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Glite Dictionary
pec deck

pec deck

8.2
A gym machine with padded arms you push together to work the chest muscles
  • noun
  • /pɛk dɛk/
translation icon : máquina de pectorales
  • She demonstrated how to use the pec deck to target the pectoral muscles effectively.

Examples

  • He adjusted the weights on the pec deck before starting his workout.

  • For better chest definition, I always include the pec deck in my exercise routine.

  • Using the pec deck, sit facing the machine.

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How Isolating

pec deck
8.2
bench press
4 3.0

Surface Forms

pec deck singular
pec decks plural

Morphology

pec + deck

Although 'pec' (short for pectoral/pectoralis) and 'deck' (platform) together point toward something related to the chest, the compound does not transparently indicate 'exercise machine' to a B1 learner: 'deck' does not normally name equipment, and 'pec' is an informal/abbreviated term many learners may not know. Knowing both constituents would allow a learner to guess a chest-related object but not reliably derive the specific meaning of a gym machine, so the expression is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Pec deck gets its name from what it does and how it looks: pec is short for the chest muscles, 'pectorals', and the machine has two flat padded arms like a small deck you press together. That's why pec deck means the machine used to build the chest muscles.