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Barbell Pullover

A bench-based overhead arc that stretches and loads the lats — an old-school accessory for back, chest, and rib-cage development.

Primary muscle
Lats
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Movement
Pull
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How to do it

  1. Lie back on a flat bench with your head supported and feet planted flat on the floor.
  2. Hold a barbell over your chest with a shoulder-width grip and a slight bend in the elbows.
  3. Brace your core and pull your shoulder blades back and down into the bench.
  4. Lower the bar slowly in an arc behind your head until you feel a deep stretch in the lats.
  5. Pause briefly at the bottom, keeping the elbow angle locked, then pull the bar back over the chest.
  6. Stop the bar above the chest line and reset before the next controlled rep.

Common mistakes

  • Bending and straightening the elbows mid-rep, which turns the lift into a triceps extension.
  • Lowering the bar too fast, which strains the front shoulders without loading the lats.
  • Lifting the lower back off the bench, which removes tension from the lats and stresses the spine.
  • Using too much weight, which forces the elbows to collapse and breaks the overhead arc.

Muscles worked

Primary
Lats

Same movement, other equipment

Chin Ups Intermediate Chin Ups Lats Bodyweight Dumbbell Pullover Intermediate Dumbbell Pullover Lats Dumbbell Kettlebell Gorilla Row Intermediate Kettlebell Gorilla Row Lats Kettlebell Kettlebell Renegade Rows Intermediate Kettlebell Renegade Rows Lats Kettlebell

Plans that include the Barbell Pullover

Loaded Stretching
Loaded Stretching
Days a week
3× a week
Session
~30 min
Level
Advanced
Equipment
Gym

Similar exercises

Barbell Bent Over Row Intermediate Barbell Bent Over Row Lats Barbell Barbell Bent Over Row - Overhand Intermediate Barbell Bent Over Row - Overhand Lats Barbell Barbell Landmine Row Beginner Barbell Landmine Row Lats Barbell Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row Intermediate Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row Lats Barbell Landmine T Bar Rows Beginner Landmine T Bar Rows Lats Barbell

Good to know

What muscles does the Barbell Pullover work?
Mainly the lats.
What equipment do you need for the Barbell Pullover?
It uses a barbell. Without it, the Chin Ups and the Dumbbell Pullover train the same muscles the same way.
Is the Barbell Pullover good for beginners?
GymVim rates it intermediate. For a beginner-rated exercise on the same muscle and movement, see the Backpack Row.

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