The dumbbell pullover is an accessory that is often programmed to target the lats and pecs, however, lifters can sometimes leave chest gains on the table due to not modifying the exercise accordingly.
Professional bodybuilder John Meadows just shared a YouTube video that does a phenomenal job highlighting some of the subtle nuances that should be taken into account when performing the dumbbell pullover, and more specifically, when performing them with chest growth goals.
Generally, lifters will feel the lats when performing the dumbbell pullover, and there’s no real way to completely take them out of the equation, Meadows explains, but there are a few form details that one can perform to leverage the chest’s growth better with this exercise.
For example, Meadows points out that he likes to perform the dumbbell pullover on a decline bench and keep the following in mind:
- Slightly tilt the dumbbell upwards with the fingertips throughout the starting range of motion, eccentric, and concentric.
- Maintain a slight bend in the elbows and lock the arms to hold that position. Avoid arm flexion as this will take away focus on the goals at hand.
- Contract and bring the dumbbell over the chest in the concentric movement pattern, as opposed to stopping short like many do with the traditional pullover. Think about stopping right above the chest and finding the sweet spot in which you feel the chest contracting due to the downward pulling movement. Meadows points out that if you lose that contraction, then you’ve gone too far.
Check out his great video below for more information and coaching tips!
In terms of programming, Meadows recommends performing these around 4th or 5th in your program’s exercise selection and keeping reps a bit higher somewhere between 8-12 reps.
This video is great because Meadows highlights a few tiny details with this movement that are often unaccounted for, but when taken into account can pay big dividends for particular training goals. If you haven’t, we highly suggest checking out Meadows’ YouTube for other content for tips and programming advice.
Feature image from Mountaindog1 YouTube channel.