Arnold Schwarzenegger has spoken highly of dumbbell pullovers to help build size.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has spent decades as a fitness icon sharing his wisdom with the next generation. As the calendar prepares to turn to 2025, there is one workout that Schwarzenegger pegged as a “forgotten gem” to throw into your workout if you have not already for 2025.
In a recent interview, Schwarzenegger highlighted dumbbell pullovers as an “absolute must” to help grow your chest and back.
“One of the prime movements that made my chest grow was the dumbbell pullover.”
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“Pullovers work the chest, lats, and serratus…I would recommend pullovers as an absolute must for expanding the rib cage.”
Diving Deeper into The Dumbbell Pullover
The exercise known as the dumbbell pullover has been somewhat abandoned by newer age bodybuilders. It is an old school training method used by some of the greats, such as Arnold and Dorian Yates. Look at their backs and seratus muscles, they were well developed.
The targeted muscle groups from this exercise are the seratus, lats, with a little bit of the chest. Some have even credited the dumbbell pullover with expanding the diaphragm, so they are able to pull in the vacuum pose better.
Dumbbell Pullover Alternatives
Now, the dumbbell pullover is a great, classic exercise, but you may not really enjoy it in your workouts. Many argue how “optimal” the exercise actually is for growing the lats. Some say it is pointless, some say it is great. Overall, the pullover movement is beneficial, regardless of what you do it with. But in the case that you don’t want to do it with dumbbells, there are things you can do in substitute of it. Let’s take a look at those.
Cable Pullover
The cable pullover is meant to simulate the dumbbell pullover, just with more emphasis on the lats. You can do this with a bar attachment, or the ropes.
To set up, set the cable at a height where you can get a good stretch. Hinge at the hips so your torso is slightly above parallel to the floor. Pull the attachment to your hips, squeezing the lats at the top of the movement. Reset and repeat.
The Pullover Machine
This machine is becoming almost as forgotten as the dumbbell pullover. It is a staple of Dorian Yates’ back workout. The late John Meadows used it. Mike Mentzer used it too. Some of the greatest names in bodybuilding used this machine, and for good reason. Chances are if some of the greatest names in the sport use it, it works. This machine puts a great amount of emphasis on the lats as well as that seratus.
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