barbell decline bent arm pullover: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of barbell decline bent arm pullover

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Lie down on a decline bench with your head lower than your hips and your feet secured.
Step:2 Hold a barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing away from you) and extend your arms straight above your chest.
Step:3 Lower the barbell behind your head in a controlled manner, keeping your arms slightly bent.
Step:4 Pause for a moment, then raise the barbell back to the starting position by contracting your lats.
Step:5 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Barbell
Body part: Arms Back
Target muscle: Latissimus dorsi
Secondary muscle: Triceps Trapezius Rhomboids Sternal pectoralis (mid chest)

Hypertrophy grade

Good7 / 10

Nemeo’s take

The pullover applied to the bar is a big brother of the classic pullover, offering increased tension on the latissimus dorsi in a stretched position. However, trunk stability and grip become limiting at high loads. It is an interesting tool for stretching the back, but less effective than the guided or pulley variants for isolating the latissimus dorsi over time. Excellent for an overall stimulus, but the fatigue/stimulus ratio needs to be monitored.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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barbell decline bent arm pullover

How to do this exercise

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