Pec Deck Fly / Machine Fly Overview
The pec deck fly is a machine-based isolation exercise that primarily targets the chest muscles. It is performed on a special machine that provides a controlled and stable movement that reduces the risk of injury compared to other chest exercises that require free weights. The machine acts as a stabilizer here, emphasizing the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles in the chest. This isolation exercise, which combines pushing and compression movements, helps develop and strengthen the chest muscles.
How To do:
Here are the steps to perform the Pec deck fly:
- Seating Position: Sit upright on the pec deck machine, ensuring your back is straight and your feet are flat on the floor. Adjust the seat height of the machine so that the handles are at chest height when you are seated.
- Grip the Handles: Grasp the handles with a neutral grip, ensuring your palms face each other. Your arms should be straight and parallel to the floor.
- Starting Position: Bring the handles together in front of your chest.
- Fly Out: Slowly move the handles outward, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Contraction: Bring the handles back together, squeezing your chest muscles at the peak contraction.
- Repetition: Repeat this motion for the desired number of repetitions.
Coach Tips:
- Controlled Movement: Focus on a slow, controlled motion.
- Maintain Proper Form: Keep your back straight and avoid arching it.
- Elbow Position: Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement.
- Progressive Overload: Gradually increase the weight or resistance to continue challenging your muscles.
Benefits of Pec Deck Fly
Here are some potential benefits of incorporating the Pec Deck Fly into your chest workout routine:
1- Increases Chest Strength:
- The pec deck fly is a effective exercise for building pectoral muscles and strengthening the upper body. This exercise is an isolation movement, meaning it isolates and works the chest muscles specifically, without involving other muscles to a significant extent. This can be beneficial for people who want to target their chest muscles directly.
2- Improves Chest Definition:
- The Pec Deck Fly can help to improve the definition and separation of the chest muscles. You can use this exercise to develop the often neglected inner chest muscles. This is because when your hands are close together, your pectoralis major muscles are placed in a position where they can contract more effectively, leading to greater activation of the inner chest muscles.
3- Ideal for beginners:
- Compared to free-weight chest flys, the pec deck provides a fixed range of motion, which can be safer for the shoulders and reduce the risk of strain or injury, especially for beginners or those with joint issues.
4. Balanced Chest Development
- The symmetrical nature of the exercise helps prevent imbalances between the left and right sides of the chest, contributing to better overall aesthetics and strength.
Overall, the Pec deck fly can be a valuable exercise to incorporate into your workout routine, especially if you are looking to build your chest muscles or want to add variety to your chest workouts.
As with any exercise, it is important to use proper form and technique when performing the Pec Deck Fly. Start with a weight that is challenging but manageable, and gradually increase the weight as you become stronger and more comfortable with the exercise.
Pec Deck Fly – Muscles Worked
The Pec Deck Fly primarily targets the pectoralis major, specifically the sternal head. However, it also works other muscles in the chest, as well as the shoulders and arms. Here is a breakdown of the muscles worked during the Pec Deck Fly:
Incorporating the Pec Deck Fly into a Full Chest Workout
Here is a sample chest workout that incorporates the Pec Deck Fly:
- Warm-up: Before beginning your chest workout, it’s important to warm up the muscles to prevent injury. You can perform a few minutes of light cardio, such as walking on a treadmill or using an elliptical machine, to get your heart rate up and increase blood flow to the muscles.
- Bench Press: The bench press is a classic chest exercise that can help to build strength and size in the chest muscles. Start with a few sets of bench press to warm up the chest muscles and prepare them for the more isolated work of the Pec Deck Fly. Use a weight that allows you to perform 8-12 reps with good form.
- Pec Deck Fly: Now it’s time to incorporate the Pec Deck Fly into your workout. Perform 3-4 sets of Pec Deck Fly, using a weight that allows you to perform 12-15 reps with good form.
- Incline Bench Press: The incline bench press is a variation of the bench press that targets the upper chest muscles. It can help to create a more defined and aesthetically pleasing chest. Perform 3-4 sets of incline bench press, using a weight that allows you to perform 8-12 reps with good form.
- High cable crossover: The Cable crossover is another effective exercise for targeting the chest muscles. It can help to create a more defined and aesthetically pleasing chest. Perform 3-4 sets of Cable crossover, using a weight that allows you to perform 8-12 reps with good form.
Remember to rest for 1-2 minutes between sets to allow your muscles to recover. As you progress, you can increase the weight and/or the number of reps to continue challenging your muscles and promoting muscle growth.
