Cable Crossover

How to do the Cable Crossover

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Hold for a second at the starting position and repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	chest
Secondary	shoulders
Equipment	cable machine
Difficulty	beginner
Type	isolation

No cable machine? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Clock Push-Up Bodyweight Decline Push-Up Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Medium Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Reverse Grip Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Wide Bodyweight

Harder than the Cable Crossover

Plyo Kettlebell Pushups expert · Kettlebell Forward Drag with Press intermediate · Other Equipment Drop Push intermediate · Other Equipment

Superset the Cable Crossover with

Opposing lats and traps work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Cable Incline Pushdown lats Cable Shrugs traps Rope Straight-Arm Pulldown lats Straight-Arm Pulldown lats

Common questions

What muscles does the Cable Crossover work?

The Cable Crossover primarily works the chest, with the shoulders as secondary movers. Bodyweight Flyes, Incline Cable Flye, and Low Cable Crossover train the same muscle, across 11 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Cable Crossover?

A Cable Machine. Without a cable machine, Clock Push-Up, Decline Push-Up, and Incline Push-Up train the same muscle, and 17 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Cable Crossover suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Cable Crossover is rated beginner. Plyo Kettlebell Pushups, Forward Drag with Press, and Drop Push are the progressions from here.

Where should the Cable Crossover go in a workout?

Late — the Cable Crossover is isolation work, so it follows your compounds. Supersetting it with Cable Incline Pushdown and Cable Shrugs cuts session time without extra rest.

Similar exercises

Bodyweight Flyes EZ Curl Bar Incline Cable Flye Cable Machine Low Cable Crossover Cable Machine Cable Iron Cross Cable Machine Dumbbell Flyes Dumbbell Flat Bench Cable Flyes Cable Machine