Have you ever been in the gym, endlessly pushing that barbell up the incline without seeing your chest blossom? It’s something that a lot of gym bunnies struggle with: grinding away at the bench press, yet those Arnold-esque pecs remain more elusive than a free bench on Monday mornings. But, there’s still hope and it comes in the form of the cable pulley machine.
On it, you can perform a variety of the best cable chest exercises, targeting your muscles with a level of precision that’ll leave free weights feeling jealous. Ready to cable your way to a mightier chest? Let’s go!
Table of Contents
The Best Chest Cable Exercises
- Middle cable fly
- High to low cable fly
- Low to high cable fly
- Cable chest press
- Incline cable chest press
- Lying cable pullover
- One arm cable chest press
Middle cable fly
Benefits of middle cable flys
- Enhances chest definition
- Improves muscle balance
- Increases range of motion
- Focus on the pectoral muscles
- Safe for the shoulders
Enhances chest definition
The middle cable fly is a staple in the cable chest workout routines of many fitness enthusiasts, as it’s said by many to be quite effective in defining the middle chest.
Improves muscle balance
The cable fly helps in balancing the muscle development across the chest, as it forces the body into comprehensive employment of the muscles within the muscle group.
Increases range of motion
The middle cable fly allows for a greater area of motion which can enhance your muscles’ flexibility and strength.
Focus on the pectoral muscles
The cable fly does a good job of isolating the pectoral muscles, making it a great choice for targeted muscle growth.
Safe for the shoulders
When set up correctly, the cable fly puts a lot less strain on the shoulder joints compared to free weights, which is why it’s a safer option for those with shoulder issues.
How to perform middle cable flys
- Position the cables at the middle height, attach d-handles to each cable, and select an appropriate weight. Ensure it allows you to lift the entire weight stack with relative resistance.
- Stand in the center of the cable machine, slightly forward of the pulley line. Keep your core tight, arms outstretched and angled slightly back, palms facing forward. Place your feet symmetrically with your feet shoulder-width apart or adopt an asymmetrical stance for better balance.
- With a moderate bend at the elbows, squeeze your chest to bring your arms together in front of your body at the nipple line. This should happen over 1-2 seconds while exhaling. Keep your body stationary as your arms draw a large arc from the shoulder joint.
- When the cables meet in the middle, pause and squeeze for a second.
- Slowly return to the start position while inhaling, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Hit the desired number of reps and sets.
Pro tip: This exercise can either be performed seated or standing. Both have a similar effect but many find the seated version to be a lot more stable, as it takes balancing out of the equation.
Watch the video below to get a good idea of how you need to perform this exercise:
High to low cable fly
Benefits of high to low cable flys
- Targets the lower chest
- Improves core stability
- Strengthens the pushing muscles
Targets the lower chest
This cable exercise is good for targeting the lower chest muscles which can be highly beneficial for building a well-rounded chest.
Improves core stability
Because you have to maintain your balance to an extent, this exercise helps with improving your core stability.
Strengthens the pushing muscles
Besides the chest, you’ll find that this exercise can strengthen your triceps and shoulders.
How to perform high to low cable flys
- Position the cables above shoulder height, attach d-handles to each cable, and then choose an appropriate weight.
- Stand in the middle of the machine, facing away from it. Grab the d-handles, pronated or palms facing down.
- Lean forward a little, keeping your back straight and core tight. With a slight bend in your elbows, bring your hands down and together in front of your waist for 1-2 seconds while exhaling.
- Squeeze your pecs as your hands meet at the lowest point.
- Slowly return to the start position while breathing in. Keep your elbows slightly bent while doing this.
- Perform the desired number of reps and sets. Ensure you maintain form and control throughout the exercise.
Pro tip: if you plan on doing this exercise with a particularly high weight, make it easier to set up by grabbing one d-handle with both hands first. You can then use your body weight and the weight from the stack to grab the other d-handle easily.
If you’re still confused about how to perform this exercise, then here’s a reliable visual guide to break it down for you:
Low to high cable fly
Benefits of low to high cable flys
- Targets the upper chest
- Natural range of motion
- Customizable intensity
- Helps with shoulder mobility
Targets the upper chest
The upper chest muscle fibers can be quite stubborn to develop for some. Thankfully, this exercise helps specifically target the upper chest which is crucial for complete chest development.
Natural range of motion
Low to high cable flys the line of pull and action of the clavicular pectoralis. This means that the movement is natural and is thus a lot less risky.
Customizable intensity
Like most cable chest exercises, you can easily adjust the weight or position of the cables to make their workout more suitable or challenging for you.
Helps with shoulder mobility
Anecdotal evidence suggests that this exercise can be helpful in improving shoulder mobility for some people.
How to perform low to high cable flys
- Adjust the cables so that they’re at the lowest position and attach d-handles. After that, select an appropriate weight that ensures your form and control are proper throughout the exercise.
- Stand in the center of the cable machine with your back to it. Grab the handles with your palms facing up.
- Lean forward slightly while keeping your core muscles engaged and your back tight. With a slight bend in your elbows, bring your hands up and together in front of your chest. Your reps should be performed over 1-2 seconds while breathing out.
- Squeeze your pecs as your hands meet at the highest point.
- Return to the starting position slowly while inhaling. Keep your elbows slightly bent while doing so.
- Do your target number of repetitions and sets.Every now and again, people get exercises wrong and there’s no shame in that. The only problem is that improper form could put you at risk of injury or simply hinder your progress. So, here’s a handy instructional video on how to do low to high cable flys:
Cable chest press
Benefits of cable chest presses
- Mimics bench press movement
- Adaptable for different variations
Mimics bench press movement
The cable bench press is essentially a variation of the standard barbell flat bench press. This makes it a good alternative for those who struggle with the barbell bench press or have accessibility issues with it.
Adaptable for different variations
Gives you the option of variations such as the standing cable chest press and the seated cable chest press. Besides keeping things interesting, switching between these variations can help you find the one for you that maximizes muscle engagement.
How to perform cable chest presses
- Adjust the cables to chest height, attach d-handles, and select a manageable weight on the weight stack.
- Stand in the middle of the machine with your back facing it if performing the standing version or sit down in the middle if performing the seated variation. Once you’re in position, grab the handles with your palms facing down.
- Push the handles forward by extending your arms, keeping your back straight and core engaged.
- Fully extend your arms. When you reach the peak of the movement, squeeze your chest muscles.
- Slowly bring your hands back to the starting position. While doing this, maintain control to keep tension on your chest.
- Do the desired number of sets and repsCheck out this video from the Buff Dudes. It does a good job of summing up the form and techniques needed to perform the cable bench press. Plus, they’re just a joy to watch:
Incline cable chest press
Benefits of incline cable chest presses
- Targets the upper chest
- Constant muscle tension
- Reduced shoulder strain
Targets the upper chest
The incline cable chest press is widely seen as one of the best cable chest exercises for targeting the upper chest muscles.
Constant muscle tension
This exercise maintains constant tension on the muscles in your upper chest, increasing time under tension for better gain.
Reduced shoulder strain
The cable incline bench press offers a safer alternative to the barbell incline bench press and dumbbell incline bench press, reducing the risk of joint pain.
How to perform incline cable chest presses
- Position the incline bench inside the cable machine so that your back will be facing away from the machine when seated. Attach d-handles to both pulleys and set them as low as possible. Select the desired weight.
- Sit on the bench and grasp one handle at a time. Lay back with the handles at chest height, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
- Press the handles to lockout while flexing the pecs and extending the elbows. Avoid locking out the elbows entirely to keep the tension on your pecs.
- Slowly lower the cables back to the starting position. Make sure your shoulder blades are slightly retracted while doing this.
- Perform the target amount of reps, avoiding excessive arching of the back and keeping some tension in your abs.
Sometimes, it’s best to see the exercise being performed before jumping into it yourself. Have a look at this to-the-point video from the Muscle Mentors which demonstrates it perfectly.
Lying cable pullover
Benefits of lying cable pullovers
- Controlled movement
- Compound exercise
Controlled movement
Allows for a lot more controlled movement compared to free weights. This can help a lot with properly activating the pectoral muscles.
Compound exercise
It’s one of the more reliable compound chest exercises, effectively targeting the chest, back, and arm muscles in a single movement, giving you comprehensive muscular development.
How to perform lying cable pullovers
- Place a flat bench lengthways in front of a cable machine, ensuring there is around 2-3 feet of space between the bench and the cable machine.
- Attach a straight bar to the low pulley cable and select the desired weight.
- Lay down on the bench on your back with your head near the end closest to the cable machine. Grab the straight bar with an overhand grip, palms facing towards you.
- Keeping your arms straight, slowly pull your hands up and across the top of your head until they’re pointing at around 45 degrees towards your feet.
- Pause at the top of the movement.
- Lower the weight back to the starting position in a controlled motion.
- Perform the target number of reps and sets.
The lying cable pullover is another one of those chest exercises that people tend to get wrong. Watch this video to make sure you’re doing it right:
One arm cable chest press
Single cable chest exercises are great for correcting muscular imbalances or simply getting in a solid workout with limited equipment.
Benefits of one-arm cable chest presses
- Unilateral training
- Focused muscle activation
- Intermediate cable chest workout
Unilateral training
This exercise can help with correcting muscular imbalances by individually targeting each side of your chest.
Focused muscle activation
Allows for concentrated effort on one side of the chest at a time, leading to better muscle activation.
Intermediate cable chest workout
Because this exercise is a little bit more challenging, it can be a useful tool for advanced lifters who have hit a plateau.
How to perform one arm cable chest press
- Position the cable at chest height, attach d-handles, and select a suitable weight.
- Stand sideways to the cable machine, feet shoulder-width apart for stability. Grasp the handle with the hand closest to the machine.
- Press the handle forward until your arm is fully extended, focusing on engaging your chest muscles.
- Pause briefly at full extension, squeezing the chest muscles.
- Bring the handles back to the starting position slowly.
- Do however many reps and sets you’re aiming for before switching to the other arm and repeating the steps above for it.
Cable machine exercises can be tricky, so check out this instructional video which shows you the optimal way to perform the one-arm cable chest press:
Cable Machine Benefits
Cable machines, like those used for cable chest workouts, are powerful tools for building strength and muscle. In fact, they’re one of the best gym machines for the chest. Still not convinced? Here are five key benefits:
Safety
Safety is important for both beginners and pros. Luckily, cable exercises are less likely to be executed with poor form compared to free weights, reducing the risk of injury. They give you a controlled environment to execute movements accurately.
Versatility
Cable machines are the chameleons of the gym, adapting to a wide variety of exercises as needed. This is a huge bonus when it comes to ensuring your training is targeted. Whether it’s standing cable chest presses or the lying cable pullover, these machines offer a variety of options to work different muscle groups with precision.
Constant tension
Unlike free weights, cable machines maintain constant tension throughout the exercise, ensuring your muscles are engaged at all times. This is a good thing as studies have indicated that greater time under tension leads to higher levels of muscle protein synthesis.
Functional training
These machines typically, or can be adjusted to, mimic real-life movement patterns which can help enhance functional strength. Apart from chest pressing, these machines are excellent for exercises involving lunging, squatting, and twisting, in turn improving balance and coordination.
Low impact on joints
Cable pulley machines are a lot gentler on your joints. They take the stress off the stabilizing muscles and joints that you’ll normally use during compound barbell movements.
Anatomy of the Chest
The chest isn’t just about looking good; there’s a lot more to it than you might think. You’ll find a few muscles that work together to give you that powerful upper body strength and to help with a variety of upper body movements. Here’s a closer look at the pectoral muscles…
Pectoralis major
As the name suggests, the pectoralis major is the main attraction. It’s a large fan-shaped muscle that spans across the chest, starting from the sternum and clavicle, and then inserting into the humerus. It’s responsible for movements like flexing and rotating the arm. When you’re bench pressing, it’s the pectoralis major, doing the heavy lifting.
Pectoralis minor
The pectoralis minor can be found underneath the pectoralis major. It’s a smaller muscle but it plays an important role in movements like scapular depression and protraction, as it extends from the ribs to the scapula. Think of it as the unsung hero that stabilizes your shoulder blades during those intense cable workout sessions.
Serratus anterior
Last but not least, we have the serratus anterior. This muscle attaches from the upper ribs to the scapula. It’s vital for the upward rotation of the arm and helps maintain a strong posture. When you’re doing cable flys, the serratus anterior is working with your pecs for that perfect motion.
Start to familiarize yourself with these muscles. Trust us, it’ll help you a lot when it comes to targeting your workouts more effectively.
FAQs
Like a well-oiled machine, your muscles (chest, in this case) need regular tuning, but not excessively. According to studies, hitting your chest twice a week is the sweet spot for allowing your chest enough time to recover and grow. So, your chest will be challenged but still get a well-deserved rest.
Definitely! Cable chest exercises are kind of like the Swiss Army Knife of your workout routine: versatile and effective. They offer an area of motion that barbells can’t replicate and keep your muscles under constant tension, which helps with growth. Plus, cable chest exercises are usually safer for beginners, as their fixed paths reduce the risk of injury.
Cables vs dumbbells is like comparing apples and oranges – both have unique benefits. A cable chest workout provides constant tension and a greater range of motion, targeting specific muscle groups. Dumbbells, on the other hand, are the go-to for activating stabilizer muscles, offering a more versatile workout experience.
Most would agree that the ideal rep range for chest training would be 6-12 reps, as it’s not too heavy or too light for accumulating volume effectively. It also balances tension on the muscles with manageable joint stress and metabolic fatigue. But, it’s still important to see how your body responds to different rep ranges, in line with your goals.
According to research, if hypertrophy is your objective, then a moderate rep scheme with moderate loads (8 to 12 reps per set with 60-80% of your 1-rep max) optimizes hypertrophic gains. Remember that although training is important, diet also plays a very important role in maximizing muscle growth.
