What Muscles Do Cable Flyes Work?

Cable flyes use adduction to challenge the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. The core is also engaged. Unlike most chest exercises, which use pressing movements, chest flyes challenge the chest muscles when they are in a stretched position which can engage more muscle fibres.

How To Set Up For Cable Flyes?

All cable flyes are set up on the cable pulley machine using two cables with a single handle attachment. The placement of the pulleys can be altered to emphasise the upper or lower portion of the chest. A low cable set up emphasises the upper chest, a high set up emphasises the lower chest, and shoulder height targets both heads of the chest.

Are Cable Flyes Push Or Pull?

Cable flyes are an adduction exercise, which means the arms are pushed into the midline of the body, making them a pushing exercise.

What Cable Flyes Work The Upper Chest?

All cable flyes work the upper chest to some degree, but low to high cable flyes place a greater emphasis on the clavicle head. Set the cables on their lowest setting and pull them upwards to bring them in front of the body at chest height.

Are Cable Flyes Effective?

Cable flyes are an effective movement for challenging the chest and are likely to provide greater challenge than dumbbell flyes due to the constant tension that is provided by the cables.

How To Do Cable Flyes

What Are Cable Flyes

The cable fly is a chest fly variation which uses the cable machine to target the pectorals, with both the deltoids, triceps, and core engaged to help with stability. While the arms replicate the movement of the dumbbell fly, a standing position is adopted.

The use of the cables can help to make the fly more challenging as the tension is consistent throughout the entire movement, unlike the dumbbell variation where there is little resistance at the top of the movement. The eccentric (lowering) portion is also more challenging on the cable machine.

Due to the changed centre of gravity, the cable fly can also be less prone to stressing the shoulder joint. While dumbbell flyes are safe with good form, lowering the dumbbells too far can injure the shoulders. This is much harder to do with a cably fly set up.

Jump straight to instructions: Cable Flyes | High To Low Cable Flyes | Low To High Cable Flyes

Commonly Asked Questions On Cable Flyes

What Muscles Do Cable Flyes Work?

Cable flyes use adduction to challenge the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. The core is also engaged. Unlike most chest exercises, which use pressing movements, chest flyes challenge the chest muscles when they are in a stretched position which can engage more muscle fibres.
How To Set Up For Cable Flyes?

All cable flyes are set up on the cable pulley machine using two cables with a single handle attachment. The placement of the pulleys can be altered to emphasise the upper or lower portion of the chest. A low cable set up emphasises the upper chest, a high set up emphasises the lower chest, and shoulder height targets both heads of the chest.
Are Cable Flyes Push Or Pull?

Cable flyes are an adduction exercise, which means the arms are pushed into the midline of the body, making them a pushing exercise.
What Cable Flyes Work The Upper Chest?

All cable flyes work the upper chest to some degree, but low to high cable flyes place a greater emphasis on the clavicle head. Set the cables on their lowest setting and pull them upwards to bring them in front of the body at chest height.
Are Cable Flyes Effective?

Cable flyes are an effective movement for challenging the chest and are likely to provide greater challenge than dumbbell flyes due to the constant tension that is provided by the cables.

Cable Fly Tips

The cable chest fly is a versatile movement that can challenge different areas of the chest based on how the cables are set up. If you’re looking to target both heads of the pecs, set the cables up at shoulder height. For a greater emphasis on the upper chest, known as the clavicular head, set the cables as low as possible utilising a low to high direction of pull. For more emphasis on the lower chest, set the cables above head height and pull high to low.

Having the correct form and range of motion is important in minimising strain to the shoulder joint. Select a weight that allows you to maintain a soft bend in the elbow and only go as far as hands in line with chest.

How To Do A Cable Fly

Set the cable pulley machine so that the cables are at shoulder height with a single handle attachment on each.
Facing away from the cable machine, grip each handle and take a step forward with one leg into a wide staggered stance. Hinge very slightly forward at the hips.
Press the cable handles so they are in front of your chest with your arms extended, palms facing each other, then begin the reps by slowly allowing the handles to move towards the cable machine in an arc direction.
Once the handles are in line with your chest, push through your arms and chest to bring the handles back to the start following the same arc movement.

How To Do A High To Low Cable Fly

Set the cables so they’re just above head height and attach single handles to both.
Face away from the machine and, gripping both handles, step forward into a staggered stance.
Start by pressing the cable handles together in front of your chest, palms facing each other. Allow the handles to slowly move up and back until they are in line with your shoulders, and you feel a light stretch in the pecs, making sure the arms move in an arc direction with a soft bend in the elbow
Squeeze the chest muscles and press your arms forward and down in an arc direction until the handles meet back in front of the chest.

How To Do A Low To High Cable Fly

Set up the cable pulley machine so that the cables are on the lowest setting with single handles attached.
Facing away from the cable machine, grip each handle and take a step forward with one leg into a wide staggered stance. Hinge very slightly forward at the hips.
Start by pressing the cable handles together in front of your chest, palms facing each other. Allow the cables to move back and down towards the cable machine, with your arms moving in an arc direction, soft bend in the elbows.
Squeeze the chest muscles to bring your arms back up and in front until the handles are in front of your chest.

If you’re not sure if any of the above exercises are suitable for you, please consult your doctor before you start it. Need guidance on how to perform the exercise? Ask a personal trainer at your gym.