Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Cable Upper Chest Crossovers: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

Cable upper chest crossovers target the pectoral muscles using a cable machine, emphasizing the upper chest. The movement involves crossing the cables in front of the body, which also engages the deltoids and triceps.

Primary muscles
Chest
Secondary muscles
Triceps , Shoulders
Equipment
Cable
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the cable upper chest crossovers
Front view: muscles worked by the cable upper chest crossovers. Primary: chest. Secondary: triceps and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the cable upper chest crossovers. Primary: chest. Secondary: triceps and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the cable upper chest crossovers

  1. Step 1: Attach the handles to the cables at chest height.
  2. Step 2: Stand in the center of the cable machine with one foot slightly in front of the other.
  3. Step 3: Grasp the handles with your palms facing down and your arms extended out to the sides.
  4. Step 4: Keep a slight bend in your elbows and engage your core.
  5. Step 5: Pull the cables together in front of your chest, crossing them over each other.
  6. Step 6: Squeeze your chest muscles at the peak of the movement.
  7. Step 7: Slowly release the cables back to the starting position.
  8. Step 8: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the cable upper chest crossovers by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Cable Upper Chest Crossovers alternatives

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.