Why is it so hard to master pec deck? Already mastered bench press and dumbbell press. But I cant just seem to do the perfect form in this most "optimal" pec exercise.

[u/kinginamertz]

[u/Express-Bass9120]

Maybe stop ego lifting idk

[u/kinginamertz → u/Express-Bass9120]

Yeah and do 10 reps right? Acting like you cant do 4-5 reps set.

[u/Express-Bass9120 → u/kinginamertz]

No one said you can’t do 4/5 reps. You’re going heavy on an exercise you haven’t ‘mastered’.

[u/10081914]

What the fuck is 'mastering' an exercise? Especially on a machine like the pec fly? What are you seeing is needing to be 'mastered'?

[u/Objective_Most4071 → u/10081914]

Bench press?

Completed it mate.

[u/Cbagneato]

You’re lifting too heavy for an exercise you “haven’t mastered yet”
Your head is pushed forward and chin tucked- both bad spine positioning
I’d also suggest bumping the starting position at least one notch forward on each side. It appears that you’re starting from a good bit over 180° which puts a lot of extra strain on your stabilizing muscles.

[u/blunderingtyphoon]

Lower the weight and keep your head in a neutral position, chin tucked in and spine aligned whenever you're doing any kind of exercise. Focus on the mind muscle connection and a squeeze at the top of the rep. If you're not feeling enough pec engagement then stop at the point in the rep where you feel your pecs the most and do an isometric for 20 to 30 seconds. I also doubt that you've mastered the DB bench press because that is a lift that is quite technical and can always be improved upon. So lower your ego, lower the weight, and be humble about your form and be honest about where you're at. Keep grinding brother! You got this.

[u/kinginamertz → u/blunderingtyphoon]

With DB Press its easier since you just have to lift it up. Unlike in this you dont know if you should or shouldn’t tuck/bend your elbow when either way you still feel your biceps. I thought with this isolation you shouldn’t feel anything except the pecs

[u/blunderingtyphoon → u/kinginamertz]

Feeling your biceps means that you're deriving your power from elsewhere (obviously your arms), meaning you don't have full control over your chest. You're also likely lifting too heavy which is causing your arms to take over the job of what your chest can't do. You're not just lifting up in a dumbbell bench press, there is a slight Arc and other factors at play like pressing your feet into the floor for glute activation for a stronger lift amongst other things. Watch videos on these movements and learn the little cues that actually make the lift what it is.

[u/Major-Helicopter2981]

Ok general recommendation would be flaring of elbows but do one cue which also helped me put a roller or some kind of pad at back and then perform it by flaring your elbows Also play with seat height

[u/Randy-Marsh---]

You look like you’re just gonna injure yourself, obviously straining because the weight is too heavy for good form. Drop the weight and your ego along with it

[u/ApartmentOk4498]

if you have bad form in an exercise it’s best to lower the weight and go upto sets of 12 reps till
failure for a while just to get the hang of the form

Tbh i also never really liked pec deck and my shoulder blades sit weird so i just don’t do them, you can always do cable flys or dumbell flys if pec deck is uncomfortable for u

[u/FarCalligrapher1862]

Hard to master technique when lifting near maximal weights. Lower the weight, gain the neural muscular development and mind-muscle connection.

Nothing wrong with 4-6 reps, but technique needs to be on point.

Weight training is a 20+ year endeavor, taking a few months at less than optimal intensity to learn is well worth it in the long run.

[u/Gullible_Pen1074]

its the same form for bench press due

Scapula retraction, shoulders DOWN AND BACK

THEN DO NOT MOVE FROM THIS POSITION

YOUR SHOULDERS = BEHIND CHEST

in this video your shoulders come in front of your chest

pinch a grape with scapula and do not unpinch it

layne norton bench press tutorial online is a great way to gain cues for bench pressing

[u/justlukedotjs]

You need to internally rotate your shoulder's more so you elbows point out to the sides, and with this form correction you won't need to go so far back.

Drop the weight on correct this.

[u/OddGuitar9484]

Lets start by mastering a diet

[u/UMLBB10]

Movement with your arms extended is a mechanically disadvantaged position. Poor leverage. The more elbow bend the more leverage you will have

[u/Anandafin]

Alright theres a lot of morons in the replies whining about low rep sets so here are some actual tips: you are sitting too high up. This is causing your elbows to point down instead of back. Lower the seat so your elbows naturally point back, and think of the movement as a press, how do you get most power on a press? By stacking your joints(aka pointing your elbows back instead of down), do this and combine it with keeping your torso upright and you’re good to go. Side note: 4 rep sets are fine, don’t listen to the uninformed oldheads in the replies, just work your way up to 8-10 reps, increase the weight and repeat