Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Dumbbell Around Pullover: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell around pullover is a chest exercise performed lying on a bench, where you lower a dumbbell behind your head in an arc and then return to the starting position. It primarily targets the pectorals, with secondary emphasis on the triceps and latissimus dorsi.

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

How to do the dumbbell around pullover

  1. Step 1: Lie flat on a bench with your head at one end and your feet firmly on the ground.
  2. Step 2: Hold a dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms straight above your chest.
  3. Step 3: Keeping your arms straight, slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head in an arc motion.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment at the bottom, then raise the dumbbell 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 dumbbell around 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.

Dumbbell Around Pullover alternatives

More exercises that train the chest as their main target:

More chest exercises

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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.