Build a ripped, athletic chest doing the best exercises the right way
The typical dumbbell chest workout includes plenty of flat bench presses, incline dumbbell presses and maybe even flies. The problem with this workout and exercise selection? If you’re not including dumbbell pullovers, then you are missing out on one of the best chest mass building options available to you.
In this video, I show you how to properly perform a dumbbell chest pullover to target your chest (and upper chest specifically) much more than the lats. With a few tweaks of how you initiate the movement as well as the depth that you lower the dumbbell over your head during the exercise, you’ll be able to turn this into a great chest developer.
To build a bigger chest with dumbbells you need to be sure that you are using heavy enough weight to stimulate overload. Most of the time, the old standby exercises of flat and incline bench presses are therefore used. That being said, the dumbbell pullover can also be done with a single heavy dumbbell. Because of the movement pattern being used, you are still ending up in the traditional pressing finish position. You get to the end of this press contraction in a unique way however.
Start by holding the dumbbell with both hands on one end. Slowly lower the weight behind your head until it is level with your head. There is no need to lower the dumbbell any further as this can compromise a vulnerable shoulder joint and cause unnecessary damage. When doing this as a lat exercise, the stretch becomes more important. For the chest however, the real benefit of the move comes from the execution of the squeeze or contraction of the pecs at the top.
That said, you will initiate the concentric part of this chest workout staple by squeezing your hands together. Of course, your hands won’t be able to move any closer together since they are bound by the dumbbell. You will however be able to heighten the contraction of the chest by doing this. This horizontal adduction is one of the key functions of the pecs and is responsible for the effectiveness of this move in your chest workout.
If you are looking to build a bigger chest and train at home or the gym with dumbbells, you will definitely want to consider putting the dumbbell pullover back in your chest workout routine. If you want to build an athletic chest then head to and check out the ATHLEAN-X Training System. Elite pro athletes are using these exact workouts to build impressive and powerful pecs.
For more chest workout videos and exercises to build a bigger chest at home or at the gym, be sure to subscribe to our channel here on youtube at
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I do these as part of my chest routine and was wondering, I’ve seen a lot of videos of guys doing pullovers laying sideways over the bench and I’ve seen others with guys laying on the bench with their neck just off the top of the bench. Is one more correct or are their advantages/disadvantages of one over the other? I’ve never tried them laying sideways. I’ve always done them laying on the bench.
What about the internal rotation of the shoulder while elevated?
Your workouts tips are amazing. Thanks for posting.
Nice
Excellent short video. I love your constant reminder about discipline and training.
No chest workout complete without this.
It very helpful thanks ❤️❤️
Damn, Ross really went after those gains after that break with Rachel
I still watch this hehe
Does lowering your hips below your shoulder level matter? I was told by a fitness friend that by lowering my hips, I will take the Lats out of play and put all the work on the chest. With the hips even with the shoulders, my Lats will still engage along with the chest and I will lose some benefit of the movement.
Will doing these on an incline bench work more the upper pecs?
Jeff, I love you, man. Aside from the aesthetically pleasing physique you have that makes these vids nice to watch, you MAKE FUCKING SENSE!!! Doing these right now and I immediately feel a difference, and I’ve been doing these for years. My fingers feel a little gummy because I’m engaging them like never before. Now if you can just get rid of your goddamn shipping price on your supps. youd be perfect!!!
does this also work your longhead triceps?
Only work if you weigh less than 80-85 kg or 73 kg like Jeff. It's not big enough for the bench if you are over 100 kg or 110 kg like me. I use the bench vertical instead of parallel position. It offers me fewer spinal erector problems.
After 3 to 4 years of doing pullovers, now I understood how to do it effectively.
Y shoulders dont like this sorry
I never knew that pullovers worked the upper pecs so well, until I saw this video. It’s amazing how changing your technique and contractions on the exercise can shift the emphasis to the upper chest. There are so few effective exercises for the clavicular head, so, I’m glad I came across this video.
I think these, along with the reverse-grip bench press (RGBP) and maybe the incline bench press, would be fantastic for the upper pecs.
Speaking of the upper pecs, I would like to see a video done on the effectiveness of the reverse-grip bench press, considering the research/studies that have mentioned the high effectiveness of the RGBP for the upper chest, and also how (according to the research) incline bench presses may not be as effective as we’ve always thought they were for the upper chest. (I know of two studies, in particular, with one mentioning bench pressing with a supinated grip, and the other mentioning how the incline bench press isn’t too much better for the upper chest than the standard bench press.)
Of course, the form that you advocate in your chest videos (chest out, further than the shoulders, and shoulders back and down) can make an exercise like the incline bench press more effective.
I know one study found that the RGBP hits the upper chest 25-30% more than the regular bench press.
The other study found that the incline bench press increased upper pec activation only 5-10% more than the regular bench press, and I believe it found that incline bench press (even at. 30-45 degree angle) increased shoulder involvement by 85-90% (when compared to the standard bench press).
It’s just a shame that there haven’t been more high-quality studies done on the RGBP and the incline bench press.
I really enjoy your videos and have truly learned more from them than from videos from any other individual on other YouTube channels. Your information is more accurate and reliable.
I have a question about arm position. Picture your arms positioned two different ways. One is like throwing a tomahawk (arm is straight in front of the chest). The second is with the arm to the side like a waving good luck cat, like at Japanese restaurants. The difference besides arm position is the hinge at the elbow versus shoulder. When you’re pulling the weight up, to most activate the chest in this exercise, should you be thinking about or positioning your arms toward one or the other of those hinges?
Sir thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with us. God bless you Sir lot of loves from Myanmar❤️
great tip
Thank you so much. You really take care of your community.
Just back into bodybuilding after a 30 year hiatus and at 61 it’s so nice to be able to follow Jeff and learn from him!
Less work,and more talk
Don't make me dislike the video!!!!!
THERE WE GO! Literally doing them now not understanding how to feel the chest, but this little tip instanty fired them up.
Dumbell pullovers are both used for chest and back, but they are 2 total different muscle groups so i would like a bit more clarity on that.