Stand between two cable stacks set at chest height and sweep the handles together in a wide arc in front of your chest.
- Soft bend in the elbows, keep it fixed
- Open wide to a deep chest stretch
- Bring hands together in front of the chest
- Control the return
Movement
- Pattern
- Chest fly
- Type
- Isolation, one joint moves
- Sides
- Both sides together
- Equipment
- Cable
Muscles worked
Main movers get full credit for a set, helpers half.
Ratings
Scores 1-5 averaged over sources. Tap a rating for the claims behind it. Claims are our summaries of the linked sources, fact-checked by AI.
Muscle growth higher is better4.0
Very good; among the better picks for the muscle. 5 sources.
- 4/5 Big stretch with smooth tension and good pump; standing lets the cable pull you back so it is less stable. Jeff Nippard, The Best And Worst Chest Exercises (Ranked By Science) @ 10:10videoExpert opinion2024checked by AI
- 4/5 Challenges the chest through the whole range, especially the squeezed end, and cable height targets upper or lower chest. Jeremy Ethier, STOP Doing Chest Flys Like This (5 Mistakes Slowing Your Chest Gains) @ 6:37videoExpert opinion2022checked by AI
- 4/5 Varying cable heights per set hits upper, mid, lower chest with even tension; poor for overload; 3.5 stars. Jeff Nippard, The Best & Worst Chest Exercises To Build Muscle (Ranked!) @ 5:36videoExpert opinion2022checked by AI
- 4/5 Cables on an upright bench keep constant tension through the full range, fixing the dumbbell fly's flaw. Jeremy Ethier, The 3 WORST (And Best) Chest Exercises For Growth @ 2:33videoExpert opinion2021checked by AI
- 4/5 Gives tension in the contracted position that dumbbell presses lack; strength-curve differences change regional growth, citing a knee extension paper. Jeremy Ethier, 2 “Must-Do” Exercises For A Massive Chest (Based On Science) @ 3:03videoStudy2020checked by AI
