Cable Fly
A chest isolation move with constant cable tension, training the chest's main job of bringing the arms across the body.
Muscle activation
- Lower chest55%
- Upper chest25%
- Front delts20%
Approximate share of work; varies with grip, stance and tempo.
Step by step
1. Start position
Set both pulleys at about shoulder height and grab a handle in each hand.
2. Mid-rep
Bring the handles together in front of your chest and squeeze briefly.
3. End of the movement
Return along the same arc until you feel a stretch across the chest.
4. Common mistake
Bending and straightening the elbows so it becomes a press
Ways to do it
Chest fly on 4 different setups — pick whatever is free in your gym. Progress is tracked separately for each.
How to do it
Setup
- 1Set both pulleys at about shoulder height and grab a handle in each hand.
- 2Step forward into a split stance so the cables pull your arms slightly behind you.
- 3Keep a soft, fixed bend in your elbows and your chest up.
Execution
- 1Sweep your hands forward and together in a wide arc, as if hugging a tree.
- 2Bring the handles together in front of your chest and squeeze briefly.
- 3Return along the same arc until you feel a stretch across the chest.
- 4Keep the elbow angle unchanged throughout the rep.
Breathing
Exhale as the hands come together, inhale as you open up.
Tempo
3-0-1-1 (eccentric-pause-concentric-pause)
Muscles worked
Primary
Lower chest, Upper chest
Secondary
Front delts
Key form cues
- Hug the tree
- Elbows stay soft and fixed
- Chest proud
- Stretch, then squeeze
Common mistakes
Bending and straightening the elbows so it becomes a press
Lock in a slight elbow bend and move only at the shoulder.
Overstretching with the hands far behind the body
Stop where you feel a strong chest stretch with the shoulders still back.
Rocking the torso to move the weight
Brace in a stable split stance and reduce the load.
Range of motion
From a comfortable chest stretch with hands roughly in line with the body to hands meeting in front of the chest.
Variations
Easier
Seated band fly
Harder
Single-arm cable fly with a pause at the stretch
At home
Resistance band fly
Machine / cable
Pec deck fly