Dumbbell pullover
- Lie on a flat bench with only your upper back supported and your feet flat on the floor. Hold one dumbbell vertically with both hands.
- Start with the dumbbell above your chest. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower the dumbbell in an arc behind your head until you feel a stretch in your chest or lats.
- Pull the dumbbell back up over your chest to the starting position.
Tips
- Position yourself so that your upper back rests across the bench while your hips drop slightly below bench level, which allows your torso to stay stable throughout the arc.
- Keep a slight, fixed bend in your elbows throughout the movement rather than letting the angle change as the dumbbell travels behind your head.
- Lower the dumbbell in a smooth arc until you feel a clear stretch in your chest or lats, then reverse the movement with the same controlled speed.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips rise during the lowering phase so that the torso rotates or the lower back arches away from the intended position.
- Bending the elbows progressively deeper as the dumbbell descends, which turns the arc into a pressing motion rather than the intended pullover path.
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