Cable Chest Press
A press with constant tension from start to finish and freedom for each arm. Very handy for finishing off your chest.
Also known as: standing cable press, cable press
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Cable Machine
- Type
- Compound
Muscles worked
How to do it
- Set both pulleys at chest height and take a handle in each hand.
- Step forward into a split stance with your torso leaning slightly forward.
- Press the handles forward until your hands nearly meet in front of your chest.
- Return slowly until your hands are level with your chest and you feel the stretch.
Form cues
- Keep your body still; only your arms and chest move.
- Bring your hands slightly together at the end to squeeze your chest.
- Raising or lowering the pulleys shifts the focus: high for lower chest, low for upper chest.
Common mistakes
- Going too heavy so the cables pull you backward: your stance breaks. Lighten the load or widen your base.
- Pushing with your body instead of your arms: your torso rocks. Keep it fixed.
- Cutting the return short: you lose the stretch, which is where much of the value lies.
Sets and reps
3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest, near the end of your chest session.
Variations
Same movement, different equipment. Pick based on what you have and what you want from the cable chest press.
Suspension trainer chest press
A bodyweight press on straps: the more you lean, the harder it gets.
How to do it
- Adjust the suspension trainer handles to mid-calf height.
- Stand facing away from the anchor point, holding a handle in each hand, arms extended.
- Lean forward into a plank position, keeping your body straight from head to heels.
- Lower your chest towards your hands by bending your elbows, maintaining tension in the straps.
- Press back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms and squeezing your chest.
- Primary
- Chest
- Secondary
- Front Delts, Abs, Triceps
FAQ
What's the advantage of the cable press?
The cable keeps tension through the whole range and each arm moves freely, without a bar fixing the path.
Seated or standing?
Seated isolates the chest better and allows more load; standing also trains core stability.
Can it replace the bench press?
It can be your main press without a bench, but it works best alongside a barbell or dumbbell press.
What muscles do the cable chest press work?
They mainly work the chest, with help from the front delts, the serratus and the triceps.
Add the cable chest press to your next workout
Log your sets and weights, and see how each muscle progresses in the app.
