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Cable exercises are one of the most underrated ways to build muscle in your upper body. When it comes to building muscle, there are a few exercises that stand out from the rest. These include the bench press and pull-ups. But these lifts can't be done without having a strong set of pecs.
That's why adding cable exercises to your workout routine is recommended as an efficient way to build lean muscle mass in your upper body.
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Best Cable Exercises To Do At Home For A Lean Chest
Here are five cable exercises that will build your strength and help you look like a beast on any beach:
#1 Cable Chest Fly
The cable chest fly is a classic cable exercise for your upper body. It trains your pectorialis muscles which may not receive adequate attention from bench pressing. Here's how it's done:
- Start with your arms straight out in front of your body.
- Bring the handles together till they're touching just above and below your chest, palms facing away from you.
- Slowly open up to a 180-degree angle, keeping the handles touching throughout the movement.
- Pause for a second at the top, and slowly return to the starting position.
#2 Cable Incline Press
The cable incline press is a great way to target the upper portion of your chest. It can be done using many different equipment options, but the most common are:
- Cable machine
- Bench or chair
- Cable handle (straight bar, V-bar, rope)
To perform this cable exercise, set up with a cable machine on an incline bench or use the seat of a chair as your bench. Grab onto the handle, and bring it up in front of you at shoulder height while standing straight up with good posture and feet slightly apart.
Press upward till your arms are fully extended but not locked out. Lower down to the starting position under control, and repeat for the desired reps before switching sides or finishing all sets on one side before moving onto another exercise.
For example, if you're doing five reps per set, move onto another exercise after completing two sets.
#3 TRX Push-Up
The TRX Push-Up is a great way to work the chest, shoulders and triceps. It’s a compound exercise that can give you strength and muscle mass. The TRX Push-Up is also a good way to build core strength, which can help improve your posture and reduce back pain.
TRX push-ups are slightly difficult and can pose a challenge to newbies or people with weak chests. However, you need not worry. TRX push-ups are simply an advanced variant of your standard, run-of-the-mill push-ups.
Keep working on your normal push-ups till you feel confident about attempting the TRX version.
#4 Single-Arm Cable Chest Pullover
This is a great cable exercise to build a strong chest. Here's how it's done:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and hold a single handle in each hand, palms facing inward.
- Bend your arms to 90 degrees so that the handles hang directly in front of you at chest level, palms facing outwards.
- Pull the right handle as far back toward your body as possible without moving your upper body forward.
- Let it return slowly to its starting position. Repeat this movement with the left hand to complete one rep.
#5 Low Cable Cross
This cable exercise is done with a low pulley and not a high pulley. Use a rope handle rather than one with a round or angled shape.
Grasp the rope using your hands in a neutral position, i.e., palms facing each other and fingers pointing down in line with the forearm bones.
Start by pulling the handle to the chest, keeping your elbows tucked into your sides, and avoiding any leaning back at all costs!
Use Cables to Build a Lean and Defined Chest
Cables are a versatile piece of equipment that offers many exercises. They're often overlooked in favour of free weights, but that's not to say that you can't get great results from them.
Cables allow you to build your chest with a variety of angles, which is why it's important for building muscle and definition. The main benefit is that the cable machine allows for an easier range of motion than barbells or dumbbells since there's no momentum involved (the weight is always moving).
Therefore, if you have any wrist or shoulder injuries, this could be a great way to train without aggravating those areas.
Takeaway
The chest is a major muscle group, which makes it a great place to start when you're looking to build general strength.
The cable exercises we’ve outlined above are some of our favorites for building strong and lean pecs, but there are many more variations on these moves out there too.
So don’t feel like you need to stick with what we have suggested. Try different types of equipment (cable machines, resistance bands, trx bands), varying degrees of difficulty (light weight or heavy weight), and different angles. All of them can vary depending on your goals to help you create the perfect routine for yourself.
