The barbell pullover is a strength exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi (lats) and also engages the chest and tricep. It involves lying on a bench and moving a barbell in an arc from above the chest to behind the head, emphasizing a stretch and contraction of the upper body muscles.
Also Works
ChestTriceps
How to Perform
1
Lie flat on a bench with your head at one end and your feet on the floor.
2
Hold a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and extend your arms straight above your chest.
3
Keeping your arms straight, lower the barbell behind your head in a controlled manner until you feel a stretch in your lats.
4
Pause for a moment, then raise the barbell back to the starting position.
5
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout and think about driving the bar back up with your lats, not your arms.
•Lower the bar behind your head only until you feel a deep stretch in the lats and chest; don't force the range of motion beyond what your shoulders allow.
•Keep your hips down and your ribcage expanded throughout the movement to maximize the lat stretch.
Common Mistakes
•Bending the elbows too much during the lowering phase, which turns it into a skull crusher variation.
•Lifting the hips off the bench as the bar goes behind the head, which reduces the stretch on the lats.
•Using too much weight and compensating with a shortened range of motion.