The pullover is an exercise that is performed with either a

dumbbell The dumbbell, a type of free weight, is a piece of equipment used in weight training. It can be used individually or in pairs, with one in each hand. History The forerunner of the dumbbell, halteres, were used in ancient Greece as lifting ...

or a

barbell A barbell is a piece of exercise equipment used in weight training, bodybuilding, weightlifting, powerlifting and strongman, consisting of a long bar, usually with weights attached at each end. Barbells range in length from to above , alth ...

. 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. A research done on the pullover movement using a barbell suggested more effect on the

pectoralis major muscle The pectoralis major () is a thick, fan-shaped or triangular convergent muscle, situated at the chest of the human body. It makes up the bulk of the chest muscles and lies under the breast. Beneath the pectoralis major is the pectoralis minor, ...

as compared to the latissimus dorsi.

Movement

A typical pullover involves resting the upper back on a flat bench. The hips are kept slightly flexed. Keeping the hips off the bench is said to help in balancing the weight and stability during the movement. The weight is held above the chest with elbows slightly bent.

Variation

This exercise can be done using either a straight barbell, EZ barbell, dumbbell or cable attachment. The elbows could also be bent at about 90° to achieve a different stretch. In this variation the weight is lowered till the upper arm is in line with the torso.

References

Weight training exercises {{sport-stub