Pullover
DumbbellStrength
The pullover is a bodyweight strength exercise performed lying on your back, where you extend your arms overhead from a starting position with hands clasped or gripping an imaginary bar, mimicking a sweeping motion across the chest. Its primary purpose is to expand the rib cage, enhance shoulder mobility, and build upper body strength. It mainly targets the chest, with secondary engagement of the lats, triceps, and serratus anterior, making it ideal for beginners, gymnasts, or athletes seeking improved thoracic expansion without equipment.
How to Perform Pullover
- 1Lie face up on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat, hip-width apart for stability.
- 2Extend your arms straight up toward the ceiling, palms facing each other, with a slight bend in your elbows.
- 3Engage your core and keep your lower back pressed into the floor.
- 4Inhale as you slowly arc your arms overhead in a wide circle, lowering them toward the floor behind you until you feel a stretch in your chest.
- 5Exhale as you reverse the motion, pulling your arms back up in the same arc to the starting position overhead.
- 6Repeat for desired reps, maintaining control throughout.
- 7Key form tips: Keep elbows slightly bent to protect shoulders; avoid arching your lower back—squeeze glutes if needed; move slowly to maximize chest stretch and prevent momentum. Common mistake: Hyperextending elbows or lifting hips off the floor.