Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover

How to do the Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover

1. Place a dumbbell standing up on a flat bench.
2. Ensuring that the dumbbell stays securely placed at the top of the bench, lie perpendicular to the bench (torso across it as in forming a cross) with only your shoulders lying on the surface. Hips should be below the bench and legs bent with feet firmly on the floor. The head will be off the bench as well.
3. Grasp the dumbbell with both hands and hold it straight over your chest with a bend in your arms. Both palms should be pressing against the underside one of the sides of the dumbbell. This will be your starting position. Caution: Always ensure that the dumbbell used for this exercise is secure. Using a dumbbell with loose plates can result in the dumbbell falling apart and falling on your face.
4. While keeping your arms locked in the bent arm position, lower the weight slowly in an arc behind your head while breathing in until you feel a stretch on the chest.
5. At that point, bring the dumbbell back to the starting position using the arc through which the weight was lowered and exhale as you perform this movement.
6. Hold the weight on the initial position for a second and repeat the motion for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	chest
Secondary	lats, shoulders, triceps
Equipment	dumbbell
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No dumbbell? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Clock Push-Up Bodyweight Decline Push-Up Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Medium Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Reverse Grip Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Wide Bodyweight

Easier than the Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Alternating Floor Press beginner · Kettlebell Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip beginner · Barbell Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip beginner · Barbell

Harder than the Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover

Plyo Kettlebell Pushups expert · Kettlebell

Superset the Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover with

Opposing middle back work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Middle Back Shrug middle back Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row middle back Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row With Palms In middle back Dumbbell Incline Row middle back

Common questions

What muscles does the Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover work?

The Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover primarily works the chest, with the lats, shoulders, and triceps as secondary movers. Alternating Floor Press, Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip, and Barbell Guillotine Bench Press train the same muscle, across 11 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover?

Dumbbells. Without dumbbells, Clock Push-Up, Decline Push-Up, and Incline Push-Up train the same muscle, and 17 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Alternating Floor Press, Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip, and Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip and work up.

Where should the Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover go in a workout?

Early — the Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover is compound, working 4 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Middle Back Shrug and Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row later.

Similar exercises

Alternating Floor Press Kettlebell Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip Barbell Barbell Guillotine Bench Press Barbell Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip Barbell Bench Press - With Bands Resistance Bands Cable Chest Press Cable Machine