Single Arm Bent Over Cable Fly

Also known as: bent over cable fly, one arm bent over cable fly, bent over cable pec fly, Bent over Single Arm Cable Fly

In SetGrip: Cable Fly (Bent over, Single Arm)

Secondary muscles
Delts, Traps
Body part
Chest
Position
Bent over
Laterality
Unilateral (one arm at a time)
Category
Strength

Track this exercise in SetGrip — no account needed

Download SetGrip on the App Store

Hinging forward and pulling one handle across your body turns the usual standing cable fly into a stricter chest movement: the bent-over stance takes momentum out of the rep, and the free hand braced on your thigh keeps the torso from rotating. Work light, one arm at a time, chasing a full squeeze across the chest rather than load.

How to do the Single Arm Bent Over Cable Fly

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, facing a cable machine.
  2. Grasp the handle with one hand and step back to create tension on the cable.
  3. Bend forward at the waist, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  4. Extend your arm out to the side, parallel to the ground, with a slight bend in your elbow.
  5. Slowly bring your arm back to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the movement.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

Tip: Imagine hugging a barrel rather than pushing a weight.

Muscles worked

Primary

Pectorals · Chest

On chest flies and cable crossovers the pecs pull the arms together in an arc and should feel a deep stretch at the bottom and a hard squeeze at the top.

Secondary

  • Delts — Rear delt flies work the back of the shoulder as the arms swing wide, and the front delt assists on any chest fly.
  • Traps

Common mistakes

  • Elbows bending as you tire — this turns a fly into a press; set the elbow angle at the start and keep it constant for the whole set.
  • Going too heavy — flies are a stretch and squeeze movement, not a strength lift; you should be able to pause at the bottom without the shoulders rolling forward.
  • Stopping short of the stretch — let the arms open until you feel the chest or rear delts lengthen, then bring them back under control.
  • Not squeezing at the finish — the last few inches are where the muscle shortens most, so hold the contraction for a count before opening again.

Where it fits in a workout

Flies are an isolation movement for after the pressing or rowing is done. Pair a chest fly with a rear delt fly for a balanced superset.

How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.

Variations and alternatives

Similar exercises

When to talk to someone

  • Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
  • Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
  • Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.

Track the Single Arm Bent Over Cable Fly in SetGrip

All 1,100+ exercises with animations are in the app. No account, no sign-up — your history stays on your iPhone and in your private iCloud. Works with Apple Watch.

Download SetGrip on the App Store

More exercises

Sources

  1. ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
  2. ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
  3. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
  4. CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)

Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.

Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.