Cable Crossover

Chest
Shoulders

Equipment: Cable

New to this

Your first cable crossover

What weight should I start with on the cable crossover?

Start at 10 to 15 lb per side. Both stacks together add up faster than the number on one pin suggests. You have it right when you can bring your hands together in front of your chest and hold for a count without your elbows collapsing.

What usually goes wrong on the cable crossover?

Set both pulleys at shoulder height or slightly above and take a handle in each hand.

Step forward into a split stance so the cables have tension before you start.

Keep a fixed 15-degree bend in the elbows and bring your hands together in front of your chest.

Let the handles travel back until you feel a stretch across the chest, no further.

You should feel this across the chest and inner pec. Front-shoulder strain means you let the handles go too far back.

Most common mistake: bending and straightening the elbows, which turns the fly into a press. The elbow angle never changes.

If both cable stations are taken

Dumbbell Flyes are the free-weight version of the same arc, though the tension drops off at the top.

The Butterfly is the machine version with the path fixed, useful while you learn the movement.

How to do it

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.