Muscles Used • Exercise Type • Form Instruction • Tips and Techniques • Recommended Reps • Common Variations • Substitutions • Equipment Needed
 |  |
| Bottom | Top |
Primary Mover(s) | Muscles Used: | Secondary Mover(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Pecs |  | Delts (F) |
| Other Mover(s) | ||
| None |
See all the exercises at the:
Weight Training Exercises Database
– Pec Deck Flyes –
AKA: Pec Deck Flies, Pec Deck Butterfly
Exercise Type:
Isolated Exercise, Push Movement
Form Instruction:
Sit on bench with back against pad. Place forearms against lever pads and grab handle. Push pads together and release, going back to get a full stretch.
Tips and Techniques:
The upper arms should be parallel to the floor. The arms should bend at a 90 degree angle and the forearms should stay glued to the pads throughout the exercise. Adjust the bench to make this happen. Focus on making the pecs do the work, squeezing them together. Puff out the chest slightly and concentrate on pushing the elbows together.
Can also be done (depending on the machine) without the pads (sometimes called a Seated Lever Fly). In this version arms are extended and slightly bent at the elbows while performing the same movement (pulling the levers together in front of the chest).
Peck Deck Flyes are a very popular exercise for beginners but often avoided by more experienced trainers. They are easy to do and fairly self-explanatory which brings the beginners. But they tend to feel more effective for chest building than they probably are which drives the experienced trainers away.
They are sort of an exercise that one group believes to be awesome for pec development and another group believes to be a worthless and evil exercise. Very little middle ground, you either love it or hate it.
One notable benefit the pec deck provides over the free weight Dumbbell Flyes is that the resistance stays consistent throughout the motion. With the Dumbbell Flyes gravity lessens the resistance at the top of the exercise.
Pec deck flyes do present potential injury problems. The exercise can put a lot of pressure on the shoulders (rotator cuff) and many blame their shoulder problems on the exercise. You are best avoiding it if you have had past problems in this area.
Recommended Reps For Muscle Building:
6-12 the majority of the time, trying higher or lower reps on occasion.
Common Variations:
- Decline Pec Deck Fly – Same motion sitting at a decline.
- Seated Lever Fly – (see above)
- Reverse Pec Deck Fly – Seated backwards (chest to chair backing) on the pec deck machine, and then pulling levers back (works the rear delts).
- More Machine-Based Flyes – Cable machines also provide ways to perform the seated fly motion.
Substitutions:
Outside of the cable versions, you’ll have to get on your back for a close substitution. Dumbbell Flyes are the free weight substitution. And there are always your big compound chest building exercises like the Bench Press and Bar Dips.
Bodybuilding Equipment:
Pec Deck Machine
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Free Weights Vs. Machines – Which Builds Muscle Better?
Find out the pros and cons of both these muscle building methods and discover which one should get the bulk of your focus.
