Cable Standing Fly

1. Set two cable pulleys to roughly shoulder height and attach single handles.
2. Grab a handle in each hand and step forward to the middle of the cable station, creating tension.
3. Stand with a slight forward lean and a soft bend in your knees for stability.
4. Start with your arms extended out to your sides, elbows slightly bent.
5. Bring your hands together in front of your chest in a wide, sweeping arc.
6. Squeeze your chest hard as your hands meet in the middle.
7. Slowly reverse the motion, returning your arms out to the sides under control.
8. Perform 12 to 15 reps, keeping the elbow bend consistent throughout the set.

Common Mistakes

• Bending the elbows too much: Turning the fly into more of a press by bending the elbows heavily takes tension off the chest. Keep a slight, fixed bend throughout the movement.
• Using too much weight: Overloading the cables makes it hard to control the arc and shifts effort to the front shoulders. Choose a weight that lets you feel the chest working through the full range.
• Letting the hands drift too high or too low: Bringing the handles together at the wrong height changes which part of the chest gets emphasized. Keep the path level with your chest for balanced targeting.
• Rushing the stretch position: Snapping quickly back out to the sides skips the deep stretch that makes this exercise valuable. Control the eccentric portion for a full two seconds.