7 Best Cable Chest Exercises

It goes without saying that the cable crossover machine is a go-to for chest exercise, but a lot of people don’t understand just how many terrific cable chest exercises there are.

Most lifters just do standing cable flys, which are wonderful, but they are missing out on some other incredibly beneficial exercises for their chest, which include various kinds of cable fly.

In this post, we are going to explain why the cable machine is so wonderful for chest workout.

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Is it possible to make a chest out of cables?

Do standing cable standing fly instead to effectively and safely grow a bigger and stronger chest muscle.

Unlike free weights, this machine motion keeps tension on your chest muscles either on upper chest or your lower chest.

During both the lifting and lowering stages of each rep, this is the best lower chest exercises.

Anatomy And Function Of The Chest

The pectoral muscle that is major and minor are the two muscles that make up your chest.

Pectoralis Major

The pectoralis major, or pec major for short, is a huge fan-shaped slab of muscle.

It is the largest of the two pectoral muscles, making up the great majority of your chest.

Sternocostal head: The sternocostal head, which is frequently called the lower head, emerges from the sternum and inserts into the humerus.

Clavicular head: The clavicular head, which is frequently called the upper head, arrises from the clavicle (collar bone) and enters into the humerus.

Pectoralis Minor

Your pec minor is a little triangle muscle, of which you have one on each side, that lies under your pec major.

It arises from your rib cage (3-5th ribs) and inserts into your coracoid (a little hook-like protrusion at the top of your scapular) (a small hook-like profusion at the top of your scapular).

As your scapular (shoulder blade) plays a crucial part in stabilizing your shoulders when performing chest workouts, your pec minor is working as a stabilizer for any exercise that targets your pec major. It is not a major mover kind of muscle, it's a stabilizer muscle.

Serratus Anterior: While the serratus anterior is not part of your chest, it plays a significant function in chest exercises, especially cable chest exercises as your shoulder blades will not always be set to a bench, hence allowing you to have more scapular movement.

Your serratus anterior is the saw like muscle under your armpit and near the bottom part of your chest. If you have low body fat, it will appear.

Front Delt: Your front delt is important for shoulder flexion, exactly like the upper head of your chest.

So, anytime your upper chest is active, your front delt is too.

Essentially, all chest workouts work the front delt to some degree.

Are Cable Exercises Good For The Chest?

Absolutely! Cable workouts are for chest day and is ideal for growing muscle fiber and strengthening your pectoralis major, which is the muscle that makes up the majority of your chest.

The cable crossover machine allows for a wide variety of chest exercises thanks to its flexibility to modify angles and change attachments and is capable for shoulder height and chest height.

You may also simply adjust your body positioning or even include benches and seats with exercise bands into the mix when using cables for constant tension.

Like incline push up, incline dumbbell press and barbell bench press for your upper pec and your triceps.

From a standing, sitting, or reclining position, you can execute all of the variants of free weight chest presses and flys with a cable machine, plus more.

Best Cable Chest Workout

We are going to kick things off with the cable presses for muscle growth on your upper body and your lower body.

1. Cable Standing Chest Press

How to:

• Step forward a few steps in front of the cable machine, one leg in front of the other, to produce a staggered posture.
• Your rear foot should be on tiptoes, but your front foot should be planted firmly on the floor.
• On the next set of the standing cable chest press, it is crucial to switch which leg is leading.
• Retract your shoulder blades and bring your arms to a 90-degree angle.
• Your entire body should be immovable except your arms.
• Press forward through elbow extension until your hands meet at the center.
• Squeeze, then slowly return back to the starting position.
• The slower, the better. Really feel the effort in your chest in the bottom range, then repeat.

2. Cable Seated Chest Press

How to:

• Hold each handle with a pronated grip (knuckles facing the direction you're pressing).
• Keep your back tight against the bench with your shoulder blades retracted, and then position your arms.
• Your entire body should be immovable except your arms.
• Extend at your elbows, pressing from mid-chest area.
• Stop when your hands connect or merely cross at the completion of the action and squeeze.
• You don’t need to lock your elbows at the conclusion of the movement to achieve a full contraction.
• Slowly get back to the original position.
• The slower, the better. Really feel the effort in your chest in the bottom range, then repeat.

3. Cable Single Arm Rotational Chest Press

How to:

• Grip the grip palm down with your right hand.
• Step your right foot forward to get into a staggered stance.
• Your rear foot should be on tiptoes, but your front foot should be planted firmly on the floor.
• With your elbow out at 45˚ from from your side, extend through your elbow pressing all the way forward.
• As you reach full extension, protract your shoulder blades and extend even more by pulling your shoulder forward while twisting your chest in the direction of the press (think about it as you are throwing a punch) (think about it like you are throwing a punch) (think about it like you are throwing a punch).
• Pause at the finish for a bit, then slowly return back to the beginning position with your shoulders even and squared front and your elbow back at full flexion, then repeat.
• After you finish a specified amount of reps, execute the same movement on the opposite side.

4. Cable Flat Bench Press

How to:

• Grab the handles using a neutral grip (your hands facing in towards your body) (your palms facing in towards your body).
• See how both feel in terms of pec activation.
• At the top, squeeze your pecs, then slowly lower your arms back down into elbow flexion.

5. Cable Incline Bench Press

How to:

• Grab the handles with your arms at 90˚, brace your core, maintain your back firmly on the bench and feet grounded into the floor.
• Position the handles at the sides of your chest, then exhale and pull your arms up and inwards until your hands meet.
• Squeeze your chest at the top of the movement, then inhale as you slowly lower your arms back down.

6. Cable Decline Bench Press

How to:

• Grab the handles with your arms at 90˚, brace your core, maintain your back firmly on the bench.
• Exhale and lift your arms up and in at an angle that puts your hands to a little below chest level as you reach the top of the press.
• Squeeze your chest, then inhale as you slowly bring your arms back down.

7. Cable Middle Fly

How to:

• With your hands at around shoulder level, place a slight bend in your elbow, then draw your arms back as far as you comfortably can.
• You should feel a wonderful stretch your pecs.
• Brace your core and retract your shoulder blades.
• This is the starting position for chest fly.
• Exhale as your bring your arms to your center.
• Your elbow should remain in a constant posture and your shoulders pinned back.
• Use your pecs to power the action by contracting them.
• Squeeze your pecs hard when your arms at your center, then slowly return your arms back as far as they can comfortably go.
• Again, truly feel that stretching stress.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)