

Just like any other exercise, performing dumbbell pullovers correctly is key to muscle activation.
Barbell pullover pro#
You can check out this video of Zane coaching IFBB Classic Physique Pro Sadik Hadzovic through the exercise. Now if you’re a serious bodybuilder putting up heavy weights, there is a better way to do the dumbbell pullover. Work your way up to three sets with the same dumbbell before increasing the weight. Bring the dumbbell back over your head and past your face until you’ve reached the starting position.Ĭomplete 8 to 10 reps for two sets with up to 90 seconds of rest in between as needed.Continue along this path until your biceps are along your torso or you can’t move them down any further. Begin to move the dumbbell past your face and over your head.Engage your core and lift your hips slightly if needed for stability.Position the dumbbell so your elbows are slightly bent and the dumbbell is at chest level.Hold the dumbbell in both hands by the handle or by gripping the inner plate of the dumbbell.

Lay down flat on the bench so that your head is at the top of the bench and your neck and back are supported.
Barbell pullover full#
To perform this exercise correctly, you’ll need full range of motion in the deltoids. Dumbbell Pullover: Proper Formīefore you try dumbbell pullovers, make sure you have full shoulder mobility with no impingement. We’ll then get some tips from Zane before offering some alternatives and modifications. Now that you know the benefits of the dumbbell pullover, let’s go over the proper form. He credits them with expanding his rib cage, just like others before him.Įven today, the dumbbell pullover is considered a postural exercise and is still used to improve cardiopulmonary function. Zane and Pearl preferred dumbbell pullovers while Mentzer preferred Nautilus pullovers.Īrnold Schwarzenegger was also a fan of dumbbell pullovers. Golden era legend Frank Zane doing the vacuum poseĪccording to Zane, the three were able to pull off the coveted vacuum pose because of pullovers. What’s interesting about it is originally, it was used more as a breathing exercise than one to build muscle. The dumbbell pullover has been around since the early 1900s.

Making small tweaks to the movement can also bring more focus to the lats if desired.īefore we go over the steps for proper form, let’s look back in time at the history of the dumbbell pullover. Dumbbell pullovers work both the front and back of the upper body to help balance it out. It’s easier to check form and see the changes going on, to adjust as needed for uniformity. It’s not uncommon for men to train the front of their torso more than the back.
