Chest
Low Cable Fly
The Low Cable Fly is a strength exercise on a cable machine for your chest. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: upper chest 35%, mid chest 33% and front delts 15%.
Also known as: low pulley fly, low to high cable fly, low to high fly
How to do it
- Set both pulleys at the lowest position and clip a single handle to each cable.
- Take a handle in each hand and step forward into the middle with a split stance.
- Start with the arms low and wide beside the hips, elbows slightly bent, palms facing forward.
- Sweep the handles up and together until they meet in front of your upper chest.
- Lower them slowly back down and out to the start.
Tips
- Finish at about chin height with the hands in front of the upper chest.
- Keep the torso still and upright so the arms move, not the body.
Common mistakes
- Leaning back to swing the handles up.
- Raising the hands higher than the face, which turns it into a front raise.
- Bending the elbows more as the handles rise.
Muscles worked by the Low Cable Fly
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
An upward line of pull matches the clavicular fibres. A fly is pure shoulder horizontal adduction with the elbow fixed, so the pec does nearly all the work and the triceps drop out.
Low Cable Fly alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Low Cable Fly work?
Mainly the upper chest and mid chest. The front delts assist.
Is the Low Cable Fly good for beginners?
Yes. The Low Cable Fly is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Low Cable Fly?
For example the Incline Cable Fly, Cable Fly and Incline Dumbbell Fly. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Low Cable Fly harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Incline Cable Fly and Incline Dumbbell Fly.
Sources
- Welsch et al. 2005, JSCR 19(2):449-452 (bench, incline, fly)
- Solstad et al. 2020, J Sports Sci Med 19(4):645-651 (bench press vs fly)
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