For chest growth
For chest growth, barbell bench press and single-arm cable chest press score the same.
Barbell bench press is easier to progress; single-arm cable chest press is easier on the joints.
Both are good choices that train the chest the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Barbell Bench Press. Easiest press to load progressively, but the bar stops at your chest and limits the stretch.
Single-Arm Cable Chest Press. One arm at a time under constant cable tension: kind to the shoulders, slower to load heavy.
For chest growth, barbell bench press and single-arm cable chest press score the same. Barbell bench press is easier to progress; single-arm cable chest press is easier on the joints. Both are good choices that train the chest the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
Single-arm cable chest press is easier: it’s easy to learn, while barbell bench press takes some practice.
Barbell bench press needs a barbell, a bench and a squat rack, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Single-arm cable chest press needs a cable station, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.
Single-arm cable chest press: it rates Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Strong for barbell bench press.