How to do a Cable Crossover Flat Bench Fly
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Crossover Cable
Flat Bench
Workouts with Cable Crossover Flat Bench Fly
Instructions for Proper Form
Similar to other Fly variations, this isolation exercise primarily targets your chest and shoulders. The use of cables allows for more consistent tension throughout the movement, while also giving you more control over the exact angle that resistance is coming from. This makes this variation particularly effective for building muscle and strength in your chest.
- Position and lay back on a flat bench directly between two cables such that the middle of your chest is in line with the cables.
- Grasp a handle in each hand such that your palms are facing up.
- Engage your chest to arc the cables in front of your chest until the handles are almost touching.
- Tense your chest and hold this position for a moment at the top of the movement.
- Slowly allow the cables to return to the starting position while maintaining tension in your chest.
- Maintain good posture by keeping your head, shoulders and hips in contact with the bench at all times as well as maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
- You should feel the tension in your chest.
Common Form Mistakes
High Resistance
Extending your arms away from your body increases the tension placed on your joint’s and muscles. Keep the resistance for this exercise fairly light, and focus on moving slowly, and controlling the movement before you add more resistance.
Always Lying Back
Performing this exercise while lying back on a bench adds stability to the movement. You don’t need to focus on keeping your balance, or stabilizing your body. This allows you to focus more on exertion, which is great, but make sure you’re including some standing variations as well. This will help highlight and address some instability you may have with this movement.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Cable Crossover Flat Bench Fly standards by male, female, weight, age and height
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Alternatives & Variations to Cable Crossover Flat Bench Fly
1. Cable Crossover Fly
97.3 mSCORESWAPPED 393 TIMESCable Crossover Fly is an isolation exercise that targets the chest. It’s a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly, and can easily be adapted to further isolate specific areas of the chest. Using cables to add resistance allows you to keep more consistent tension on your chest, as well as control the angle that the resistance is coming from.
2. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 350 TIMESDumbbell Fly’s are one of the most common isolation chest exercises, and for good. It primarily targets the muscles in the chest, but also recruits the shoulders for stability. The use of dumbbells ensures that you’re targeting each side of the body independently, and prevents compensating for any weaknesses between sides. In addition the isolated nature of this exercise is a great way to fatigue your chest, and focus on building both muscle mass and increasing strength in your chest.
3. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 208 TIMESMachine Fly is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly. This isolation chest exercise primarily targets the chest, but also recruits the shoulders. The use of a machine makes the exercise more stable allowing you to focus on exertion or learn the movement with minimal risk of injury. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to learn the movement, or advanced lifters looking to push this movement to it’s limit.
4. Cable Crossover Incline Bench Fly
39.9 mSCORESWAPPED 94 TIMESCable Crossover Incline Bench Fly is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly. This isolation exercise primarily targets your chest, but also relies on your shoulders for stability. The use of cables allows for more consistent tension than other variations, while also giving you more precise control over the angle that resistance is coming from. By performing this exercise on an incline, you’ll also be further emphasizing your shoulders and upper chest.
- Intermediate
- Chest
- Cable Crossover
- Incline Bench
5. Mid Cable Crossover Fly
67.3 mSCORESWAPPED 80 TIMESMid Cable Crossover Fly is designed for targeting the mid-chest region, effectively bridging the gap between the upper and lower chest exercises. It utilizes the cable machine for constant tension across the pecs, enhancing the stimulation of muscle fibers for balanced chest development. This variation is optimal for achieving a full, rounded chest appearance, ensuring even development across the entire pectoral area.
6. Low Cable Chest Fly
86.8 mSCORESWAPPED 80 TIMESLow Cable Chest Fly is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the chest. By using a low pulley setup, you emphasize the lower part of the chest more than other Fly variations. The cables provide consistent tension throughout the movement, and allow for greater control over the angle of resistance, enhancing muscle activation.
- Intermediate
- Chest
- Cable Crossover
7. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 77 TIMESDumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the standard Bench Press. Like Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, while also training the triceps and shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for greater instability which can help you become more stable on pushing movements in general, while also isolating each side of the body to prevent you from compensating for any weaknesses between sides.
8. Cable Chest Press
73.8 mSCORESWAPPED 61 TIMESCable Chest Press is a compound chest exercise that also targets the shoulders and triceps. The use of cables allows for more consistent tension throughout the movement, while also giving you control over the angle that the resistance is coming from. By having cables wider than your shoulders there is also more tension at the end of your range of motion when compared to similar movements.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Freemotion Machine (all forms)
- Cable Crossover
9. Dumbbell Incline Fly
91.1 mSCORESWAPPED 55 TIMESDumbbell Incline Fly emphasizes the upper chest, improving muscle definition and shoulder flexibility. Performed on an incline, it targets the upper pectorals while also engaging deltoids and triceps, offering a comprehensive upper body workout that enhances strength and aesthetics.
10. Barbell Bench Press
99.2 mSCORESWAPPED 49 TIMESBench Press is one of the three Powerlifting movements, and one of the most common upper body exercises. It’s a fantastic compound exercise that can help you build strength in your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s a staple in most fitness programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking upper body strength in general.