Exercise guide · Back
Dumbbell Pullover
A dumbbell pullover on a flat bench stretches and works the lats, chest, and serratus. Lie across the bench, hold one dumbbell with both hands overhead, and arc it behind your head before pulling it back over your chest.
- Targets: Lats
- Equipment: Dumbbell
- Type: Isolation
Step by step
How to do the Dumbbell Pullover
- Set a flat bench and choose a dumbbell you can control with both hands on the end.
- Lie perpendicular on the bench with your upper back and head supported, hips low, and feet flat on the floor for balance.
- Hold the dumbbell vertically with both palms against the inside upper plate, arms extended over your chest.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows and lower the dumbbell in an arc behind your head until you feel a stretch in your lats and chest.
- Pull the dumbbell back over your chest by contracting your lats and squeezing your chest, following the same arc.
- Complete all reps without letting your lower back arch excessively or the dumbbell drift toward the floor.
Form cues
- Hips stay low—only upper back on the bench
- Soft bend in elbows throughout
- Move the weight in a smooth arc behind your head
- Exhale as you pull the dumbbell back over your chest
Common mistakes
- Bending elbows too much into a triceps extension
- Arching the lower back off the bench to cheat the weight up
- Using a dumbbell too heavy to control through the full arc
- Dropping hips or sliding off the bench
Muscles worked
Primary
Lats
Secondary
Chest and Triceps
Safety: Start lighter than you think—shoulders work in a stretched position. Stop if you feel pinching or sharp pain in the shoulders.
Alternatives
