Barbell Bent Arm Pullover
Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Exercise Description
The barbell bent-arm pullover trains shoulder extension with the torso stabilized on a flat bench. It emphasizes the latissimus dorsi and teres major while the sternal fibers of the pectoralis major assist, and the triceps brachii help maintain the elbow angle isometrically. Proper execution requires a neutral spine, ribs stacked, and controlled scapular motion (slight depression/posterior tilt) to keep the shoulder centered as the bar travels overhead. Bending the elbows shortens the lever arm, reducing shoulder torque compared with a straight‑arm version and allowing smoother control through the available range. You’ll move the bar in a wide arc from above the chest toward behind the head, stopping before the shoulder loses centration or the low back arches. Expect the lats to drive the return path while your core and upper back stabilize the rib cage and scapulae.
- Muscle Groups: Back, Lats
- Target Muscles: Latissimus Dorsi, Teres Major
- Assisting Muscles: Pectoralis Major - Sternal Head
- Stabilizing Muscles: Rectus Abdominis, Serratus Anterior, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers, Triceps Brachii - Medial Head
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Back, Mid Back
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Barbell
- Exercise Patterns: Pull
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Shoulder Extensors, Shoulder External Rotators
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Lats, Lower Lats
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Exercise
‘- Lie supine on a flat bench; feet planted, glutes lightly engaged, spine neutral, ribs down.
– Grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder width; wrists straight over knuckles.
– Start with the bar over mid‑chest, elbows bent about 90–110°, upper arms angled slightly toward the torso.
– Set the shoulders: light scapular depression and retraction; keep this throughout.
– Inhale, brace, and lower the bar in a slow arc toward behind the head by flexing at the shoulder; keep the elbow angle constant.
– Stop when biceps approach the ears or upper arms align with the torso—before lumbar extension or anterior shoulder discomfort.
– Exhale and pull the bar back to above the chest by extending the shoulders, driving with the lats; avoid shrugging.
– Keep head and neck neutral; avoid flaring the ribs or arching the low back.
– Maintain bar path close to the face on the return; do not bounce from the end range.
– Use a spotter when needed for hand-off and re-rack, and control the bar at all times.
Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Tips
‘- Plant your feet and lightly engage your glutes to help keep your spine neutral and ribs down.
– Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width with your wrists stacked straight over your knuckles.
– Start with the bar over mid-chest, elbows bent about 90–110°, and upper arms angled slightly toward your torso.
– Keep your elbows bent and maintain a constant elbow angle throughout the movement.
– Lightly depress and retract your shoulder blades at the start, and keep this shoulder position as the bar moves.
– Lower the bar in a slow, controlled arc toward behind your head by moving at the shoulders, not the elbows.
– Stop the descent when your biceps approach your ears or your upper arms line up with your torso, before your low back begins to arch.
– Keep your head and neck neutral and avoid flaring your ribs or arching your low back as the bar travels.
– Pull the bar back above your chest by extending at the shoulders and driving with your lats, avoiding any shrugging.
– Keep the bar path close to your face on the way back up and avoid bouncing at the end range.
– Use a spotter for hand-off and re-rack when needed, and keep the bar under control at all times.
Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Beginner Introduction
The barbell bent-arm pullover is a barbell movement performed while lying along a bench, aimed at training the shoulders through a big backward-and-forward sweep of the arms. With the elbows bent throughout, the load sits closer to the body, which lessens strain on the shoulder joint compared with a straight-arm style and makes the motion feel smoother and more controlled. The bar travels in a curved path from above the chest toward the area behind the head, with the torso staying still on the bench.
This exercise highlights the lats as the main movers, with strong help from the chest and the backs of the upper arms to hold the elbow angle. The midsection and upper back play an important supporting role, helping the rib cage and shoulder area stay steady so the shoulders rotate without the lower back taking over. The overall theme is deliberate, tension-filled movement: steady control of the bar path, stable trunk position, and a feeling of the back muscles powering the return phase.