Shoulder-Height Crossover Cable Fly: how to do it right

In short: Cable fly with arms at shoulder height, a chest isolation loaded in the shortened position, when the hands cross in front of you.

How to do it, step by step

1. 1Set the pulleys at shoulder height, grab the handles and take a step forward to create starting tension.
2. 2Torso slightly leaning, elbows open in a slight arc, brace the abs and squeeze the shoulder blades.
3. 3Bring the hands toward each other in front of your sternum, until they cross slightly to maximize the shortening.
4. 4Squeeze the pecs hard for 1 second at the end of the range, feel the muscle harden.
5. 5Control the return slowly without letting the arms go so far back that you lose the useful tension.
6. 6Keep the elbow at a constant angle: you're not doing a press, you're doing a fly.

The mistake to avoid

Don't use hip momentum to bring the handles in.

Other common mistakes

• Pulling with the shoulders rolled forward: keep the shoulder blades squeezed and down so the effort stays in the pecs.
• Bending the elbow along the way and turning the fly into a press: lock a constant elbow angle.
• Going too far back on the return and losing tension: stop the opening when you feel the stretch, without forcing the shoulder.
• Rushing the final crossing: cross the hands well and hold the contraction, it's the heart of the movement.

Muscles worked

Main:

Chest

The pec major does all the work, especially its middle fibers (sternocostal part) that bring the arm toward the midline. The pec minor and the anterior delt stabilize the shoulder, without being prime movers. No notable secondary muscle here: the movement is clean and targeted.

What to replace it with

Same muscle, same part of the movement: these exercises do the same job.

• Pec Deck ›
• Low-to-High Cable Fly ›
• High-to-Low Cable Fly ›
• Standing Band Chest Fly (Anchored Behind) ›
• Band Chest Press (Anchored Behind) ›

Frequently asked questions