Dumbbell Around Pullover
Skip the guesswork: Dumbbell Around Pullover leans on independent dumbbell loading for pressing power across the chest.
How to do Dumbbell Around Pullover
- Lie flat on a bench with your head at one end and your feet firmly on the ground.
- Hold a dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms straight above your chest.
- Keeping your arms straight, slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head in an arc motion.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then raise the dumbbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Around Pullover Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 5-6 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. Start each set with the weaker arm and match it.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add reps on the smaller bell before you size up.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 15-18 reps with 45-60 seconds of rest. Size up only when both sides finish equally strong.
Common Dumbbell Around Pullover Mistakes
Dropping the bells hard at the end of a set
Lower them under control so the last rep still counts as training.
Letting the shoulders roll forward at the bottom
Set the shoulder blades back and down before rep one and hold it there.
Skipping warm-up sets and starting at working weight
Run two light build-up sets so the first hard set is not the first rep.
Easier and Harder Than Dumbbell Around Pullover
Swap Dumbbell Around Pullover For
Dumbbell Around Pullover — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Dumbbell Around Pullover?
Lie flat on a bench with your head at one end and your feet firmly on the ground. Hold a dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms straight above your chest. Keeping your arms straight, slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head in an arc motion. Use dumbbells and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Dumbbell Around Pullover work?
The Dumbbell Around Pullover primarily targets the pectorals. It is classified as a chest exercise and is performed with dumbbells.
How many sets and reps of the Dumbbell Around Pullover should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add reps on the smaller bell before you size up. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Dumbbell Around Pullover good for beginners?
Yes. The Dumbbell Around Pullover is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Dumbbell Around Pullover?
Try the Cable Incline Fly (on Stability Ball), Lever Chest Press or the Push-Up. Each trains the pectorals with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
