Incline Cable Flyes

Why you should do Incline Cable Flyes

This exercise is similar to classic Dumbbell Flyes and regular Cable Crossovers. The big difference from Flyes is that it is made with cable runs, which means that the load is more evenly distributed compared to Fly’s where it is the hardest at the bottom of the movement and no load at all for the chest in the top position. We can also let our hands cross each other and squeeze the inner chest even more in a cable machine than dumbbells.
Compared to standard Cable Crossovers, the inclined bench allows the upper part of the chest to work extra hard. So we go from low to high, which puts a strain on the muscle fibers. The exercise is very suitable for Drop Sets because you can quickly and easily remove weight, and cable machines are safe to train alone.

This exercise can also be done standing without a bench. Then you connect the torso a little more, which may be preferable.

Exercise Details for Incline Cable Flyes

  • Primary Muscle
    Pec
  • Secondary Muscle
    Front Delt
  • Equipment
    Cable
  • Level
    Easy

Preparatory

Place an inclined bench (approx. 35-45 degrees inclination) between the cable brackets. Attach the cable handles to the lower floor brackets. Grab the handles and sit down on the bench. Place your feet stably on the floor. Lean back and pull your shoulders back and pinch the shoulder blades together; your chest should then move forward. Extend your arms so that they are almost straight; imagine that you are hugging a large tree. It would help if you kept this weak bend in your arms throughout the exercise. The wrists should be straight throughout the movement, do not bend them outwards or inwards. You are now in the start position.

Performance

Slowly lower your arms to the floor. When the hands are parallel to the back, stop for a short while before reversing the movement and pulling the arms together to meet up again over the body. If you go further down than parallel to your back, your shoulders will be overloaded, which should be avoided.

Have your upper back pressed against the bench throughout the lift. Do not swing forward. Your neck should also remain neutral. Moreover, do not lift your shoulders towards your ears during the movement, as they should remain pulled obliquely backward.

If you want, you can let your hands cross each other in the top position 20-30 centimeters so that the inner chest is compressed even more. Hold in this position for a while to maximize the contraction. This varies depending on how far from the cable you are located, i.e., different in all machines.

Guide for Incline Cable Flyes

  • Use the same weight on both cable machines
  • Slightly bent arms throughout the exercise
  • Straight wrists
  • Pull back the shoulders, pinch your shoulder blades and push the chest forward
  • Lower the weight in a calm and controlled manner, keep the muscle you are exercising tense
  • Keep your shoulders down
  • Do not swing the upper body, it should be fixed to the bench
  • You can cross your hands in the top position to squeeze your chest even more
  • You can do this exercise standing instead of on a bench, then the torso is also connected
  • Feel free to run Drop Sets in this exercise too

Download our App Mygreatness

You'll be able to track your workouts, nail your nutrition plan, stock up on supps, and get fit on the go.

Related Exercises

placeholder-image

Seated Leg Curl

Straight Arm Pulldown

The back muscles on the side of your body, latissimus dorsi or your lats, are responsible for pulling your arms back and down. When you lift your arms above your head, you can easily feel the muscle fully stretched out.

Shrugs with Barbell

On the upper back is a muscle called the trapezius. The muscle looks a bit like a flying kite. It attaches to the top of the skull and extends to the shoulders. Then the muscle continues down along the spine between the shoulder blades a reasonable distance down the back. The upper part of this muscle holds the skull in place, which you can see in wrestlers and boxers who often have a well-developed Trapezius, but it also helps the body carry really heavy things or do deadlifts or Farmers walk. In the upper part of the muscle, the muscle fibers go obliquely upwards. You train this part by holding heavy things in your hands or pulling your shoulders up towards your ears when you have heavy items in your hands. This is exactly what you do in a Shrug, whether you are lifting dumbbells or a writing bar.