Few chest exercises provide better muscle adduction than cable flys. It’s the increased range of motion that cables offer, as well as the fact there are so many variations of cable flys that you can do.

So if cable flys are not part of your chest day routine, you’re missing out on gains, strength, and exercise variety!

But no worries – here are the 9 best cable chest exercises you can do for muscle gain and fat loss. And to help you out, each exercise also includes the steps for doing them in the gym like a pro.

1. Cable Fly

The cable fly is the most common chest exercise performed on the cable machine, simply because it’s so effective.

It provides a deep stretch of the chest muscles (and front delts), followed by a chest contraction that hits all areas of the pecs.

The best thing is that even beginners can do chest cable flys, as while it does involve some technique and form, the resistance can easily be adjusted on the machine for any ability or desired rep range.

How to do a cable fly:

1. Set the desired weight on the cable machine
2. Grab each cable handle and stand in the middle of the machine
3. Lean forwards slightly and put one foot in front for stability
4. Push your chest out and arch your back
5. With a slight bend in your elbows, bring the cables back with wide arms
6. Push the cables in front of you until your hands meet
7. Bring your arms back to complete one rep

2. High Cable Fly

The high cable fly involves almost the same movement and technique as a regular chest cable fly, except that the cables are set up at the top of the machine.

As a result, you’re pushing the cables forwards and downwards.

What this does is target the lower chest much more than a regular cable fly. So if you’re looking to build your lower chest, this exercise is the effective cable equivalent of a decline bench press!

How to do a high cable fly:

1. Set the cables up at the top of the machine
2. Set the desired weight
3. Grab each cable handle and stand in the middle of the machine
4. Lean forwards slightly and put one foot in front for stability
5. Push your chest out and arch your back
6. With a slight bend in your elbows, bring the cables back with wide arms
7. Push the cables in front of you until your hands meet
8. Bring your arms back to complete one rep

3. Low Cable Fly

If high cable flys engage the lower chest, then low cable flys engage the upper chest (plus the front delts).

Yep, this is the best cable exercise to do if you want to build a stronger, bigger chest, and it’s just as ideal for beginners.

So to do this exercise, all you have to do is set the cables up at the bottom of the machine. Start with a light resistance first to get a feel of the difficulty.

How to do a low cable fly:

1. Set the cables up at the bottom of the machine
2. Set the desired weight
3. Grab each cable handle and stand in the middle of the machine
4. Lean forwards slightly and put one foot in front for stability
5. Push your chest out and arch your back
6. With a slight bend in your elbows, bring the cables back with wide arms
7. Push the cables in front of you until your hands meet
8. Bring your arms back to complete one rep

4. Single Arm Cable Fly

The single arm cable fly is performed with, you guessed it, one arm. It might seem harder than a regular cable fly, but it’s not.

In fact, the benefit of the single-arm cable fly is that it allows you to focus on one side, instead of both, which can make the exercise more effective.

Another benefit is that it allows more range of motion than a regular cable fly, as you can push the cable handle past your sternum (with a regular cable fly, your hands will meet in the middle).

You’ll have to perform the exercise on both sides, which will take double the time. Still, you might find it more beneficial than doing regular cable flys, so it’s well worth trying.

How to do a single arm cable fly:

1. Set the desired weight
2. Grab the cable handle and stand in the middle of the machine
3. Lean forwards slightly and put one foot in front (the foot opposite the arm you’re using) for stability
4. Push your chest out and arch your back
5. With a slight bend in your elbow, bring the cable back with a wide arm
6. Push the cable in front of you until your hand is in front of your sternum
7. Bring your arm back to complete one rep

5. Single Arm High Cable Fly

The single arm high cable fly allows you to focus on one side with greater activation of the lower pecs.

And just like a regular single arm cable fly, you can go past the usual range of motion for better adduction – meaning more gains.

How to do a single arm high cable fly:

1. Set up the cable at the top of the machine
2. Set the desired weight
3. Grab the cable handle and stand in the middle of the machine
4. Lean forwards slightly and put one foot in front (the foot opposite the arm you’re using) for stability
5. Push your chest out and arch your back
6. With a slight bend in your elbow, bring the cable back with a wide arm
7. Push the cable in front of you until your hand is in front of your sternum
8. Bring your arm back to complete one rep

6. Single Arm Low Cable Fly

Prefer single arm cable flys more than regular cable flys but want to hit your upper chest? Then you’ll want to do single arm low cable flys.

The same benefits apply here too: you’ll be able to focus on form and movement more, as well as go past the usual range of motion when doing two-arm cable flys.

How to do a single arm low cable fly:

1. Set up the cable at the bottom of the machine
2. Set the desired weight
3. Grab the cable handle and stand in the middle of the machine
4. Lean forwards slightly and put one foot in front (the foot opposite the arm you’re using) for stability
5. Push your chest out and arch your back
6. With a slight bend in your elbow, bring the cable back with a wide arm
7. Push the cable in front of you until your hand is in front of your sternum
8. Bring your arm back to complete one rep

7. Lying Cable Fly

Did you know you can also perform cable flys lying down? All it requires is a gym positioned in the center of the cable machine, with the cable handles set up at the bottom.

The best thing is that, depending on where you position the bench (where your chest is), you can target different areas of your chest.

• Position your chest in line with the cables to engage your overall chest
• Position your chest in front of the cables to engage your lower chest
• Position your chest behind the cables to engage your upper chest

Want to make the exercise harder and even more effective? Use a stability ball instead of a gym bench!

How to do a lying cable fly:

1. Set up the cables at the bottom of the cable machine
2. Set the desired weight
3. Position a gym bench in the center of the machine
4. Grab both cable handles, then lie back on the bench
5. Push your chest out and arch your back
6. With a slight bend in your elbows, bring the cables back with wide arms
7. Push the cables up and in front of you until your hands meet
8. Bring your arms back to complete one rep

8. Crossover Fly

Last but not least, the crossover cable fly. This exercise follows the same technique as a regular cable fly, except that you cross your hands over at the end of each rep.

This provides greater chest adduction, and can also make it more convenient than alternating single arm cable flys!

How to do a crossover fly:

1. Set the desired weight on the cable machine
2. Grab each cable handle and stand in the middle of the machine
3. Lean forwards slightly and put one foot in front for stability
4. Push your chest out and arch your back
5. With a slight bend in your elbows, bring the cables back with wide arms
6. Push the cables in front of you, then cross your hands over
7. Bring your arms back to complete one rep

Conclusion

That wraps up our list of the 9 best cable chest exercises that you need to try. These exercises will promote muscle gain with resistance and overload and even help fat loss through the burning of calories.

So definitely include them in your next chest day!