decline bench fly is meant to target the lower head of your pec major. Also, do to this body positioning, your pec minor will be activated to a higher degree.

Muscles Emphasized: Pec Major (Lower Head), Pec Minor, Front Delt

Set Up: Place a bench with a 15-30Ëš decline at the center of the cable machine. Your chest will be lined up with the cable pulleys when lying down.


How to:

  1. Grab a handle in each hand with your palms facing up, then lay on the bench.
  2. Extend your arms to your side with a slight bend in your elbows. You will keep your elbow fixed in this position for the entire movement. Your arms should be in line with your shoulder and just about parallel to the floor so you have a nice stretch in your pec. This is your starting position.
  3. While keeping your shoulders pinned to the bench and your shoulder blades retracted. Lift your arms in a semi-circle motion up and to your center. Your hands should meet at the center at sternum level.
  4. Squeeze the heck out of your chest at the top, then slowly return your arms back down until you feel a good stretch in your pecs.

Cable Single Arm Bench Fly 

how to do cable flys

With the flat, incline, and decline fly, you can also try one arm flys. This will allow you to hone in on one side at a time and incorporate your core more.

15. Cable Pullovers

You’ve probably seen this exercise done with dumbbells before. While it’s a good chest exercise, it is equally as good for your lats and abs. That said, this exercise is typically done on chest days (or if you do push-pull superset workouts), as it does a great job of activating the upper chest. 

Muscles Emphasized: Upper Chest

Set Up: Position a flat bench in front of one cable tower. It should be directly in line with it. You can use a rope attachment or a straight bar. The rope will allow for a close grip, which is better for activating your chest, whereas the straight bar will place slightly more emphasis on your lats.


How to:

  1. Lie down on your back with your head towards the cable machine and grab the rope with a neutral grip
  2. Starting with your arms stretched out back behind your head with elbows slightly bent, pull the rope straight over your head until your arms are up directly above your chest.
  3. Slowly return your arms back behind you and feel a good stretch in your lats and chest, then repeat. 

Related: Cable Pullover Variations

ARE CABLE EXERCISES GOOD FOR STRENGTHENING THE CHEST?

Absolutely. Cable work can build your chest and improve pressing strength, especially when you treat cable presses like “real” compound sets and progressively overload them over time. The big win with cables is that they keep tension on your pecs through the entire rep, so you get more quality time under tension without needing sloppy momentum or risky positions.

Cables also make it easy to train multiple lines of pull in one session. You can press straight out for mid-chest, press low-to-high for more upper chest involvement, and press high-to-low to bias the lower fibers. That angle control is hard to match with most free-weight setups.

Bottom line: Use free weights for heavy, simple strength work if you like, then use cables to add targeted volume, cleaner reps, and better contraction work.

Want to build muscle in 12 weeks with a structured plan? Check out our SFS Hypertrophy Program by Garett Reid (NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S).

hypertrophy program

Prepare to maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and gain 2-12 pounds of muscle over 90 days...

SAMPLE CABLE CHEST WORKOUTS

You do not need a cable-only workout for cables to matter. Most lifters get the best results using cables as a high-quality accessory after their main pressing. That said, if cables are all you have, you can still build a serious chest.

Option A: Cable-only chest workout (hypertrophy focus)

  1. Standing Cable Chest Press: 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  2. Cable Incline Bench Press: 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  3. Cable Middle Fly: 3 sets x 10-15 reps
  4. Standing High to Low Fly: 2-3 sets x 12-20 reps
  5. Cable Pullovers: 2-3 sets x 10-15 reps

Rest: 60-90 seconds on presses, 45-75 seconds on flys and pullovers.

Option B: Add cables to a traditional chest day

  1. Barbell Flat Bench Press: 4 sets x 5-8 reps
  2. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets x 8-12 reps
  3. Cable Standing Chest Press: 3 sets x 8-12 reps (slow eccentric)
  4. Cable Low to High Fly: 2-3 sets x 12-20 reps
  5. Dips: 2-3 sets x near failure (optional)

Programming tip: Keep 1-2 reps in reserve on most sets, then push the final isolation set close to failure. Clean reps beat ego reps, especially on flys.

ANATOMY & FUNCTION OF THE CHEST 

Your chest is primarily made up of the pectoralis major, with the pectoralis minor underneath it. Your front delts and serratus anterior also play a big role in how pressing and fly movements feel and perform.

PECTORALIS MAJOR

The pec major is the large fan-shaped muscle that makes up most of your chest. It attaches from the sternum and clavicle and inserts onto the upper arm (humerus). Functionally, it drives shoulder horizontal adduction (bringing your arm across your body), internal rotation, and helps with shoulder flexion (especially the upper fibers).

Sternocostal fibers (commonly called lower and mid chest): These fibers contribute heavily to pressing and fly patterns where your arm travels more across the body and slightly downward (flat press and high-to-low fly variations).

Often emphasized by: flat presses, high-to-low flys, decline patterns.

Clavicular fibers (commonly called upper chest): These fibers assist more when your arm path travels upward and inward (think incline presses and low-to-high fly patterns).

Often emphasized by: incline presses, low-to-high flys, pressing upward at an angle.

PECTORALIS MINOR

The pec minor sits underneath pec major. It helps control the shoulder blade (scapula), especially protraction and stabilization. It is not the main “builder” muscle for your chest look, but strong scapular control can make pressing feel smoother and keep shoulders happier.

SERRATUS ANTERIOR

Your serratus anterior helps your scapula move and wrap around your rib cage as you reach forward. Many cable presses and flys allow more natural scapular movement, which is why people often feel a better squeeze at the end range with cables.

FRONT DELT

Your anterior deltoid assists most pressing variations. If your shoulders take over, it usually means your setup is off (shoulders shrugged, elbows too flared, or you are losing chest position at the bottom).

BENEFITS OF CABLE CHEST EXERCISES

Cable training is not “better” than free weights, it is just different. The reason it earns a permanent spot in most good programs is because it makes it easier to rack up high-quality chest volume with less joint drama.

1. Constant tension
Cables keep resistance on the pecs through more of the range than many free-weight fly patterns, which can make the squeeze and pump easier to chase.

2. Easy angle changes
Move the pulley up or down and you change what fibers get the most love. That makes it simple to build a more “complete” chest without needing a dozen different machines.

3. Great for mind-muscle connection
If you struggle to feel your chest during pressing, cable fly variations can help you learn the path that keeps tension on the pecs instead of dumping it into your shoulders.

4. Cleaner single-side work
Unilateral cable presses and flys are a straightforward way to address left-right differences without awkward setups.

5. Efficient progression
Small pin jumps make it easy to progress without big leaps. That is perfect for accessory work where form matters more than maximal loading.

HOW TO WORK OUT YOUR CHEST WITH A CABLE MACHINE 

Most cable chest training comes down to two buckets: presses (more load, more triceps and front delt involvement) and flys (more isolation, more stretch and squeeze). Use both.

Simple cable chest template

  • 1 press variation (heavier): 3-4 sets x 6-12 reps
  • 1 angle-specific press or fly: 2-3 sets x 8-15 reps
  • 1 fly variation (pump): 2-3 sets x 12-20 reps

Form cues that fix 90% of cable chest problems

  • Shoulders down and back: avoid shrugging as you press or fly.
  • Chest up: keep ribcage stacked but proud so the pecs can actually do the work.
  • Own the stretch: slow eccentric, pause briefly if needed, then drive the rep.
  • Squeeze without crashing: bring hands together smoothly, do not slam handles and lose tension.

Cable Machine Chest Exercises - Best Rep Range & Load 

Cables can be used across a wide rep spectrum, but most people get the best payoff using moderate loads and owning the full range.

  • 6-8 reps: heavier presses (strength and hypertrophy)
  • 8-15 reps: primary hypertrophy range for presses and controlled flys
  • 15-25 reps: pump work for flys and finishers

Progression

Pick a rep range and keep rest time consistent. When you can hit the top of the rep range for all sets with clean form, bump the weight 1-2 pin slots the next time you do that movement.

Example: 3 sets x 10-12 reps. Once you get 12, 12, 12 with the same rest, increase the weight next session.

FAQ ABOUT CABLE CHEST EXERCISES

Are cable chest flys bad for your shoulders?

Not inherently. They are often easier to control than dumbbell flys because you can adjust the line of pull and stop the range exactly where your shoulder feels stable. Keep a slight elbow bend, move slow in the stretch, and avoid letting the shoulder roll forward aggressively at the bottom.

Should I do cables before or after bench press?

If bench strength is the priority, bench first and use cables after for volume and isolation. If chest “feel” and hypertrophy is the priority, you can start with a cable press or fly to pre-activate, then move into your heavier pressing.

How many cable exercises should I do for chest?

Usually 2-3 cable movements per session is plenty: one press and one to two fly variations. More is not always better if your reps get sloppy.

What cable angle hits upper chest best?

Low-to-high flys and incline cable presses tend to bias the clavicular fibers (upper chest). Keep the path smooth and bring your hands up and inward without shrugging.

Can I build a big chest with only cables?

Yes, as long as you progressively overload your presses, train through full ranges with control, and accumulate enough weekly volume. Many lifters still like mixing in barbells or dumbbells for heavier loading, but cables alone can absolutely build muscle.

Tip for increasing weight load on presses

If your stack is not heavy enough for presses, some lifters add a dumbbell on top of the weight stack. Only do this if your machine design safely allows it and the stack stays stable. When in doubt, prioritize slower tempo, pauses, and higher-quality reps instead of forcing heavier loading.

Add these cable chest exercises into your routine and let us know how it goes.

More Resources on Cable Exercises:

 

0 comments

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.