Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover

Lie flat on your back on a bench or mat. Hold a dumbbell with both hands, arms extended straight above your chest. Keeping your arms straight, lower the dumbbell over your head towards the floor. Slowly bring the dumbbell back up towards the starting position. Repeat for desired number of repetitions.

How to perform the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover using your dumbbell.
  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.

Build a free routine

Stage exercises here, then sign up to save them as a real Fitly routine — synced to web and mobile.

View staged routine (0)

Variations of Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover

Related exercises

0 exercises staged Save your routine — sign up free.