Chest · Chest press
Cable Bench Press
The Cable Bench Press mainly trains your chest. Also working: front delts and triceps.
Both cables
Flat bench
Stable
How to do it
- Set the bench flat and centered between the towers, shoulders in line with the pulleys
- Pull your shoulder blades back and down into the bench
- Press up and bring your hands slightly together at the top
- Lower slowly until your elbows are just below bench height
Coach’s tip
On a cable machine, the bench is your best friend: it absorbs the force that would pull you out of position if you were standing. That’s what lets you go really heavy on chest.
Setup
Pulley
Both pulleys at the bottom
Grip
Single handles
Load
Both cables
Needs two cable towers
You need
Flat bench
Stability
A bench, the floor or the frame takes the counterforce, or the cable pulls straight up or down. Good for heavy sets.
Alternatives
Other exercises for the same movement (chest press). In DCFT you can swap with one tap, and the app only offers what your equipment allows.
Questions about this exercise
What muscles does the Cable Bench Press work?
Mainly the chest. The front delts and triceps help.
How do I set up the cable machine for the Cable Bench Press?
Pulley: Both pulleys at the bottom. Grip: Single handles. You also need: Flat bench.
Can I do the Cable Bench Press on a single cable tower?
Not like this. The Cable Bench Press needs both cables at once, so two towers. If you set up DCFT for one tower, the app leaves it out of your plan and uses exercises such as Dumbbell Bench Press and Single-Arm Cable Bench Press instead.
What can I do instead of the Cable Bench Press?
For the same movement: Dumbbell Bench Press, Cable Floor Press and Single-Arm Cable Bench Press. In DCFT you swap with one tap.
DCFT
The Cable Bench Press in DCFT
In the app this exercise comes with your weight: the plate to pin, what you lifted last time and a rest timer that starts by itself.
Free on the App Store for iPhone. Pro is a one-time purchase with no subscription.