Pullovers

MO75

New Member
I've been reading that pullovers are considered by some to be like the upper body equivalent of the squat (great mass builder, works the whole upper body, etc. eg: here). It doesn't seem to be an exercise very often recommended by peeps on this forum, just wondering what people's opinions of this exercise are? It's not an exercise I particular like, I mean I'd prefer to do dips and bench presses for my chest and rows and chins for my back. However, if it is good for adding mass then I might consider incorporating it (plus my gym has a pullover machine, so I can use that).
 
You must be hanging out at GetBig.com because they seem to worship pullovers and any exercise done on a smith machine.
rock.gif


I will let others chime in on the effectiveness of pullovers.
 
I use pullovers sometimes as an accessory exercise after weighted chins and bentover rows.
 
I just wish for the hundredth time that someone could identify them as being a chest or back exersize!!! This has been going on for ages.
I did them for a while, never noticed anything from them. Usually using a cambered bar and around 130-150 lbs.
 
Quad,  They work both the pecs and lats which is why some people think they are a great exercise.

I have heard that pullovers are potentially harmful if you aren't careful.  Potentially harmful in that if you over stretch with too much weight you can tear the center connective tissue of the abs.  Whether that is true or not I don't know...but that is what I have heard.

Personally I think a close grip, palms facing you, pull up does the exact same thing but is much, much more effective without the potential of over stretching the abs as is suggested could be a problem.
 
As I work chest and back in superset fashion, I find pullovers a great finishing exercise for both. I prefer the dumbell variation with shoulders against the bench. The key is to keep the hips low throughout the exercise. Try this with a 125lb dumbell and you won't want to do anything afterwards!
 
I find it odd myself that people like using a d/b for them. I tried it and found you simply just can't use NEAR the weight you'd use with a straight OR cambered bar, I think because you're using a lot of strength just gripping and balancing the thing.
One experiment I did went well just before I quit them: I used a low pulley and laid on a slight decline, just enough for the cable to clear my forehead. I thought this was better because of the constant tension throughout the ROM.
 
I much prefer to use a db for pullovers because I like my hands to be palms facing each other during the movement. For me it's much more comfortable than holding a bar as you would for skulls. It's more like a bell-ringing motion but with upper arms dropping down behind your head.
 
It is a good exercise IMO, great for the chest and lats specially the serratus muscles, but invariably the whole lat.

I enjoy all three variations:

EZ bar on a decline bench - stretch can be a problem if overdone.

D/B with back on bench, great with a partner to handle the extra unnecessary griping and shifting before doing it, confortable once set up.

Cable - on a decline bench with small straight bar, grrrreat feeling of constant tension.

Definitely something worth doing! Even as an alternative to supplument chins for example
wink.gif
 
This is one movemement where I actually think the machine version is superior as it allows constant tension throughout a full range of motion. As long as the mahcine allows you to fully stretch at the top of the movement (or bottom depending which way you think of it)

It also allows you to push with your elbows so there's no arm bending/straightening to cheat with.

Cheers

Rob
 
I like to superset lying DB pullovers (or sometimes with a bar) with straight-arm standing pull downs. I avoid the top easy third of the pullover so I don’t have to go as heavy (because there is no let off between reps) then without resting more than a few seconds I go right into the pull/press downs.

For the straight-bar/straight-arm press downs I stand back a fair bit from the cable machine and lean into it a bit. I work only from about 1/3 down to the very bottom. For both exercises I find you have to practice shrugging the lats down with a slightly lighter weight than you might think you need. Then get heavier as you learn to really feel the lats working.

A good pullover machine is great. I use it to warm-up and pre fatigue the lats. Then I do my other rowing/pulldowns or whatever and finish with the machine pullover as a all out hard set. After the arms are sacked it helps for squeezing out some ROM that still isn’t well taxed.

Regards,
Andrew
 
<div>
(quadancer @ Jan. 30 2007,10:17)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I just wish for the hundredth time that someone could identify them as being a chest or back exersize!!! This has been going on for ages.
I did them for a while, never noticed anything from them. Usually using a cambered bar and around 130-150 lbs.</div>
Pull-Ups or Chin-Ups are back exercises.

Pullovers (as seen here - http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/DBPullover.html) are similar to skullcrushers, but target your chest more. This change in exercise movement is similar to where your grip is at when you do dips.

Pullovers do seem to arch the back slightly which in essence will apply some load to your lats.

One thing I do like about them is the loaded stretch. I would use it as a warmup exercise for the chest, or as an extra burn set like Totentanz mentioned.

I may have to try this exercise some time.

Thanks for the read,
Colby
 
<div>
(colby2152 @ Feb. 01 2007,18:18)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Pullovers (as seen here - http://exrx.net/WeightExercises/PectoralSternal/DBPullover.html) are similar to skullcrushers, but target your chest more.</div>
The link didn't work but I'd just wanted to point out that pullovers and skullcrushers are completely diffferent.

Skullcrushers are a tricep exercise, only the forearms should move, not the upper arms.

The exact opposite is true of a pullover, it's the upper arms moving the weight.

The lats are involved because the movement is exactly the same as a chin up as far as your upper arms are concerned but with greater stretch.

I've never worked out why the chest is supposed to be involved though so maybe someone can enlighten me.

Cheers

Rob
 
The chest is involved in a palms facing close grip pull-up also.

Sit in a chair and put your elbow on a table.  Now put your other hand on your chest.  Now try to push the table down with your elbow.  Do you feel it?

Or reach one hand up and grab a pull-up bar.  Now put your other hand on your chest.  Now try to do a one arm pull-up.  Do you feel it?
 
<div>
(Bulldog @ Feb. 01 2007,21:14)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">The chest is involved in a palms facing close grip pull-up also.

Sit in a chair and put your elbow on a table. Now put your other hand on your chest. Now try to push the table down with your elbow. Do you feel it?</div>
Yep!

Thanks

Rob
 
Most guys don't know how to do a skullcrusher properly either. Once I lay back, I press the bar up over my face, then move it about 4&quot; over the top of my head and make that the starting point, which keeps the triceps loaded continuously. The elbows do not move.
Pullovers would be hard to screw up, but I do see some guys lower the weight to the stomach, not touching before going back overhead. I find that this temporarily flexes the pecs and works the anterior delts a bit. I doubt it's much good for a mass builder though.
 
<div>
(quadancer @ Feb. 01 2007,17:25)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Most guys don't know how to do a skullcrusher properly either. Once I lay back, I press the bar up over my face, then move it about 4&quot; over the top of my head and make that the starting point, which keeps the triceps loaded continuously. The elbows do not move.
Pullovers would be hard to screw up, but I do see some guys lower the weight to the stomach, not touching before going back overhead. I find that this temporarily flexes the pecs and works the anterior delts a bit. I doubt it's much good for a mass builder though.</div>
Most people do skulls with the starting point being at 90 degrees - arms are in the position to do a close-grip bench. I learned this because I did it in conjunction with CGBP. Shortening up the ROM does prevent momentum shifts and extra strain in the arms due to those shifts.
 
What is a 'momentum shift'? I just do them that way to keep the triceps loaded, sort of like doing curls leaning slightly forward.
 
Back
Top