How to do a Dumbbell Pull Over
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Dumbbell Pull Over
Flat Bench
Dumbbells
Workouts with Dumbbell Pull Over
Instructions for Proper Form
Dumbbell Pull Over primarily targets your chest, back, shoulders, and triceps at different points throughout the movement. By positioning your shoulder blades on a flat bench, you help to increase your range of motion. This helps improve muscle activation.
- Grasp the head of a dumbbell in a diamond grip.
- Lie back on a flat bench, supporting your upper back and resting the dumbbell on your chest.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor and shoulder-width apart.
- Position the dumbbell over your head, keeping your arms perpendicular to the ground and your palms facing up.
- Lower the dumbbell in an arc over your head until your arms are parallel to the ground, keeping them straight with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Hold this position for a moment.
- Return the dumbbell to your starting position by engaging your chest, back and shoulders to reverse the motion.
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Limit Range of Motion
Keep your range of motion limited to where you feel tension in your chest. Going too far backwards can lead to over recruiting your lats. Going too far forward will allow you to balance the weight, and reduces the need to keep your chest engaged.
Arms Straight
Allowing your elbows to bend can cause this exercise to over recruit your triceps. You want to keep your arms straight with a slight bend in your elbow. Maintain that throughout the exercise.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Dumbbell Pull Over standards by male, female, weight, age and height
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- beginner8reps17.5lbs1 Rep Max22.5lbs
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- advanced8reps30lbs40lbs
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Alternative Exercises to Dumbbell Pull Over
1. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
99 mSCORESWAPPED 17 TIMESDumbbell Incline Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Incline Bench Press. This compound exercise primarily targets the chest, but the incline also places more emphasis on the shoulders. The use of dumbbells makes this exercise more unstable than its barbell counterpart, while also forcing you to address any strength discrepancies between sides.
2. Dumbbell Incline Fly
91.1 mSCORESWAPPED 10 TIMESDumbbell Incline Fly emphasizes the upper chest, improving muscle definition and shoulder flexibility. Performed on an incline, it targets the upper pectorals while also engaging deltoids and triceps, offering a comprehensive upper body workout that enhances strength and aesthetics.
3. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 5 TIMESDumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the standard Bench Press. Like Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, while also training the triceps and shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for greater instability which can help you become more stable on pushing movements in general, while also isolating each side of the body to prevent you from compensating for any weaknesses between sides.
4. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 5 TIMESMachine Fly is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly. This isolation chest exercise primarily targets the chest, but also recruits the shoulders. The use of a machine makes the exercise more stable allowing you to focus on exertion or learn the movement with minimal risk of injury. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to learn the movement, or advanced lifters looking to push this movement to it’s limit.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Fly Machine
5. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 5 TIMESDumbbell Fly’s are one of the most common isolation chest exercises, and for good. It primarily targets the muscles in the chest, but also recruits the shoulders for stability. The use of dumbbells ensures that you’re targeting each side of the body independently, and prevents compensating for any weaknesses between sides. In addition the isolated nature of this exercise is a great way to fatigue your chest, and focus on building both muscle mass and increasing strength in your chest.
6. Cable Crossover Fly
97.3 mSCORESWAPPED 5 TIMESCable Crossover Fly is an isolation exercise that targets the chest. It’s a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly, and can easily be adapted to further isolate specific areas of the chest. Using cables to add resistance allows you to keep more consistent tension on your chest, as well as control the angle that the resistance is coming from.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Cable Crossover
7. Hammerstrength Incline Chest Press
96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 4 TIMESHammerstrength Incline Chest Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Incline Bench Press. This compound movement primarily targets your chest, shoulders and triceps. The incline allows you to further emphasize your upper chest and shoulders. The use of a Hammerstrength Machine forces you to use a fixed range of motion which adds stability, and allows you to focus more on exertion.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Hammerstrength (Leverage) Machine (all forms)
8. Dumbbell Decline Fly
51.6 mSCORESWAPPED 4 TIMESThe Dumbbell Decline Fly targets the lower chest muscles, enhancing definition and strength. Performed on a decline bench, it increases the engagement of the lower pectorals, while also involving the deltoids and biceps for stabilization. This variation provides a deep stretch and a unique challenge, promoting muscle growth and improving the overall aesthetics of the chest area.
9. Leg Raise With Dumbbell Pull Over
49.7 mSCORESWAPPED 4 TIMESLeg Raise With Dumbbell Pull Over is a combination of two movements: a leg raise and a dumbbell pull over. This is a compound exercise that engages the core, shoulders, and lats. Performing both movements simultaneously increases the challenge for coordination and core stability, making it a great exercise for developing functional strength and muscle endurance.
10. Single Arm Floor Press
29.3 mSCORESWAPPED 4 TIMESA unilateral compound exercise targeting the chest, triceps, and shoulders, with an emphasis on stabilizing muscles and core engagement. Performed by lying on the floor, pressing a dumbbell upwards with one arm until fully extended, then lowering it back to the starting position. This exercise enhances muscle balance and coordination by isolating one side of the body at a time, reducing the risk of developing muscular imbalances. It's particularly beneficial for those seeking to strengthen their upper body while enhancing core stability and unilateral strength.