Cable Crossover
Hug something huge. The cable crossover brings both hands down and together past the midline, a range a barbell or dumbbell simply cannot reach. Keep the elbow angle fixed so the chest does the work. Bending the elbows through the rep turns it into a pressdown, and it belongs at the end of a chest session rather than the start.
Setup
- Set both pulleys high, one handle in each hand, one foot forward.
- Slight forward lean, elbows softly bent.
How To Do It
- Bring both hands down and together in front of the hips.
- Squeeze the chest at the meeting point for a beat.
- Let the hands travel back out until you feel the stretch.
Breathing
Exhale as the hands come together.
Common Mistakes
- Bending the elbows through the rep, which makes it a pressdown.
- Using so much weight the torso rocks to move the handles.
Programming It
Three sets of 12-20.
Why This Exercise Works
Two cables let the hands travel past the midline, which is where the chest actually finishes its job and where a barbell or dumbbell fly has to stop. That last few inches of adduction is the whole reason the movement exists.
Where You Should Feel It
A squeeze across the middle of the chest as the hands cross, and a stretch across the front at the start. Shoulder pain at the stretched position means you have gone too far back for your range.
Where It Fits in a Program
Full adduction past the midline, which a barbell or dumbbell cannot reach. This is main-lift work. Put it first, when your technique is still honest.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the cable crossover: add a plate while the hands still cross the midline. To regress it: reduce the load and keep the elbow angle fixed.
Who It's For
Anyone finishing a chest session. It is a shaping and squeezing exercise rather than a strength one, so it belongs after pressing rather than instead of it.
Equipment and Substitutions
The version shown uses a cable crossover. Substitute a band at the same anchor height, or take a free-weight version from the list below and accept losing the tension at the end range.
Related Exercises
- Incline Cable Fly · Chest, Shoulders
- Dumbbell Fly · Chest
- Decline Bench Press · Chest, Triceps
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Bench Press · Chest, Core, Shoulders
- Barbell Bench Press · Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
- Pec Deck · Chest
- Svend Press · Chest
- Deficit Push-Up · Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Common Questions
What muscles does the cable crossover work?
The cable crossover primarily trains the chest.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three sets of 12-20.
What are the most common cable crossover mistakes?
Most often: bending the elbows through the rep, which makes it a pressdown; using so much weight the torso rocks to move the handles.
Do I need a cable crossover to do this?
This version uses a cable crossover, and it trains the chest. A band gets you most of the way here. The resistance curve differs, but the line of pull, which is the point, is the same.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The cable crossover loads the knee, hip and lower back together, which means a problem in any one of them can surface here. If a rep reproduces the pain you already have, stop the set and get it looked at. Not medical advice.