Tip The Perfect Pullover Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip The Perfect Pullover Bring back this muscle-building move Here' s a version that protects your joints while allowing you to go heavier by PJ Striet November 17, 2020May 16, 2022 Tags Training The pullover – using barbells, dumbbells, machines, or cables – is a classic muscle-builder. It works a lot of muscles at once: the lats, chest, and triceps. It was a staple in the programs of Golden Era bodybuilders, but it's fallen out of favor in recent decades. Why? Well, mainly because... It's inconvenient. People have a hard time getting the bar or dumbbell safely into position. It can put the shoulders in a risky position. People who worry about blowing out their shoulders likely won't go through an adequate range of motion. Ending a set is tricky. Lifters have a hard time safely ditching the bar or dumbbell at the end of the set. It can be hard to figure out what to do with your torso. Some people get too much arch in their low back when doing it off a bench with their feet down. Even if it's done safely enough, most people leave too many reps in reserve and don't push this beast of an exercise close enough to muscular failure. They leave gains on the table. A Better Pullover This variation solves all of those issues: Simply do the pullover from the floor while lying on a 4-8 inch elevated surface. Here's why it's better: It's easy to get the bar or dumbbell safely into position at the start. You can get a consistent and safe range of motion by adjusting the surface height and using the floor as your depth gauge. You can keep your low back flat. You'll also get a great ab workout because the hips are flexed and the pelvis stays either neutral or in posterior tilt. It's easy to ditch the bar or dumbbell at the end of the set, and you avoid over-stretching the shoulder joint. Because of these things, you can train it heavy and go closer to failure. Doing more volume at a higher weight while protecting your joints is a win for gains. If you've avoided training pullovers heavy, try to work up to 130-150 pounds for reps. Give this variation a shot and start reaping the massive strength and muscle-building benefits this classic exercise has to offer. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Bench Press With One Arm Strengthen your pecs, shoulders, triceps, and core with this exercise. Here's how to do it. Tips, Training Eric Bach November 17 Training Tip Gains Stopped Do Less Not More A new study shows the shocking effects of overtraining. Check this out. Bodybuilding, Powerlifting & Strength, Tips, Training Shawn Wayland May 6 Training Tip Build Your Rep Strength Build More Muscle Chances are, if muscle growth has stopped it's because you adopted too many fancy techniques instead of just getting stronger. Here's what to do. Bodybuilding, Tips, Training Akash Vaghela December 29 Training Tip Fly Away Ring Chin-Ups The subtle shift in hand and arm position on the lowering phase will crank up the challenge and the strength and muscle gains. Exercise Coaching, Pull-Up, Tips Ben Bruno August 29