Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Barbell Pullover: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The barbell pullover is a strength exercise that targets the latissimus dorsi (lats) and also engages the chest and triceps. It involves lying on a bench and moving a barbell in an arc from above the chest to behind the head, emphasizing a stretch and contraction of the upper body muscles.

Primary muscles
Lats
Secondary muscles
Chest , Triceps
Equipment
Barbell
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the barbell pullover
Front view: muscles worked by the barbell pullover. Primary: lats. Secondary: chest and triceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the barbell pullover. Primary: lats. Secondary: chest and triceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the barbell pullover

  1. Step 1: Lie flat on a bench with your head at one end and your feet on the floor.
  2. Step 2: Hold a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and extend your arms straight above your chest.
  3. Step 3: Keeping your arms straight, lower the barbell behind your head in a controlled manner until you feel a stretch in your lats.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment, then raise the barbell back to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the barbell pullover by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Barbell Pullover alternatives

More exercises that train the lats as their main target:

More lats exercises

See the best lat exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.