- EquipmentDumbbell
- PatternIsolation
- Reps8 to 15 reps
- Joint loadShoulder
Lie across or along a flat bench holding one dumbbell with both hands over your chest, elbows slightly bent.
First cueKeep your ribs down.
How to do the Dumbbell Pullover
Set up. Lie across or along a flat bench holding one dumbbell with both hands over your chest, elbows slightly bent.
- Lower the dumbbell back over your head in an arc, keeping the elbow bend fixed.
- Stop at a comfortable stretch through the lats and chest.
- Pull the dumbbell back over your chest along the same arc.
Form cues
- Keep your ribs down.
- Move only at the shoulders.
- Use a weight you control easily.
Common mistakes
- Arching the lower back as the weight goes back.
- Bending the elbows so it becomes an extension.
Muscles worked
Main target: Lats. The latissimus dorsi is the widest muscle of the back, running from the lower spine and pelvis up under the arm to the upper arm bone. It pulls the arm down and back: pull-ups, pulldowns and the start of a deadlift.
On the way: Chest and Triceps.
Its other side: Chest, Front delts and Triceps, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
Its other side: Side delts and Triceps, in the overhead press and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Dumbbell Pullover, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Lateral Raise Superset partner: it trains the other side of the overhead press and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row Same pull session: it trains the upper back.
- Rear Delt Fly Same pull session: it trains the rear delts.
- Dumbbell Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Dumbbell Pullover first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Dumbbell Pullover 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Lateral Raise 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Rear Delt Fly 3 × 12 to 20 reps
- Dumbbell Shrug 3 × 8 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Pull-Up
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Straight-Arm Pulldown
Cable
Less load on the shoulder
Straight-Arm Pulldown
The Dumbbell Pullover loads the shoulder by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Straight-Arm Pulldown.
Do before it: Shoulder Dislocate (shoulder range), Scapular Pull-Up (shoulder blades), Thoracic Rotation (upper back range) and Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Dumbbell Pullover is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Dumbbell Pullover?
Set up: Lie across or along a flat bench holding one dumbbell with both hands over your chest, elbows slightly bent. Steps: 1. Lower the dumbbell back over your head in an arc, keeping the elbow bend fixed. 2. Stop at a comfortable stretch through the lats and chest. 3. Pull the dumbbell back over your chest along the same arc. Form cues: Keep your ribs down. Move only at the shoulders. Use a weight you control easily. Common mistakes: Arching the lower back as the weight goes back. Bending the elbows so it becomes an extension.
What muscles does the Dumbbell Pullover work?
It trains the lats as its main target and works the chest and triceps on the way.
What can I do instead of the Dumbbell Pullover?
At home: Pull-Up. In a gym: Straight-Arm Pulldown. With less load on the shoulder: Straight-Arm Pulldown. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Dumbbell Pullover with?
Good partners in the same workout are Lateral Raise, Single-Arm Dumbbell Row, Rear Delt Fly and Dumbbell Shrug.
How heavy should the Dumbbell Pullover be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.