How many sets and reps of the reverse pec deck should a beginner do?

Two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps is a good starting point, since the guided path makes it safe to push close to failure. Add weight once you can complete every rep with the chest staying flat against the pad, rather than letting the torso rock to help.

What can you do instead of the reverse pec deck without that machine?

A band or cable rear delt fly trains the same posterior-delt arc without needing a pec-deck machine, and either travels well if you train outside a full gym.

What is the reverse pec deck good for, and when should you use something else?

The chest support and guided path make it one of the easiest ways to train the rear delts to true failure with clean form, which is why it is a common beginner staple. Because the seat and handle positions are fixed, it will not fit every body comfortably, and a lifter who is too short or tall for the machine's range will get a cleaner stretch and contraction from a band or cable version instead.

Beginner

Reverse Pec Deck

Sitting chest-against-the-pad on a pec deck run in reverse gives you a stable, chest-supported way to hammer the rear delts without any hinge or balance demand. The guided path makes it easy to feel the posterior head and train it to failure with clean form. It is one of the best and most beginner-friendly rear-delt builders.

Equipment: Machine
Body part: Shoulder
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Posterior
Browse by movement: Horizontal Pull

How to do it

1
Set the handles to the forward position and adjust the seat so the grips are at about shoulder height.
2
Sit facing the pad with your chest against it and grab the handles with palms facing each other or down.
3
Keep a slight bend in the elbows and brace your abs.
4
Sweep the handles back and out in a wide arc until your arms are roughly in line with your shoulders.
5
Squeeze the rear delts briefly, then return under control and repeat.

Tips

Think about driving through your elbows rather than pulling with your hands.
Do not jam the shoulder blades together hard; let the rear delts lead the arc.
Keep your chest against the pad the whole set instead of rocking back for momentum.

Variations

Common mistakes

The seat sits too far back from the pad, leaving a gap that lets the chest rock away from support and turn a strict fly into a semi-row.
The elbows drop below shoulder height during the arc, which pulls the movement down toward a row and takes emphasis off the rear delts.
Stopping the arms short of being in line with the shoulders cuts the last portion of the arc, which is where the rear delts finish contracting.
Once the pad starts feeling heavy, the chest lifts off the pad to help swing the handles back, using the machine as a launch point instead of a brace.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the reverse pec deck should a beginner do?: Two to three sets of 12 to 15 reps is a good starting point, since the guided path makes it safe to push close to failure. Add weight once you can complete every rep with the chest staying flat against the pad, rather than letting the torso rock to help.
What can you do instead of the reverse pec deck without that machine?: A band or cable rear delt fly trains the same posterior-delt arc without needing a pec-deck machine, and either travels well if you train outside a full gym.
What is the reverse pec deck good for, and when should you use something else?: The chest support and guided path make it one of the easiest ways to train the rear delts to true failure with clean form, which is why it is a common beginner staple. Because the seat and handle positions are fixed, it will not fit every body comfortably, and a lifter who is too short or tall for the machine's range will get a cleaner stretch and contraction from a band or cable version instead.

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