Try This Ultimate Cable Chest Workout for Strength and Muscle

Why Do It: Standing cable chest presses work the pectoralis major, deltoids, serratus anterior, core, and triceps brachii. This exercise is friendlier on the shoulder joints compared to the barbell bench press, but works similar muscle groups. You can adjust the height of your press to activate different parts of your chest, and it requires core strength and engages your stabilizer muscles because you stand during the movement.

How to Do It:

1. Attach handles to each side of the cable machine and set the pulleys so they’re between chest and shoulder height. 
2. Select the desired weight and take hold of the handles.
3. Step forward a couple of steps and put one foot in front of the other so that you’re in a staggered stance.
4. Stick your chest up, look straight ahead, and tense your core and glutes. At the same time, position your hands so they’re outside of your chest on either side of the body at a 90-degree angle.
5. Press through by extending your arms so they’re straight out in front of you and the handles meet in the middle.
6. Pause, then slowly return to the original position.
7. Continue for the desired number of repetitions.

Why Do It: With a cable crossover, you get the benefit of a cable fly (which you’ll see below), but with an added benefit due to the full range of motion. You’ll work multiple muscles in your upper body, but mainly your pecs and front delts. 

How to Do It:

1. Set the cable crossover machine so both sides are in the highest position and attach handles.
2. Stand in the middle and grab the handles. Step forward slightly but keep your arms wide so you feel a stretch in your chest muscles.
3. Engage your core and keep your head neutral. This is your starting position.
4. Push both hands inward toward each other, activating your pecs. When the handles get close to each other, continue extending until one arm crosses over the other.
5. Hold for a moment, then slowly return your arms to the stretched position.
6. Repeat for reps.

Why Do It: A chest day wouldn’t be complete without a bench press, right? Well, kind of. A modified version of the dumbbell bench press, cable bench presses work similar muscle groups including the chest, delts, triceps, and core. It’s an extremely safe exercise to do because you’re using cables and a flat bench.

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How to Do It:

1. Get a flat bench and place it at the center of the cable machine.
2. Attach handles to each side of the machine and set the cable pulleys so they’re in the lowest position. Pick the correct weight too.
3. Lie down on the bench and take hold of the handles. Your feet should be flat on the floor and your hands in an overhand grip (with your palms facing away from you as you would do a dumbbell bench press).
4. Retract your shoulder blades, tense your core, and then press the cables up until your arms are straight above your body.
5. Squeeze, then lower the handles back down.
6. Repeat.

Why Do It: Cable incline bench presses are similar to the cable bench press (which you saw above) but with an incline bench instead of a flat one. This places more emphasis on your upper chest muscles. 

How to Do It:

1. Set a bench at a 30- to 45-degree angle, and then position it in the middle of the cable machine.
2. Attach handles to both sides and adjust the pulleys so they’re in the bottom position.
3. Lie down with your feet flat on the floor and grab the handles. Move your hands so that they’re outside of your chest on either side of your body.
4. Engage your core and then push the handles up until your arms are extended and the handles meet in the middle. Focus on activating your upper chest here.
5. Pause, then lower the handles until they’re back to the starting position.

Why Do It: The cable chest fly is one you probably know already. It’s simple to learn but comes with tons of benefits, including constant tension on your pecs and front delts to maximize muscle growth. It’s a similar exercise to the dumbbell fly but a lot friendlier on the shoulder joints, so a great exercise for those who have injuries or limited mobility.

How to Do It:

1. Adjust the cable machine so it’s at chest height and put handle attachments on both sides.
2. Take hold of the handles but keep your arms wide. 
3. Step forward slightly until you feel a stretch in your chest and delts (your feet can either be next to each other or in a split stance).
4. Engage your core, keep your head neutral, and ensure that you have a slight bend in your elbows.
5. Pull the handles until your arms meet in the center of your chest in front of your body.
6. Pause, then return the handles to the stretched position in a controlled manner.
7. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Why Do It: Similar to the cable fly, the low cable fly places slightly more emphasis on the upper pecs. I find that this exercise requires a lot of core strength and stability too because you’re pulling the handles upwards.

How to Do It:

1. Place handle attachments on either side of the cable machine and put the pulleys in the lowest position.
2. Stand in the middle and grab the handles with an underhand grip. Step forward and adjust your feet so you’re comfortable (you can choose between a normal stance or a split stance with the low cable fly).
3. Put your arms down by your side (your hands should be near your hips on either side of your body and your palms should be facing forward).
4. Now, pull the handles upward until they meet in the middle of your chest. You’ll need a slight bend in your elbows for this.
5. Hold for a second, then slowly return the handles so your hands are by your sides.
6. Repeat.

Why Do It: Because single-arm cable crossovers are a unilateral exercise, they can help to fix muscular imbalances. You may be able to increase your range of motion because you’re not exercising both arms at the same time, which could mean a deeper chest contraction.

How to Do It:

1. Put a single pulley in a high position and attach a handle to it. Select the desired weight.
2. Stand sideways to the machine and ensure that your feet are shoulder-width apart and your core is tight.
3. Take hold of the handle with your left hand (your left palm should be facing the floor).
4. Keeping your head neutral and your chest up, pull the handle down and across your body. The end position should be around your pelvic region slightly in front of your body. 
5. Pause. Next, return the handle to the high position slowly.
6. Continue for repetitions, then do the same with your right hand.

Why Do It: Cable straight-arm pullovers are a variation of the dumbbell pullover. This exercise works your chest, lats, serratus anterior, core, glutes, triceps, and more. Because of the stretch you get, you may also improve your overhead shoulder mobility. This can help with everyday actions such as placing items on shelves or in kitchen cupboards.

How to Do It:

1. Position a flat bench close to one side of a cable machine and put the pulley at the bottom.
2. Choose the desired attachment (you can use a rope, a straight bar, or a slightly curved bar for this exercise), and pick the correct weight. 
3. Lie down on the bench with your head closest to the crossover machine, taking hold of the attachment with an overhand or neutral grip, depending on the attachment you chose. Your arms will be extended behind your head with the elbows bent slightly.
4. Pull the attachment upward until your arms are straight and directly above your chest.
5. Slowly return the attachment to the original position.
6. Keep going for reps.

Why Do It: With a seated cable fly, you work the same muscle groups as the regular cable fly and the cable crossover. The main difference is that you have back support, which means that you may be able to increase the weight. You can easily adjust the exercise by leaning forward slightly, placing more tension on the upper chest.

How to Do It:

1. Adjust a bench so it’s in an upright position (similar to how you would do a dumbbell shoulder press) and position it at the center of the cable machine.
2. Choose the desired weight and attach handles to both sides. The cables should be at chest height when seated.
3. Sit down on the bench and grab the handles, keeping your arms open.
4. Retract your shoulder blades and engage your core. This is your starting position.
5. With a slight bend in your elbows, move your arms forward so they end up in front of your chest with the handles touching each other.
6. Return the handles to the stretched position.
7. Continue for the desired number of repetitions.

Why Do It: By rotating your shoulders and torso, cable shoulder rotations allow a full range of motion when compared to the standing cable chest press. This activates the chest, delts, core, triceps, and serratus anterior to a higher level. It’s a unilateral exercise, too, which may help to fix muscular imbalances.

How to Do It:

1. Set one side of a cable machine to chest height and attach a handle.
2. Stand in the middle of the cable crossover and grab the handle with your left hand with an overhand grip (your palm should be facing the floor).
3. Step forward with your left foot into a split stance. Your left foot (front foot) should be flat on the floor but your right foot (back foot) should be on its toes.
4. Now, position your left hand so that it’s outside of your chest on the left side of your body.
5. Straighten your left arm by pressing the handle forward. When the arm is nearly straight, rotate your shoulders and torso, similar to how you would throw a punch. This will allow you to extend your left arm even further. 
6. Pause, then return to the original position in a controlled manner.
7. Continue for reps, then repeat with your right hand.

Why Do It: To target your lower chest, the decline cable fly is a great exercise. The lower chest can sometimes be ignored during chest training, which is why it’s on this list. I like that it’s a lot easier on the shoulder joints compared to a decline dumbbell fly.

How to Do It:

1. Set a bench so it’s at a 15- to 30-degree decline angle and place it in the middle of a cable machine.
2. Move both pulleys to the lowest position and choose your weight. Attach handles.
3. Lie down on the bench, taking hold of the handles with an underhand grip. Your palms should be facing the ceiling and your arms should be wide open, feeling a stretch in the deltoids and chest.
4. Retract your shoulder blades, then lift your arms upward and toward each other until the handles meet in the center above your body.
5. Slowly lower the handles back down until your arms are in line with your shoulders.
6. Repeat for repetitions.

Why Do It: I’m a big fan of bodyweight exercises such as the push-up, and with this exercise, you get the benefits of push-ups and the benefits of the cable fly in one. You’ll work the majority of muscles in your upper body, but especially the chest, triceps, delts, and core.

RELATED: What Muscles Do Push-Ups Work?

How to Do It:

1. Adjust both pulleys so that they’re at the top and attach handles.
2. Hold the handles with an overhand grip and get into the plank position (you’ll need to put your hands in fists so that you can support your body).
3. Breathe in to engage your core, then lower down until your chest is close to the floor.
4. Hold, then push yourself up as you would do with a regular push-up.
5. When you’re back in the plank position, slowly bring one arm to the side until you feel a stretch in your chest and deltoids. This is the fly component of the exercise.
6. Bring the arm back down, then do another push-up. This time, move the opposite arm to the side.
7. Keep going for reps, alternating between your left and right arm.