Dumbbell Pullover
A supine shoulder-extension lift with both hands cupping one dumbbell, stretching the lats and chest over a flat bench.
How to do it
- Lie on a flat bench with your upper back and head supported and your feet on the floor.
- Cup one end of a dumbbell with both hands and press it above the chest.
- Keep a slight bend in the elbows and brace the abs so the ribs stay down.
- Lower the dumbbell behind the head until the upper arms sit beside the ears.
- Pull the weight back over the chest by extending the shoulders, not by bending the elbows.
- Stop above the chest and repeat without letting the lower back arch off the bench.
Key technique cue
Ribs down, back on the bench, arms nearly straight.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Bending the elbows on the way back up, which turns the lift into a triceps extension.
- ✕ Flaring the ribs and arching the lower back to gain extra range.
- ✕ Stopping the dumbbell far short of the head, which skips the loaded stretch.
- ✕ Using a weight so heavy that the arms cannot stay nearly straight.
Benefits
- ✓ Loads the lats and chest through a long overhead stretch from one dumbbell.
- ✓ Needs only a flat bench, so it fits home and hotel setups.
- ✓ A rare free-weight move that trains shoulder extension without a cable.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here - Dumbbell Pullover
- Barbell Pullover
About the exercise
The dumbbell pullover is a long-arc shoulder extension from a flat bench. You lie supine, cup one end of a dumbbell with both hands, and lower the weight behind the head with nearly straight arms before pulling it back over the chest. Elbows flared slightly and a deep overhead reach bias the lats; elbows turned out and a shorter arc bias the pecs. The long head of the triceps and the trunk keep the ribcage from flaring as the arms travel. This version emphasizes the latissimus dorsi and uses the classic grip with both hands on one end of the dumbbell.
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