Maximize Strength: Cable Press Around for Chest & Arms

The cable press around is a fantastic unilateral exercise for building chest size and strength as it enables a deep stretch at the bottom and peak contraction at the top, which are both extremely important for hypertrophy.

I frequently implement cable press arounds in my clients’ programs, so I decided to create a simple guide covering everything from the proper technique to the most common mistakes and pro tips to help you get the most out of this lift. Let’s start with the exercise guide first.

How To Do a Cable Press Around

Here is how to perform cable press arounds on the functional trainer:

Step One — Assume the Starting Position

Set the cable pulley at chest height and attach a D-handle bar. Grab the handle with a neutral grip and hold it next to your chest with your elbow fully flexed and tight to your side. Turn away from the pulley so your torso is at 45 degrees.

Hold the other side of the functional trainer with your corresponding hand. Assume a staggered stance for better balance.

Step Two — Push the Cable in Front of Your Body

While keeping your chest proud, extend your elbow at 45 degrees across your midline while keeping your arm parallel to the floor. Stop shy of lockout and contract your chest at the top of the range of motion (ROM).

Step Three — Return the Cable to the Starting Position

Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. Move your elbow as far behind the midline as you comfortably can for a deeper chest stretch. Avoid flaring the elbow to keep constant tension on the chest and limit anterior delt recruitment.

Cable Press Around Muscles Worked

The primary muscle working is the pectoralis major.

The secondary muscles include anterior deltoids, triceps brachii, biceps brachii, and serratus anterior.

Cable Press Around Benefits

Here are the advantages of including cable press arounds into your exercise regime:

Targeted Chest Development

The cable press around is a phenomenal chest-building exercise. The cables keep constant tension on the target muscles throughout the ROM and allow maximal stretch and contraction.

Core Activation

You must keep your core braced while performing this movement for optimal stability and balance. This works your abs and hip muscles, translating to better performance on other compound movements.

Eliminates Muscle and Strength Imbalances

Eliminating muscle and strength imbalances is key to building functional strength. This exercise lets you work individually on each side of your chest, helping identify and correct any imbalances.

Functional Strength Development

Since this is a unilateral pressing movement performed in an athletic stance, it can help improve your overall functionality and physical performance.

To make this exercise even more challenging, don’t hold the cable pulley with the non-working hand. Instead, place it on your chest or at your side. This will lead to greater core engagement.

Bigger Range of Motion

The cable press around allows you to achieve a deep chest stretch at the bottom and peak contraction at the top.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Below are the most common cable press around errors:

Using Too Much Weight

Ego lifting can ruin your form and technique, lead to unnecessary compensatory movements, and even cause injuries. Begin with a weight you can lift for eight to 12 reps and then gradually increase it to overload the muscles consistently. (1)

Lack of Control

A lack of control in this exercise is usually the result of weak stabilizer muscles. Strengthen and engage your core muscles to perform this exercise with a picture-perfect form.

Skipping Chest Contraction

Failing to squeeze your chest at the top of the ROM means missing out on significant muscle growth. It’s equally important to fully stretch your chest muscles at the bottom of the range of motion.

Ignoring the Bottom Stretch

Skipping the stretch at the bottom stretch can cost you muscle gains. Performing long-length partial in the bottom range of motion can increase target muscle stimulation, promoting hypertrophy.

Cable Press Around Variations and Alternatives

Add the following exercises to your arsenal:

Single-Arm Cable Crossover

The single-arm cable crossover is an excellent unilateral exercise that effectively targets your chest, triceps, and front deltoids.

How to perform a single-arm cable crossover:

1. Set the cable pulley at the highest setting and fasten a D-handle attachment.
2. Assume the standing starting position in front of the cable machine with your side to the pulley.
3. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, your back flat, and your left hand on your hip for added stability.
4. Grab the handle with your right hand and extend your arm to your side so it is parallel to the floor.
5. While maintaining slight elbow flexion, pull the handle down and towards your body’s midline.
6. Hold the fully contracted position for one second for maximal muscle fiber stimulation.
7. Reverse the motion to return to the starting position.

High-to-Low Cable Crossover

The high-to-low cable crossover is another excellent cable press around alternative that effectively targets your pectoral muscles. Biomechanically, it is very similar to the dip exercise, meaning you can target your lower pectoral fibers efficiently.

How to perform a high-to-low cable crossover:

1. Set the cable pulleys at the highest setting.
2. Grab the attachments with both hands and assume the starting position with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart. Alternatively, try the split stance.
3. Raise your arms to the sides until they’re level with your shoulders, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
4. Start the exercise by moving the handles in front and down towards the middle of your body.
5. Hold the bottom position for one second.

Dumbbell Flyes

Dumbbell flyes are one of my favorite chest exercises. I usually implement them towards the end of my chest workouts. However, if you perform them incorrectly, they can be quite dangerous for your shoulders, especially in the bottom position.

How to perform dumbbell flyes:

1. Grab two dumbbells of appropriate weight with a neutral grip.
2. Lie on a flat bench, extend your elbows, and hold the dumbbells above your chest.
3. Keep your feet firmly on the ground and brace your core and hips for extra stability.
4. While keeping your elbows slightly bent and limiting the movement to the shoulder joint, move the dumbbells out to the sides and down toward the floor.
5. Return to the starting position, and repeat.

Pec Deck Machine Flyes

Due to its non-functional nature, I don’t perform the pec deck machine flyes often. However, no one can argue about its effectiveness in targeting chest muscles.

How to perform the pec deck machine flyes:

1. Load the pec deck machine with the appropriate weight.
2. Sit on the machine and grasp both handles with a neutral grip.
3. While maintaining slight elbow flexion, move the handles toward the midline.
4. Avoid touching your hands at the top. Hold the peak contraction for one second.
5. Reverse the motion to return both handles to the starting position and repeat the exercise.

Hypertrophy Benefits of Lengthened Partials

In a YouTube video, exercise scientist Dr. Mike Israetel, co-founder of Renaissance Periodization, discussed lengthened partials with Milo Wolf, a world’s expert on a range of motion.

“There is now a sort of mounting body of evidence across different areas suggesting that lower muscle length training is superior for hypertrophy compared to shorter muscle length training. There’s plenty of evidence suggesting that’s the case, for example, partial reps of different muscle lengths. For example, doing the bottom half of the curl versus the top half. Also, there’s some evidence suggesting that it’s at least as effective or potentially more effective than a full range of motion.” — Milo Wolf

Push-Ups

Push-ups are a foundational upper-body exercise. They are invaluable for increasing relative bodyweight strength and improving horizontal pushing power, assuming you perform some weighted or plyometric variations.

How to perform push-ups:

1. Assume the high plank position with your elbows extended and hands directly under your shoulders.
2. Your back should be neutral, your core muscles contracted, and your knees extended.
3. The width of your push-up is highly individual. However, you can’t go wrong by starting just outside shoulder-width and slightly twisting your hands inwards by internally rotating your shoulders.
4. Start the exercise by lowering your body towards the floor.
5. Just before your chest touches the ground, pause for one second.
6. Reverse the motion.

FAQs

When should I perform cable press arounds?

You should perform cable press arounds in your chest workouts. Place them towards the end of the workout since they are less demanding energy-wise than barbell and dumbbell bench presses.

How often should I perform cable press arounds?

You can perform cable press arounds at least once a week during your chest workouts. This is assuming you want to master the proper form and technique to achieve better hypertrophy results.

What are the ideal weights, reps, sets, and rest intervals?

Begin with 60 to 80 percent of your one-rep max for six to 12 reps and three to four sets, resting 30-90 seconds between each. Use cable press arounds mainly for hypertrophy, as there are better exercises for building endurance and strength.

Wrapping Up

Cable press around is a fantastic chest exercise that is highly effective for building muscle. You can get that bottom stretch and end range of motion contraction, which is paramount for hypertrophy.

Although the cable press-around is a beginner-friendly exercise, it may take some practice to master due to its unilateral nature.

In the comments below, let me know your thoughts on cable press-arounds and how you implement them in your chest workouts.

References:

1. Peterson MD, Pistilli E, Haff GG, Hoffman EP, Gordon PM. Progression of volume load and muscular adaptation during resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2011;111(6):1063-1071. doi:10.1007/s00421-010-1735-9

Relevant Articles:

• 11 Cable Chest Exercises to Develop Serious Pec Power
• Suspension Chest Press Exercise Guide

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