Exercise guide
Cable Seated Chest Fly
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Rep-based
- Chest
- Shoulders
The Cable Seated Chest Fly provides constant tension throughout the entire range of motion, specifically targeting the inner and mid-pectoral fibers while the bench provides stability to minimize momentum.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Position a flat bench in the center of a cable crossover machine, ensuring it is perfectly aligned between the two pulleys.
- Set the pulley heights to roughly shoulder level when seated.
- Sit firmly against the bench with your feet flat on the floor for stability.
- Grip the handles with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and bring them to the starting position with your arms extended out to the sides.
How to do it
- Exhale as you bring the handles together in a wide arc in front of your chest, maintaining a slight, fixed bend in your elbows.
- Squeeze your pectoral muscles hard for one second at the point where the handles meet.
- Inhale as you slowly reverse the movement, controlling the weight back to the starting position until you feel a deep stretch in your chest.
- Maintain a controlled 2-1-2 tempo (2 seconds out, 1 second squeeze, 2 seconds back).
Form checklist
- Keep your chest puffed out and your shoulder blades retracted against the bench throughout the set.
- Maintain a consistent slight bend in the elbows; do not allow the movement to turn into a pressing motion.
- Avoid letting the weights touch the stack at the end of the eccentric phase to keep constant tension on the muscle.
- Ensure your wrists remain neutral and do not bend backward under the weight of the cables.
Pro tips
- Focus on bringing your inner biceps toward your sternum rather than just moving your hands to maximize pectoral recruitment.
- Imagine you are hugging a large tree to maintain the correct arc and isolation mechanics.
Make it harder
- Incorporate a 3-second isometric hold at the peak contraction of every rep to increase time under tension.
- Perform '1.5 reps' by bringing the handles together, returning halfway, squeezing back together, and then returning to the full stretch.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the cable seated chest fly work?
- The cable seated chest fly primarily targets the pectorals, and also works the abs and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the cable seated chest fly?
- The cable seated chest fly uses cable.
- Is the cable seated chest fly good for beginners?
- Yes. The cable seated chest fly is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.