# Single-Arm Cable Fly: how to do it

- Main muscles: chest
- Equipment: cable
- Level: beginner
- 3D demo (side view): https://media.trainaq.com/exercises/single_arm_cable_fly/8a2150c728/side-m-720.mp4

## Steps

1. Set one pulley at shoulder height and stand side-on to it.
2. Step away until the weight lifts, arm out to the side.
3. Sweep the handle across your chest until it passes the middle.
4. Pause, then let the arm open slowly to the side.

## Cues

- Hips and shoulders stay square
- Soft, fixed elbow
- Reach past your midline

## Common mistakes

- Twisting your body to pull: brace and keep your chest facing forward.
- Bending the elbow: keep the same slight bend throughout.
- Letting the weight yank back: return slowly over two seconds.

## Starting position

One pulley set at shoulder height or slightly above (up to about 10 cm higher), one D-handle. Feet about hip- to shoulder-width apart, knees soft, or a short split stance. Trunk upright and square to the front (chest facing at 90° to the cable line), abdominals braced. Grip with the palm facing forward, turning to face inward as the arm crosses. Wrist straight.

## The movement

A wide horizontal arc of one arm, moving only at the shoulder. The elbow angle stays fixed. The trunk does not rotate towards or away from the stack, does not lean away and the hips stay square; the free arm stays still. On the return the arm opens along the same arc under control.

## End position

(turnaround point): The hand has swept round in front of the body and crossed the midline, finishing in front of the opposite side of the chest, about 10–20 cm past centre, still at about shoulder-to-chest height. Elbow at the same slight bend. Brief squeeze of about 1 s.

## Tempo

1.5 s across, 1 s hold, 2 s back.

## Form in numbers

| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Pulley height | shoulder height | shoulder to 10 cm above |  |
| Trunk orientation | square, 90° to the cable | ±5° rotation |  |
| Trunk lean | upright | 0–5° |  |
| Elbow flexion (fixed) | 15° | 10–20° |  |
| Arm height through the arc | shoulder height | horizontal ±10° |  |
| Hand behind body line at start | 0–5° | up to 10° |  |
| Hand past midline at end | 15 cm | 10–20 cm |  |
| Across / hold / back | 1.5 s / 1 s / 2 s | 1–2 s / 0.5–1 s / 1.5–3 s |  |

## Sources

1. [[BarBend: How to Do the Single-Arm Chest Flye](](https://barbend.com/single-arm-chest-flye/)
2. [[ACE: Standing Chest Fly](](https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/exercise-library/160/standing-chest-fly/)
3. [[ACE: Standing Decline Cable Flyes](](https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/exercise-library/161/standing-decline-cable-flyes/)

Source: https://trainaq.com/exercises/single-arm-cable-fly