Barbell Wide Pullover

The Barbell Wide Pullover targets the chest, back, and shoulders. This exercise enhances upper body strength and flexibility.

  1. Lie on a bench with a barbell held above your chest, arms extended.
  2. Lower the barbell in an arc behind your head while keeping your elbows slightly bent.
  3. Pull the barbell back to the starting position, engaging your chest and back muscles.

How to perform the Barbell Wide Pullover

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Barbell Wide Pullover using your barbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your latissimus dorsi.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your latissimus dorsi rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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