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Last updated February 2, 2026
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chest
Chest Fly - Lying (Cable)
Place a flat bench in the cable station. Bring the handles together over your chest in a hugging motion. Keep a slight bend in your elbows.
Quick facts
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Mechanic
- Isolation
- Force
- Push
- Type
- Strength
- Injury Risk
- Moderate
- Hypertrophy
- High
- Calorie Burn
- Medium
Muscle focus
Primary and secondary muscle groups targeted by this movement.
Primary
chest
Secondary
front shoulders
Equipment & setup
What you need and how to position yourself before starting.
Equipment
cablebench
Movement pattern
Bilateral
Posture
Lying
Tracking parameters
repsweight
Step-by-step instructions
Follow these cues to master proper technique and stay safe through every rep.
- Step 1Setup
- Lie down on a flat bench with your feet flat on the ground.
- Position the cable pulleys at the lowest setting on both sides of the bench.
- Step 2Grab the Cables
- Reach up and grab the handles of the cables with your palms facing each other.
- Ensure that your arms are fully extended above your chest, with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Step 3Position Your Body
- Lie back on the bench, keeping your shoulder blades retracted and your core engaged.
- Your head, shoulders, and buttocks should remain in contact with the bench throughout the movement.
- Step 4Open Your Arms
- Slowly lower your arms out to the sides in a wide arc, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
- Lower your arms until you feel a stretch in your chest, but do not go too far to avoid shoulder strain.
- Step 5Bring Your Arms Together
- Engage your chest muscles and bring the handles back together above your chest in a controlled manner.
- Focus on squeezing your chest muscles as you bring your arms back to the starting position.
- Step 6Repeat
- Repeat the open and close movement for the desired number of repetitions.
- Maintain proper form and control throughout each repetition.
- Step 7Finish the Exercise
- After completing your reps, carefully lower the handles back to the starting position.
- Sit up and safely put down the cable handles before standing up.