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Cable Fly strength standards

What is a good Cable Fly?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Cable Fly is about 91 lb (0.51x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 153 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Cable Fly Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 1 15 46 93 153
120 3 19 53 102 165
130 5 24 59 112 176
140 6 28 66 120 188
150 9 32 72 129 198
160 11 36 79 137 209
170 13 40 85 145 218
180 16 44 91 153 228
190 18 49 96 161 237
200 20 53 102 168 246
210 23 57 108 175 255
220 26 61 113 182 263
230 28 64 118 189 271
240 31 68 124 195 279
250 33 72 129 202 287
260 36 76 134 208 294
270 38 80 139 214 301
280 41 83 143 220 308
290 43 87 148 226 315
300 46 90 153 232 322
310 49 94 157 237 329

The Cable Fly standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Cable Fly Standards by Age

How the Cable Fly standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 10 33 73 127 194
20 11 38 83 146 222
25 11 39 85 150 227
30 11 39 85 150 227
35 11 39 85 150 227
40 11 39 85 150 227
45 11 37 81 142 216
50 10 35 76 133 203
55 9 32 70 123 187
60 9 29 64 112 171
65 8 26 58 102 154
70 7 24 52 91 139
75 6 21 46 81 124
80 6 19 42 73 111
85 5 17 37 65 99
90 5 15 34 59 90

The Cable Fly standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Cable Fly Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 91 lbs (0.51x bodyweight) on the Cable Fly is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
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What the Cable Fly Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning the movement path and resistance curve on the Cable Fly, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.

Novice

You can perform the Cable Fly with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.

Intermediate

Your Cable Fly is performed with excellent control and targeted tension. You use RPE to manage isolation work intensity and program it strategically within your training split.

Advanced

You have built significant strength on the Cable Fly through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Your Cable Fly strength is at the upper end of what most lifters achieve. You have maximized the target muscle development through years of focused, periodized isolation work.

How to Progress Your Cable Fly

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Cable Fly to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Cable Fly 2x per week with slow, controlled reps.
  • Focus on full range of motion and eliminating momentum or swinging.
  • Keep sets at RPE 6-7 to develop proper movement patterns.
  • Build the mind-muscle connection - feel the target muscle working on every rep.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the Cable Fly.
  • Program 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps at RPE 7-8.
  • Add a variation (different grip, angle, or equipment) to address development gaps.
  • Place isolation work after your primary compound movements.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Advanced Isolation Techniques
  • Use drop sets, paused reps, and partial reps to break through Cable Fly plateaus.
  • Train at RPE 8-9 with advanced intensity techniques on your last 1-2 sets.
  • Manipulate tempo to increase time under tension without compromising form.
  • Manage total volume for the target muscle group across all exercises.
Calculate working set loads →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize Cable Fly strength through precise programming and fatigue management.
  • Use periodized blocks to cycle between volume, intensity, and deload phases.
  • Quality of contraction matters more than load at this level.
  • Continuous refinement of technique will yield the remaining gains.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Cable Fly

Cable Fly demonstration
Primary Muscles Biceps, Anterior Deltoid, Pectorals
Equipment Cable Machine, D-handle Grips
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Isolation
  1. Adjust the pulleys on a cable machine to chest height and attach D-handle grips.
  2. Stand in the center of the machine with a handle in each hand, palms facing forward.
  3. Step forward slightly to create tension in the cables, positioning your feet shoulder-width apart.
  4. With a slight bend in your elbows, extend your arms out to the sides, maintaining tension in your chest.
  5. Exhale and bring the handles together in front of you in a wide arc, squeezing your chest at the movement's peak.
  6. Inhale and slowly return to the starting position, keeping control over the movement.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Keep a slight bend in the elbows to reduce strain on the joints.
  • Focus on a slow, controlled movement to maximize muscle engagement.
  • Avoid letting the handles touch at the movement's peak to maintain constant tension.
  • Engage your core for stability and to prevent excessive arching of the back.
  • Adjust the pulley height to vary the angle and target different parts of the chest.

Read the complete Cable Fly guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Cable Fly Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Cable Fly table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Cable Fly itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Cable Fly depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Cable Fly after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Cable Fly table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.