Dumbbell pullover
Log this in the trackerAn old-school lift that takes the lats and chest through a long overhead stretch.
What it is
Lying on a bench, you lower a single dumbbell back over your head with near-straight arms and pull it back over your chest. It is one of the few movements that loads the lat in deep shoulder flexion.
Muscles worked
Primary: Lats, Chest (pectorals). Secondary: Triceps, Serratus anterior.
How to perform it
- Lie along a flat bench holding one dumbbell over your chest, palms under the top plate.
- Set a soft, fixed elbow and brace the ribs down.
- Lower the dumbbell back over your head until you feel a strong stretch under the arms.
- Pull it back over the chest along the same arc, without bending the elbows further.
Common form faults
- Ribs flaring and the lower back arching off the bench. Keep the ribs pinned; the range ends where the ribs would flare.
- Turning it into a triceps extension by bending the elbows. Lock the elbow angle. Only the shoulder should move.
Programming
10 to 15 reps with a modest load and a slow stretch. Works as back or chest accessory work depending on how you angle the torso.
Plan your training
Variations & substitutions
Frequently asked questions
- Is the pullover a chest or back exercise?
- Both muscles cross the same movement. Keeping the elbows tucked and the torso flat biases the lats; flaring slightly and thinking chest biases the chest.
- Across the bench or along it?
- Along the bench is safer and easier to brace. Lying across the bench adds range but demands a lot of hip and shoulder control.