- EquipmentMachine
- PatternIsolation
- Reps10 to 20 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Adjust the seat so the handles or pads are at chest height. Sit with your back against the pad and hold the handles with a slight bend in your elbows.
First cueKeep your back against the pad.
How to do the Pec Deck
Set up. Adjust the seat so the handles or pads are at chest height. Sit with your back against the pad and hold the handles with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Bring the handles together in front of your chest in a wide arc.
- Squeeze the chest for a moment.
- Let the handles open back out under control until you feel a stretch.
Form cues
- Keep your back against the pad.
- Keep the elbows slightly bent.
- Keep the shoulders down and back.
Common mistakes
- Letting the arms travel so far back that the shoulders strain.
- Using momentum to slam the handles together.
Muscles worked
Main target: Chest. The chest muscles fan out across the front of the ribcage, from the breastbone and collarbone to the upper arm. They bring the arm forward and across the body, which is the work of every press, push-up and fly.
On the way: Front delts.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Pec Deck, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Seated Cable Row Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Cable Upright Row Same push session: it trains the side delts.
- Close-Grip Bench Press Same push session: it trains the triceps.
- Cable Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Pec Deck first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Pec Deck 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Seated Cable Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Cable Upright Row 3 × 10 to 15 reps
- Close-Grip Bench Press 3 × 5 to 12 reps
- Cable Shrug 3 × 10 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Dumbbell Fly
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Low Cable Fly
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Dumbbell Fly.
Other variations of the Dumbbell Fly: Cable Crossover and Low Cable Fly.
Do before it: Doorway Chest Stretch (shoulder range) and Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Pec Deck is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Pec Deck?
Set up: Adjust the seat so the handles or pads are at chest height. Sit with your back against the pad and hold the handles with a slight bend in your elbows. Steps: 1. Bring the handles together in front of your chest in a wide arc. 2. Squeeze the chest for a moment. 3. Let the handles open back out under control until you feel a stretch. Form cues: Keep your back against the pad. Keep the elbows slightly bent. Keep the shoulders down and back. Common mistakes: Letting the arms travel so far back that the shoulders strain. Using momentum to slam the handles together.
What muscles does the Pec Deck work?
It trains the chest as its main target and works the front delts on the way.
What can I do instead of the Pec Deck?
At home: Dumbbell Fly. In a gym: Low Cable Fly. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Pec Deck with?
Good partners in the same workout are Seated Cable Row, Cable Upright Row, Close-Grip Bench Press and Cable Shrug.
How heavy should the Pec Deck be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.