Chest · Cable
High Chest Flyes
How to do the high chest flyes, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Cable
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Fly
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Set the handles on two cable stacks to the highest position. Stand between the stacks, hold the handles, and bring your hands down and together in front of your waist in a wide arc, focusing on the lower chest. Slowly return to the starting position.
- 1With cables set high, bring your arms down and together in front of you, feeling your upper chest and inner chest engage
- 2Keep a soft bend in your elbows and squeeze your pecs at the end of the movement
- 3Control the return and feel a stretch as your arms open back out
Common mistakes
- Don't overextend your shoulders or let your arms drift too far back
- Avoid using a weight so heavy that you have to jerk or lean into the movement
- Don't let your wrists bend or your elbows lock out
Muscles worked
The high chest flyes mainly works the upper chest and mid chest, with the lower chest and front delts assisting.
- Upper ChestPrimary
- Mid ChestPrimary
- Lower ChestSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
High Chest Flyes strength standards
See how your high chest flyes ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM20 lb
Silvere1RM52.5 lb
Golde1RM102.5 lb
Platinume1RM160 lb
Diamonde1RM197.5 lb
Champione1RM227.5 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the high chest flyes 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 April 2026.