The cable chest fly is the ultimate party guy of workout machines. Not only are they incredibly fun and easy to use, but they also provide an amazing pump in your chest muscles for a feel-good workout!
Unlike tougher exercises such as squats or lunges, the standing cable flys provide impressive results without leaving you exhausted.
They’re not as difficult as pull-ups either, so you don’t have to worry about being left feeling embarrassed and dejected.
The cable chest fly is like dessert after a full course meal a little something extra that rewards you for your hard work and commitment throughout your regular workout.
So if you want a ‘pick me up’ exercise with big results but low effort, the cable chest fly is the way to go!
Cable chest flys are an effective exercise to target the pectoral muscles while mitigating strain on the joints.
Unlike bench pressing, which usually pushes one’s joint health to its limits, cable chest flys only require the user to lightly pull their arms across the body in adduction the main function of the chest muscles. This allows for an intense workout with reduced discomfort or injury.
The cable chest fly is a great choice for those seeking to exercise their pecs but also looking to take it easy on their body’s joints at the same time.
How to Perform A Cable Chest Fly With Perfect Form
Step 1: Begin by attaching an appropriate weight to a cable pulley and setting the pulley height at chest level. Stand facing the machine with feet shoulder-width apart and arms slightly bent, holding onto the handle with both arms.
Step 2: Keeping your abs tight, slowly push your arms away from each other until you feel a good stretch in your chest muscles. It is important to keep a slight bend in the elbows when pushing outwards so as not to damage the joint.
Step 3: When you have reached full extension on each side, hold for a moment before beginning to squeeze together while bringing your hands back towards the center of your body.
Step 4: Make sure not to arch your back during this movement as doing so can strain it and lead to injury; rather, try to maintain good posture throughout the exercise by contracting your core and keeping your shoulders down and back while exhaling during the contraction phase of the exercise.
Step 5: As you get closer to the center of your body, pause briefly before releasing slightly and repeating the push-and-pull motion again for another repetition or two depending on how many sets you want to do for this exercise.
Step 6: If needed, you can use one arm at a time when performing this exercise instead of both simultaneously; just make sure that whichever hand is working is fully extended so as not to compromise form or the progress made from doing this exercise correctly with both hands together!
Cable Chest Fly Benefits
Cable chest flys are an excellent exercise alternative for anyone who may experience discomfort in their joints during the bench press movement.
Unlike the traditional fly press, this exercise focuses on stability and balance through the use of a cable machine, providing a range of motion that limits stress on the area.
The tension exerted on the muscle is evenly spread throughout its entire range of motion, making it extremely effective at strengthening and toning your upper body muscles like the chest and arms.
In addition, it also activates other muscle groups to promote a strong foundation while performing the motion.
How to Increase Cable Chest Fly intensity
The standing cable fly is an excellent exercise to focus on a single muscle group, enabling you to feel the movement as you progress.
As with any strength-training exercise, gradually increasing the resistance will help you develop better results in time.
An effective way to do this without immediately adding weight is to adjust the tempo, particularly by slowing down the negative phase and holding the contracted position for several seconds.
Doing so not only increases the intensity of this single-joint move but also maximizes the tension of your targeted muscle group.
A simple yet effective technique for increasing the intensity of your chest workouts is the ‘1.5’ method.
This is a great way to fire up your pectoral muscles by contracting them through two separate phases.
During each rep, ensure that you pull and then squeeze the handles together before letting them go halfway and bringing them together again.
You will soon find the set to be considerably more challenging as you are essentially performing the most difficult part twice for each repetition!
Muscles Worked During A Cable Chest Fly
The cable chest fly exercise is a popular exercise for developing the pectoral muscles, which consists of the pectoralis major and minor.
The pec major is obvious and is involved in the adduction, rotation, and elevation of the arms. In contrast, the pec minor is a layer deeper yet still plays an important role by helping to draw the shoulder blades down and forward.
Incorporating this exercise into your workout routine can significantly strengthen your upper body muscles for greater functionality in day-to-day activities as well as improve physical aesthetics.
Which cable fly angle works the upper chest?
The pec major, one of the major muscles in the body, comprises two heads that can be targeted based on the angle of adduction.
Specifically, an upwards angle will emphasize development in the upper, or clavicular head while a lower angle will work the lower or sternal head.
To target the upper fibers of this chest muscle, adopting a low-to-high motion with the cable chest fly exercise is an effective strategy because it focuses on movement from a lower angle to an upwards angle and thus emphasizes growth for specific areas.
Different parts of the pec major can be worked out in different ways by changing the angles and movements.
