Pec Deck: What it is, Technique, Tips and more!!
The pec deck is a fundamental and important isolation exercise to work the chest muscles giving an excellent stimulation without so much fatigue, if you want to have potential gains in your chest, you should do this exercise.
Technique
First, you should adjust the seat so that your elbows are in line with your shoulders when you grip the handles or rest your forearms on the pads.
Second, when gripping the handles or placing your forearms on the pad, make sure your elbows are slightly bent and your arms are at a 90-degree angle.
Third, maintain scapular retraction during the time you perform the exercise, exhale when you bring your arms together and inhale when you are in the starting position.
Common mistakes
Doing little range of motion when pec decking is a common mistake many make, this limits your hypertrophy and strength gains.
Balancing your body is a mistake many people make because you have to have a stiff torso to emphasize your gains in your chest.
Not maintaining scapular retraction reduces your gains and puts you at risk of injury because you take work that should go to the chest and put it on the shoulder.
Elbows that are too low will reduce your chest gains and cause more stress on your shoulders.
Tips
Make sure that the seat and grips are adjusted to a height that is comfortable for you and does not put stress on your joints.
Remember that your elbows should be slightly bent and not fully locked so that you maximize your gains and the tension going to your chest.
When you have brought your arms together, keep in mind that you must contract your chest strongly so that you feel the muscle tension.
Do not forget that when you have your arms apart you have to inhale and when you have your arms together you have to exhale, this will help you to perform the exercise correctly and will help you to handle more weight.
Variations
Cable Fly
If you want to focus on your upper chest
First, you need to set the pulleys low on the cable machine and add a handle to each pulley.
Second, stand in the center and step forward and lean your torso forward slightly while keeping your back straight and maintain the position by holding the handles with each hand with your arms extended.
Third, with your elbows slightly bent, raise your arms up and towards the center towards your chest, exhale while bringing your hands together.
Fourth, in a controlled manner return your arms to the starting position until you feel your chest stretch as you inhale.
If you want to focus on your lower chest
First you have to keep in mind that you must put the pulleys in a high position on the machine.
Second, stand in the center and step forward and lean your torso forward slightly while keeping your back straight and maintain the position by holding the handles with each hand with your arms extended.
Third, with your elbows slightly bent, pull the handles down to meet your abdomen or lower chest,inhale in the starting position and exhale when your hands are together.
If you want to focus on your middle chest
First you have to keep in mind that you must put the pulleys at the height of your shoulders.
Second, stand in the center and step forward and lean your torso forward slightly while keeping your back straight and maintain the position by holding the handles with each hand with your arms extended.
Third, with your elbows slightly bent, pull the handles forward in an arc motion so that they meet your chest, inhale in the starting position and exhale when your hands are together.
Complementary exercises for your routine
Bench Press Machine
The bench press machine is an excellent exercise if you want to have results in your chest, this exercise can be implemented in your routine along with the pec deck so you can correctly stimulate your chest, this exercise is very important if you want your chest to grow as it has a very wide range of motion and in turn the direction of this range is very good for hypertrophy as it starts with the open handles down and ends with the closed handles up.
If you want to see the technique, tips, benefits and more, click here.
Dumbbell Bench Press
The dumbbell bench press is a fundamental exercise for the hypertrophy of your chest because unlike the conventional bench press this has a greater range of motion, which means that your chest will have more tension at the time of performing this exercise, if you want an exercise for your chest routine this exercise is the one you should perform.
If you want to see the technique, tips, benefits and more, click here.
How many calories do you burn with Pec Deck?
The number of calories you burn doing shoulder press depends on your body weight, the intensity of the exercise, the duration, and your basal metabolism. Here is an estimate:
For a 70kg (154lbs) person:
-Moderate workout for 30 minutes: 105 calories
-Intensive workout for 30 minutes: 150 calories
Note: These are estimates. Use a heart rate monitor or a fitness app for a more precise calculation.
