Chest · Cable
Cable Seated Chest Fly
How to do the cable seated chest fly, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Sit on a bench between two cable columns set to about shoulder height, a handle in each hand. With a slight bend in your elbows, bring your arms together in a wide arc in front of your chest, then open them back out under control until you feel a stretch across the chest.
- 1Feel your chest stretch as you open and squeeze as you bring the handles
- 2together
- 3Keep a fixed slight bend in your elbows through the whole arc
- 4Squeeze your pecs at the midpoint before slowly reversing
Common mistakes
- Don't bend and straighten your elbows; this is a fly, not a press
- Avoid letting your shoulders roll forward; keep your chest proud
- Don't overstretch at the bottom or let the cables yank your arms back
Muscles worked
The cable seated chest fly mainly works the mid chest, with the upper chest, lower chest, and front delts assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- BicepsMinor
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Internal RotatorsMinor
Kovo programs the cable seated chest fly for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More chest exercises
- How to do the archer push-up
- How to do the assisted dip
- How to do the resistance band chest flyes
- How to do the resistance band push-up
- How to do the barbell bench press
- How to do the paused bench press
Last reviewed June 2026.