Lee Priest carved out a successful career by knowing which exercises to include in his routine. On Dec. 11, 2025, via YouTube, he shared how to use the cable crossover for a more developed chest.
Lee Priest was a Men’s Open staple throughout the 1990s and 2000s. He routinely qualified for the prestigious Mr. Olympia contest during his tenure, but was never able to secure the Sandow trophy. Despite that, Priest took out legendary threats in his prime, including former eight-time Olympia champion Ronnie Coleman.
Priest never officially retired and renewed his IFBB Pro card in 2025. That sparked speculation about a potential return. He later cleared the air, sharing that chest atrophy has prevented him from a comeback. His training schedule hasn’t slowed down, though, leading him to unpack the value of cable crossovers.
Lee Priest Shares How To Use Cable Crossovers for Chest Development
In the video, Priest revealed that standing 10 feet away from the cable machine is one of the most common crossover mistakes he’s encountered.
“Sometimes I bring it to there, almost like a fly. Or sometimes, I cross it over like that to get a bigger squeeze. The thing is, too, when you go back to here, that’s all the stretch you need. That’s why I don’t get you assholes inside the gym, the machine is here, but you fuckin stand right out here, and you go.”
“You’re standing 10 feet in front, and look, the movement is the same here as it is back here. Okay? You don’t need to go all that way out.”
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He shared that lifters only have to step out a little for an adequate stretch.
“You only need to step out a little bit just so you can get that stretch that you need. Then, like I said, you’re doing it like a fly movement.
Some people have them low here, some people put them up higher, some like to do it too – I’ve never been a fan of it, but doing them low and bringing them up. It’s meant to hit the upper chest. But every time I do that, I get a bit of a pump in my bicep.”
Priest believes the cable crossover can be effective at the start or end of a workout.
“These are good once you have developed your chest. I see guys doing this, they got some rib cage. You’re better off focusing on the pressing movement.
Build the muscle before you go into the shaping exercises. It’s always a good one to warm up on. You get a good stretch, you get the blood in there. It gets you ready when you go to do your heavy presses. I like to do them as either the first or last exercise to really get the blood in there good,” he said.
In addition to Priest, Phil Heath, a former seven-time Mr. Olympia winner, also broke down how to reap the benefits of cable crossovers. To maximize gains, “The Gift” said to focus on foot position, keep the lower back tight, and bear hug the weight.
Chest development was never a weak point for Priest throughout his career. He believes the cable crossover is an effective option, especially when aiming to show off more detail in the chest.
RELATED: Lee Priest Reveals How to Achieve a Lat Pump During Back Training
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