Strength Training · Bodybuilding
Single-Arm Cable Chest Fly
The single-arm cable chest fly trains your chest by sweeping one arm inward against cable resistance. Working one side at a time also challenges you to keep your torso steady.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Low injury risk
- Rest 1 min
How to do it
- Set the pulley near mid-chest height.
- Grasp the handle with the hand nearest the cable column.
- Stand side-on to the column in a staggered stance, far enough away to keep tension on the cable.
- Position your working arm out to your side with a slight elbow bend, no farther back than your torso.
- Sweep the handle inward in an arc until your hand reaches the center of your chest.
- Return the handle slowly along the same arc to your starting position.
Form cues
- Keep your elbow angle unchanged.
- Keep your ribs over your hips.
- Exhale as you bring the handle inward.
Common mistakes
- Twisting toward the handleKeep your chest facing forward so the movement comes from your arm rather than your torso.
- Shrugging the working shoulderKeep your shoulder away from your ear throughout the repetition.
- Bending the wrist inwardKeep your knuckles aligned with your forearm instead of curling the handle toward you.
Safety
Excessive weight or an overly deep opening can strain the front of your shoulder. Losing control of the return can let the cable pull you off balance.
- Start with a load you can control without jerking.
- Shorten the opening range if you feel shoulder pinching rather than a comfortable chest stretch.
- Finish the set when you can no longer control the return.
- Step toward the column before releasing the handle to let the weight stack settle gently.
If you have current shoulder pain or a history of shoulder instability, use a shorter pain-free range or seek guidance from a physiotherapist before adding load.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Cable Column
- Single Cable Handle
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 10–15 reps per side
- Rest
- 1 min
Start with your weaker side and match its load and repetitions on the other side.