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Velvet Digest

What is a barbell pullover?

Author

William Brown

Updated on June 07, 2026

The pullover is an exercise that is performed with either a dumbbell or a barbell. Pullovers can be made to affect either the chest or the back depending on how wide the grip is (barbell) and the position of the shoulders.

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People also ask, what muscles does the barbell pullover work?

The dumbbell pullover exercise works muscles in the upper body, including the pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, latissimus dorsi, triceps and abdominal muscles.

is pullover for chest or back? The pullover. was a favorite move of some of the greatest athletes of the Golden Era of bodybuilding. including The Oak, Reg Park and Franco Columbu. This exercise works not only the chest but also the lats, intercostals and serratus anterior (the muscles of the ribcage).

Simply so, what does the pullover exercise work?

The dumbbell pullover can in fact help to improve shoulder mobility in that it places a stretch upon the lats and triceps; two muscle groups often responsible for impeded shoulder mobility overhead.

What is a lat pullover?

The Dumbbell Lat Pullover is a bilateral upper-body movement that targets the lats, triceps, and pectorals. Lie perpendicular on a bench, with only the shoulders in contact with the bench and feet flat on the floor with the hips bridged. Hold a dumbbell with both hands in straight arms above the chest.

Related Question Answers

Do pullovers work lower chest?

If done properly, it hits everything from the bottom of your pecs to your abs, lats and triceps, working all of these muscles in a beneficial and unique way.

Are pullovers a good chest exercise?

Some experts say pullovers are an effective chest exercise. You can tweak pullovers to target certain bodyparts depending on what you do before or after the unique exercise. Pullovers aren't for everyone, especially people with shoulder issues. Check your upper body mobility before diving in.

What exercise works the biceps?

Bodybuilding.com's 10 Highest-Rated Biceps Exercises
  • Incline Dumbbell Hammer Curl.
  • Incline Inner-biceps curl.
  • EZ bar curl.
  • wide-grip standing barbell curl.
  • Zottman curl.
  • Regular-Grip Barbell Curl.
  • Dumbbell Biceps Curl.
  • Preacher Hammer Dumbbell Curl.

How many sets did Arnold do for chest?

Arnold hit every body part, not just chest, with high volume and frequency. His offseason routine consisted of up to 26 working sets on a high-volume day, and he trained his pecs three days per week, taking at least 48 hours off between workouts for recovery.

Do pullovers expand the rib cage?

Scientifically Speaking No, not likely. Will they increase the side of your lats and pecs leading to the appearance of a bigger chest? Yes. They may help increase the density of your ribs too (as weight training in general will do), which might marginally increase the appearance in size of your ribcage.

How did Arnold build his chest?

Remember that Arnold realized that to keep a balanced appearance, he had to work both his lower and upper pectorals. The incline barbell press works to build the upper pecs. Many people neglect to include this in their routines, but doing so keeps the chest looking squared and proportional.

What is the best tricep exercise?

Beginner Triceps Exercises
  • Triceps press-down. “Attach a straight or angled bar to a high pulley,” says Adepitan, “and hold it with your palms facing down (overhand grip) and your hands shoulder-width apart.
  • Press-up.
  • Triceps kick-back.
  • Dumbbell overhead triceps extension.
  • Bench dip.
  • Floor press.
  • Landmine press.
  • Bench press.

What are the best shoulder exercises?

Shoulder Workout Routine
  • 1A Overhead press.
  • 1B Push press.
  • 1C Barbell shrug.
  • 2A Seated Arnold press.
  • 2B Seated lateral raise.
  • 2C Bent-over reverse flye.

What muscles do the lat Dumbbell Pullover target?

The latissimus dorsi muscle that wraps around the back and sides of the ribs is a primary synergist, or helper muscle, when you do dumbbell pullovers. You also activate the rhomboids, which are behind the neck and upper spine, as well as the levator scapulae along the lateral sides of the neck.

How do you do a bent arm dumbbell pullover?

How to: Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover. Holding a dumbbell with both hands, lie down on a bench. Plant your feet on the floor on either side of the bench, or on the bench itself — whichever is most comfortable. Extend your elbows to hold the dumbbell directly above your chest.

Is upright row a compound exercise?

The upright row is a weight training exercise performed by holding a grips with the overhand grip and lifting it straight up to the collarbone. This is a compound exercise that involves the trapezius, the deltoids and the biceps.

Are dumbbell pullovers good for chest?

Listed below are the top dumbbell pullover benefits: Build Upper Body Muscle. Although it's considered to be among the isolation chest exercises (since it's a single-joint movement), it also effectively works the triceps and lats. So get ready for thicker chest and back muscles.

Do dumbbell pullovers work lats?

Dumbbell Pullovers - The Execution Feel for the stretch in the chest and the expansion of the ribcage, and then “drag” the dumbbell with long arms to a position above the abdominals, in a large arcing pattern. As you go through the movement, be sure to depress the shoulders and engage the lats during the up phase.

How many exercises should I do per workout?

If You're a Do-It-Yourselfer. For beginners, you want to choose about 8-10 exercises, which comes out to about one exercise per muscle group. The list below offers some examples. Here's what you do: Choose at least one exercise per muscle group to start.

What is a pullover shirt?

A pullover is shorthand for a sweatshirt that pulls over your head. But in truth, its any garment that pulls on over the head. So a cammie is a pull over, a slip is a pull over, a t-shirt is a pull over, a sweater with no buttons or zippers is a pull over too.

How do you do lat pull downs?

Step 1 Stand at an adjustable cable machine and grab the lat pulldown bar with an overhand grip that's about shoulder-width apart. Keep your knees slightly bent and feet shoulder-width apart. Step 2 Exhale and pull the bar down to your thighs. Your arms should remain straight, elbows locked.

What is a pullover in weightlifting?

The pullover is an exercise that is performed with either a dumbbell or a barbell. Pullovers can be made to affect either the chest or the back depending on how wide the grip is (barbell) and the position of the shoulders.

How can I build my lat muscles at home?

Lie with your head and back flat on a bench, and your feet flat on the ground, holding one dumbbell in both hands with your arms extended above your chest. Keeping your arms extended, lower the dumbbell behind your head until it's roughly level with your head, then bring it back up to above your chest.

How do you do seated cable rows?

Sit on a seated cable row machine with one foot on the floor and one foot on the plate. With one arm, pull the cable along the side of your body. Extend the pause. At the end of the pulling phase, pause for 3 to 5 seconds to challenge your muscles.