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Dumbbell Pullover

The Dumbbell Pullover is a strength exercise with dumbbells for your back. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: lats (upper) 21%, mid chest 17% and lats (lower) 15%.

Also known as: dumbbell pull over

Level: IntermediateEquipment: DumbbellSingle-joint (isolation)

How to do it

  1. Lie across a flat bench with only your upper back on it, feet flat and hips level with the bench.
  2. Hold one dumbbell above your chest with both palms under the top plate.
  3. Keep a slight, fixed bend in the elbows.
  4. Lower the dumbbell behind your head in an arc while keeping the hips from rising.
  5. Pull it back over your chest along the same arc.

Tips

  • Keep your hips level or slightly dropped at the bottom to deepen the stretch through the lats and chest.
  • Move slowly at the bottom where the stretch is strongest.

Common mistakes

  • Pushing the hips up as the weight goes back.
  • Changing the elbow angle during the rep.
  • Letting the head hang off the bench without support.

Muscles worked by the Dumbbell Pullover

  • Lats (upper) Primary21%
  • Mid chest Secondary17%
  • Lats (lower) Primary15%
  • Lower chest Secondary11%
  • Triceps (long head) Secondary11%
  • Rear delts Secondary7%
  • Lower traps Minor6%
  • Upper abs Stabilizer4%
  • Rhomboids Stabilizer4%
  • Rotator cuff Stabilizer4%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

Lying pullovers load the pec as much as the lats (Marchetti and Uchida 2011). With the elbows locked, shoulder extension isolates the lats and the long head of the triceps; lying pullovers bring the sternal pec in strongly.

Dumbbell Pullover alternatives

Same equipment

Different equipment

Easier

Make it harder

Make it easier

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Dumbbell Pullover work?

Mainly the lats (upper) and lats (lower). The mid chest, lower chest, triceps (long head) and rear delts assist.

Is the Dumbbell Pullover good for beginners?

The Dumbbell Pullover is rated intermediate. If you are new, learn the Band Straight Arm Pulldown first and build up from there.

What is a good alternative to the Dumbbell Pullover?

For example the Barbell Pull Over, Lying Cable Pullover and Dumbbell Lat Pullover. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

How do you make the Dumbbell Pullover harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Front Lever Raise and Skin the Cat.

Sources

  • Marchetti and Uchida 2011, J Appl Biomech 27(4):380-384 (pullover, pec and lats)

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