

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.
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.


Other than building the chest and lat muscles, what other benefits can be found with dumbbell pullovers? Certain variations will also activate the core muscle, as will using heavier dumbbells. The dumbbell pullover can be modified or adjusted to hit the muscles at different angles. Stabilizers include the triceps brachii, clavicular head of the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid. The posterior deltoid, pectoralis minor, rhomboids and long head of the triceps also work as synergists for this exercise. So while both benefit, the dumbbell pullover is better for developing the chest. It turns out they activated the pecs more than the lats. In the study, researchers used an EMG machine to see which muscle worked harder.
