The cable fly is a popular resistance exercise frequently used to target the chest muscles, the pectoralis major and minor. This movement involves bringing the arms in an arcing motion across the front of the body. Understanding whether an exercise is a “push” or a “pull” movement is fundamental for structuring balanced workout routines. The classification depends on applying the mechanical definition and relating it to the major muscle group being worked.
Defining Push and Pull Movements
In the context of resistance training, “push” and “pull” movements are defined by the direction of force application relative to the body and the primary joint actions involved. Push movements involve exerting force to move a weight or resistance away from the body. These movements typically rely on joint extension, such as elbow extension (triceps) and shoulder extension or flexion (chest and shoulders), to complete the concentric phase of the lift.
Conversely, pull movements involve generating force to move a weight or resistance toward the body. The primary joint actions in pulling movements are generally elbow flexion (biceps) and shoulder retraction or extension (back muscles). This distinction is fundamental to the push-pull training methodology. The chest, shoulders, and triceps are generally considered the main pushing muscle groups, while the back and biceps are the main pulling groups.
The Biomechanics of the Cable Fly
The cable fly is categorized as an isolation exercise, meaning it involves movement at only one joint: the shoulder. The specific joint action that defines the cable fly is horizontal shoulder adduction, which is the movement of the upper arm across the midline of the body in the horizontal plane. This motion is primarily powered by the Pectoralis Major muscle, the large muscle of the chest. The cables provide constant tension throughout the entire range of motion.
While this movement does not fit the classic definition of a “push” movement, which usually involves pushing the weight straight away from the torso, it is functionally grouped with pushing exercises. The primary muscle involved, the pectoralis major, is the same muscle targeted by major pressing movements like the bench press. Because the chest muscles are responsible for the action of bringing the arms together against resistance, the exercise is classified based on the agonist muscle’s role in the body’s overall movement pattern. Therefore, the cable fly is functionally a pushing exercise.
Integrating Flyes into a Workout Split
Due to its nature as a chest-targeting movement, the cable fly is universally programmed into a “Push Day” within a push/pull/legs split. This scheduling ensures that the pectorals are trained alongside the other major pushing muscles, the anterior deltoids and triceps. Grouping these exercises together allows for maximum work capacity on the muscles responsible for pushing actions, followed by an adequate rest period.
The cable fly is considered an isolation movement, and for practical programming purposes, it is generally placed later in a workout session. It is typically performed after more taxing compound movements, such as the bench press or overhead press, have already fatigued the primary muscle groups. This placement allows the lifter to focus on isolating the chest for maximum muscle fiber recruitment without the risk of form breakdown. A typical push day would sequence compound presses first, followed by the cable fly as an accessory movement to fully stimulate the pectoral muscles.