6 Best Chest Exercises with Cables for Men!

Let's face it, when it comes to working your pecs, there are countless chest exercises that you can do. But when it comes to building strong and thick pecs, cables should be your go-to equipment.

You don't have to be chiseled and screaming at the top of your lungs. You just need to look good and feel reasonably confident about it. The key is to hit every chest muscle from multiple angles and include them in your workouts on a regular basis.

On the other hand, don't push your body to the brink of exhaustion without mixing things up a little. It's all about finding and using the right tools for the task at hand, especially when that "task" is your body.

Speaking of which, what are your chest muscles, anyway?

Let's take a look at it before we dive deep into the six best chest exercises you can do when you hit the gym next time.

What are your chest muscles?

Pectoral muscles are positioned under the breasts of both men and women that allow for lateral, vertical, or rotational motions of the arm when engaged. Both the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor form the pectoral muscles.

Your pectoralis muscles make up your pecs, one of the largest muscle groups in your body, and play a significant role in your arm motion.

Now let's take a look at some of the best chest exercises with a cable.

1.Cable Chest Press (Seated)

Chest presses with a cable machine will work the pecs, front shoulders, and triceps. Keep your forearms facing the machine at all times so you can focus on isolating the pecs.

Take a look at this short video

Here's how to do a cable chest press:

• Position a back-supported bench in front of a cable pulley machine set at shoulder level.
• Sit down, grab the handles with an overhand grip, and position your elbows at shoulder level and at a 45-degree angle to your upper body.
• Extend your arms forward and together to meet your chest.
• Return to beginning position, and repeat.

2. Cable Chest Press (Standing)

Standing cable chest press works the pectoralis major as well as the anterior deltoids and triceps.

Watch this video before you do this chest exercise

Here's how to do a cable chest press while standing:

• With a shoulder-width stance, face away from the machine and set the pulleys to shoulder height.
• Get a good grip by grabbing the handles and keeping your arms straight.
• Start in a position where your elbows are bent at a 45-degree angle and are just above shoulder height.
• Bring the handles together and press both arms forward as far as you can. Then bring the arms back to start and repeat.

3. Flat Cable Flys

Flat cable flys work your pectorals, anterior deltoids, and triceps. You can use twin cable towers to do the exercise.

Take a look at this video

How to do Flat Cable Flys

• Set two pulleys on a cable crossover machine to the lowest position, and place a flat bench in the middle of the machine. Lie on the bench holding the handles.
• From a shoulder-wide position, use your shoulders to pull the cable up to meet above your mid-chest area.
• Lower it, and repeat.

4. Cable Incline Press

Doing incline cable bench presses will build muscle and strength in your chest. An incline bench press is performed by lying on an incline bench and pushing a barbell from chest height above your head.

Watch this video before performing this chest exercise

Here's how to do the incline cable chest press:

• Place the pulleys of a cable crossover machine at the lowest setting. Set an adjustable bench to a 30-degree angle, and lie on the bench.
• Extend your elbows to shoulder level, then press the handles straight above your chest until your arms are straight but not locked at the elbows.
• Repeat.

5. Decline Cable Press

To stimulate your middle chest muscles, try decline cable presses. You can use a cable machine to do the decline dumbbell presses, rather than a barbell. This type of chest exercise will also work on your shoulders and triceps.

Here's a quick demo on how to do the decline cable press:

Here's how you do it:

• To do this exercise, adjust the pulley at its highest point, stand in front of the machine with an overhand grip, and face away from it.
• To do a shoulder stretch, start with your elbows at shoulder level, and your hands facing the floor. Then, push down to fully extend your arms, bringing them together at about mid-thigh level.
• Back to starting position & repeat.

6. Cable Cross-Over

Cable crossovers work your chest's middle sections and the muscles in your back and shoulders. They activate the most muscle fiber in your chest, which is more than when you do bench presses or any other chest exercises.

Take a look at his video to see how a cable cross-over can be done:

How to do a cable cross-over:

• With the pulley machine, set the pulleys at shoulder height and stand in the middle with the handles.
• When you extend your arms and pull on the handles, the cable should do the same and pull you out.
• Stretch your arms out to the side and move them in circles, pivoting from the shoulders.
• Return to the starting position with your arms slightly bent in front of you, palms up and out to the side.

Many people choose to go with standard chest exercises, but you may miss out on some of the benefits that they can offer. These chest exercises, combined with other workouts, can be a great way to get in an effective amount of cardiovascular exercise and build those pecs.