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Pec deck: useless?


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Posted by: kanun

As part of my chest routine I always use the pec deck- it's a vey popular piece of machinery at my gym, and so I assumed that it was a very effective one.
However, someone recently told me (at the gym) that I'd be better of doing different chest exercises, namely incline and decline bench presses; he told me (jokingly) that the pec deck was for developing 'breasts' rather than a defined, masculine chest.
Do you guys agree?
I've been looking around some bodybuilding sites and the peck deck does not seem all that popular...

Thanks!


Posted by: EarWax

My chest routine consists of:
Flat, incline, and decline bench... then pec deck. I like it because of the strech I get.


Posted by: Mudge

Pec dec is a finisher, 1-2 sets, not a whole freaking routine.

If people are using it more than that then I would say it is being OVERUSED, and I'm not supprised, I saw the same thing in my gym.


Posted by: Prince

I like the pec dec, but I do not use it every chest work-out. I also do heavy sets on it, so I do not consider to be just a "finishing exercise".


Posted by: Fit Freak

As with anything if you treat like any onther exercise and go hard and heavy (i.e. like the effort you would exert on bench press) it will be useful....likewise if you treat it as a finisher...that's exactly what it'll be!

I do agree, however, that it is likely more effective towards the end of your chest training since minimal stabilization muscles are involved. It is also effective to pre-exhaust the chest before doing presses if that is how you like to train.

Also effective for drop sets since it talks very little time to change the resistance.


Posted by: Scotty the Body

Quote:
Originally posted by kanun
someone recently told me (at the gym) that I'd be better of doing different chest exercises, namely incline and decline bench presses; he told me (jokingly) that the pec deck was for developing 'breasts' rather than a defined, masculine chest.
Do you guys agree?

Thanks!
He was right about doing bench work (flat, incline, decline) but way off on what he said about the pec dec.

Like the others, I wouldn't do it every workout, it could be used at the start to pre fatigue the pecs or at the end as a finisher.
Its a good peice of equipment but shouldn't be your whole chest routine.


Posted by: Prince

Quote:
Originally posted by Fit Freak
... it is likely more effective towards the end of your chest training since minimal stabilization muscles are involved.
not necessarily...sometimes you have to think outside the box and do things backwards to what your common sense might tell you.

the last time I used the pec dec I used it first and went fairly heavy, then I went over and did a few sets of decline presses on the smith machine.

I do not do that chest work-out every week, but I think it was effective.


Posted by: Vale Tudo

I use the pec-dec everey once in a while, bu mostly in "shock" types of workouts. Either with a drop set or super setting it with something else. I gives that that good "Pump" when i squeeze it at the end of my workouts, which is a very nice feling. I would throw it in sometimes, but not every workout


Posted by: Lightman009

I believe it depends on the peck deck you are using, if it's the one with the pads on the arms I would say its mostly for women and doesnt help at all. If it's the one where you can grab the handles and get a full range of motion then its definitly worth doing. I believe it should be used at the end of a workout and should not be depended on for the bulk of your chest routine, it isn't much for developing mass. The reverse peck-deck is also great for ending a shoulder workout, if your gym has the particular peck decks where you can change the position of the handles.


Posted by: I Are Baboon

I sometimes use the pec deck machine at the end of my routine to finish off my chest when it's is too damn tired to do anything else.


Posted by: Prince

Quote:
Originally posted by Lightman009
I believe it depends on the peck deck you are using, if it's the one with the pads on the arms I would say its mostly for women and doesnt help at all.
that is the one I am talking about, and it works great, even for men!


Posted by: Scotty the Body

Quote:
Originally posted by Lightman009
I believe it depends on the peck deck you are using, if it's the one with the pads on the arms I would say its mostly for women and doesnt help at all.
LMAO, thats the funniest thing I've heard in a long time.
Sorry but I'd have to strongly disagree with you.


Posted by: Lightman009

I just dont get much of a workout at all when I use the one thats really close and you have to put ur arms on those pads, I much rather prefer the one with the grips that allow me to get a full fly motion, and I only see women using the ones with the pads simply because a trainer told them it was more for toning up. But if you guys like them then keep using them.


Posted by: Prince

yeah, and I think I am the only male at my rec center that uses the leg adductor machine, but it works my inner thighs great! The last time I used it they were sore for 3 days!


Posted by: EarWax

Our pec dec machine looks like an alien torture device. It's got handles at odd positions, bicycle chains, and some sort of levers which I guess engages some sort of engine, but it must be out of gas cause I can't get it to start.


Posted by: Mudge

Quote:
Originally posted by Prince
yeah, and I think I am the only male at my rec center that uses the leg adductor machine, but it works my inner thighs great! The last time I used it they were sore for 3 days!
I used to finish my legs with them, the other one works the ass muscles great too.


Posted by: Preacher

Pec deck can be FUN when done properly .. but as with sex, it takes two to do it right ..

I mostly do 6-8 reps with the heaviest weight I can handle, then have
one of my training buddies "close" the deck for me
(when I'm failing to close it fully myself, otherwise, add weight..)
and then do some (2-3) negatives on it .. can give you some serious stretch
when done with heavy weights ..


Posted by: LAM

the only exercises that are truely useless are the ones performed improperly...



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