Cable Iron Cross

How to do the Cable Iron Cross

1. Begin by moving the pulleys to the high position, select the resistance to be used, and take a handle in each hand.
2. Stand directly between both pulleys with your arms extended out to your sides. Your head and chest should be up while your arms form a ST⬝. This will be your starting position.
3. Keeping the elbows extended, pull your arms straight to your sides.
4. Return your arms back to the starting position after a pause at the peak contraction.
5. Continue the movement for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	chest
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 Dumbbell Flyes Dumbbell Incline Push-Up Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Medium Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Reverse Grip Bodyweight

Harder than the Cable Iron Cross

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

Superset the Cable Iron Cross 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 Iron Cross work?

The Cable Iron Cross primarily works the chest. Bodyweight Flyes, Cable Crossover, and Dumbbell Flyes train the same muscle, across 11 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Cable Iron Cross?

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

Is the Cable Iron Cross suitable for beginners?

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

Where should the Cable Iron Cross go in a workout?

Late — the Cable Iron Cross 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 Cable Crossover Cable Machine Dumbbell Flyes Dumbbell Flat Bench Cable Flyes Cable Machine Incline Cable Flye Cable Machine Low Cable Crossover Cable Machine