This chest and back muscle exercise stretches the chest, back and abdominal muscles well. Beginners will initially find the pullover difficult and challenging, as the dumbbell must be raised above the face. It is therefore best to start with a light weight. Once you have mastered the technique, you can slowly increase the weight. This exercise is excellent for throwing sports enthusiasts because it provides strength. The stretch part improves the posture of people who have tense shoulders or aggravated kyphosis – typical for people with a sedentary profession.
How
Sit on a bench and grab a dumbbell with both hands (palms up). Lie on your back and push the arms up until they are fully extended and the weight is above your face. Move the dumbbell slowly back over the head. Tighten abs to keep the spine in a neutral position. Reach back until you feel it pull into your chest and shoulders. Keeping the elbows straight, pull the weight up to the starting position.
Do it well
Keep the elbows slightly bent and in line with the shoulders all the time.
Warning
The range of motion depends on your flexibility; don’t stretch your muscles too far.
Variations
Light
Many gyms have equipment that allows you to perform the same movement, but without having to control your core muscles or risk dropping the dumbbell.
Heavy
Try a standing cable pullover. For this variant, the trunk muscles must be more stable and the rear shoulder muscles and the broad back muscle (latissimus dorsi) are trained. Keeping the spine stable during this standing exercise is a challenge.
Active muscles
- Pectoralis major
- Latissimus dorsi