10 Best Cable Lying Fly Alternatives for Chest Isolation
The Cable Lying Fly has you lie flat on a bench holding the handles above your chest, lower your arms out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch across your chest, then squeeze your chest to bring the handles back together above you. The Cable Incline Fly is the closest swap: you sit on an incline bench, hold the low-pulley handles out in front and open your arms to the sides. If the bench is busy, the Cable Middle Fly works standing, using only cables.
Original Exercise: Cable Lying Fly
How to Perform Cable Lying Fly
- Attach the handles to the cables and lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground.
- Hold the handles with your palms facing each other and your arms extended straight above your chest.
- Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lower your arms out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
- Pause for a moment, then squeeze your chest muscles to bring your arms back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Ranked Cable Lying Fly Alternatives
1. Flat Bench Cable Flyes
95.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Position a flat bench between two low pulleys so that when you are laying on it, your chest will be lined up with the cable pulleys.
- Lay flat on the bench and keep your feet on the ground.
- Have someone hand you the handles on each hand. You will grab each single handle attachment with a palms up grip.
- Extend your arms by your side with a slight bend on your elbows. Tip: You will keep this bend constant through the whole movement. Your arms should be parallel to the floor. This is your starting position.
- Now start lifting the arms in a semi-circle motion directly in front of you by pulling the cables together until both hands meet at the top of the movement. Squeeze your chest as you perform this motion and breathe out during this movement. Also, hold the contraction for a second at the top. Tip: When performed correctly, at the top position of this movement, your arms should be perpendicular to your torso and the floor touching above your chest.
2. Cable Incline Fly
93.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Adjust the cable machine to a low position and attach the handles.
- Sit on an incline bench with your back against the pad and feet flat on the floor.
- Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
- Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, open your arms out to the sides in a controlled motion.
- Pause for a moment at the fully extended position, then slowly return to the starting position.
3. Cable Middle Fly
92% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Attach cables to both sides of a cable machine at chest height.
- Stand in the center of the machine with one foot slightly in front of the other.
- Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and extend your arms out to the sides.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows and maintain a slight forward lean.
- Engage your chest muscles and bring your arms forward in a sweeping motion.
4. Cable One Arm Decline Chest Fly
91.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Attach a D-handle to a low pulley cable machine and set the bench to a decline angle.
- Lie down on the bench with your head towards the machine and grab the handle with your right hand.
- Extend your arm straight up above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbow.
- With a controlled motion, lower your arm out to the side until your hand is in line with your shoulder.
- Pause for a moment, then reverse the motion and bring your arm back to the starting position.
5. Cable Incline Fly (on Stability Ball)
91.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set up a stability ball at an incline angle.
- Attach the cable handles to the high pulleys of a cable machine.
- Sit on the stability ball facing away from the machine, with your feet firmly planted on the ground.
- Grasp the cable handles with an overhand grip, palms facing forward.
- Lean forward slightly, keeping your back straight and core engaged.
6. Cable Cross-over Variation
90.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Adjust the cable pulleys to chest height.
- Stand in the center of the cable machine with one foot in front of the other.
- Grasp the handles with your palms facing down and your arms extended out to the sides.
- Take a step forward, keeping your arms slightly bent.
- With a slight bend in your elbows, bring your hands together in front of your chest.
7. Cable Crossover
90.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- To get yourself into the starting position, place the pulleys on a high position (above your head), select the resistance to be used and hold the pulleys in each hand.
- Step forward in front of an imaginary straight line between both pulleys while pulling your arms together in front of you. Your torso should have a small forward bend from the waist. This will be your starting position.
- With a slight bend on your elbows in order to prevent stress at the biceps tendon, extend your arms to the side (straight out at both sides) in a wide arc until you feel a stretch on your chest. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Keep in mind that throughout the movement, the arms and torso should remain stationary; the movement should only occur at the shoulder joint.
- Return your arms back to the starting position as you breathe out. Make sure to use the same arc of motion used to lower the weights.
- Hold for a second at the starting position and repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
8. Cable Decline Fly
90.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Adjust the cable machine to a decline position.
- Stand facing away from the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold the handles with your palms facing forward and your arms extended straight out in front of you.
- Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, open your arms out to the sides in a controlled motion.
- Pause for a moment at the fully extended position, then slowly return to the starting position.
9. Cable Standing Up Straight Crossovers
90.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand in the middle of a cable machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold the handles of the cables with your palms facing down and your arms extended straight out to the sides.
- Keeping your arms straight, bring your hands together in front of your body, crossing them over each other.
- Pause for a moment, then slowly return to the starting position, keeping your arms extended.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Cable Upper Chest Crossovers
90.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Attach the handles to the cables at chest height.
- Stand in the center of the cable machine with one foot slightly in front of the other.
- Grasp the handles with your palms facing down and your arms extended out to the sides.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows and engage your core.
- Pull the cables together in front of your chest, crossing them over each other.
Why You Might Need a Cable Lying Fly Alternative
The Cable Lying Fly needs a bench set between two low pulleys, and that combination is exactly what gets fought over in a busy cable section: someone is stretched out on the bench, or both pulleys are already claimed by other lifters. Some lifters also want a different feel on the same fly, since lying flat sets one line of pull that standing up or changing the bench angle both change. All of these swaps still run on cables and still work your chest, so you keep the equipment and the muscle while changing your body position, the angle, or the arm you use.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Take the Cable Incline Fly first if an incline bench is free: it keeps you seated against a pad on low pulleys, so only the bench angle changes. The Cable One Arm Decline Chest Fly has you lie head-down on a decline bench with a single D-handle from a low pulley and work one arm at a time, lowering it out to the side until your hand is level with your shoulder, so reach for it when you want to train each side on its own. The Flat Bench Cable Flyes keeps the same lying position, and the Cable Decline Fly has you stand facing away from the machine, so pick whichever setup your gym has spare. When no bench is free, the Cable Middle Fly runs on cables and works your chest while you stand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does the Cable Lying Fly train?
Your chest does the work. Lying on the bench, you lower the handles out to the sides until you feel a stretch across your chest, then squeeze your chest to bring them back together above you. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows through the whole arc keeps the load on your chest as you squeeze the handles back together above your chest.
What equipment do the Cable Lying Fly alternatives need?
A cable station, the same as the Cable Lying Fly itself: two pulleys for the two-handed swaps, one low pulley and a D-handle for the Cable One Arm Decline Chest Fly. Each swap changes your body position, the bench angle or the arm you use rather than the machine you need.
Which Cable Lying Fly alternative adds a stability challenge?
The Cable Incline Fly (On Stability Ball). You sit on a stability ball facing away from the machine with the cables on the high pulleys, lean forward slightly with your back straight and core braced, and open your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor. The ball replaces the bench, so you hold the incline yourself while you work.
What can I do if the cable bench is busy?
The Cable Middle Fly. It runs on cable equipment alone and trains the same pectorals as the Cable Lying Fly, so you can keep working the same muscle standing at the machine without waiting for a bench and pulley setup other lifters are using.
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