Exercise movement reviewed by:Jesse Gallager

How Iridium Programs This

Iridium uses sub-muscle-group fatigue data to program this movement when your upper chest needs targeted volume but your anterior delts are too fatigued for more heavy pressing. Since this is a hypertrophy-focused accessory, the algorithm adapts rep ranges based on your chosen training methodology rather than solely chasing weight progression. Iridium counts this specific workload toward your weekly Maximum Recoverable Volume to ensure your chest training stays within productive limits.

Form Cues

Set the bench to a 30-45 degree incline and position pulleys at the bottom.
Keep a slight, fixed bend in your elbows throughout the entire movement.
Retract your shoulder blades and keep them pinned against the bench.
Bring the handles together in a wide arc, aiming for the space above your upper chest.
Squeeze your pecs hard for a full second at the top of the movement.

Don't

Don't turn the movement into a press by bending and extending your elbows.
Don't let your shoulders roll forward at the top of the contraction.
Don't allow the weights to slam down; keep tension on the cable.
Don't straighten your arms completely, as this places stress on the elbow joint.
Don't lift your head or lower back off the bench to cheat the weight up.

Common Mistakes

Turning the fly into a press
Using excessive momentum
Setting the bench angle too steep
Rushing the eccentric (lowering) phase
Touching handles together without squeezing

Muscles Worked

This exercise primarily isolates the clavicular head of the pectoralis major (upper chest), helping to fill in the upper shelf of the chest. Unlike dumbbells, the cables provide continuous lateral resistance, which recruits the inner chest fibers more effectively at the top of the movement while engaging the anterior deltoids and biceps for stabilization.