Chest · Barbell
Barbell Decline Pullover
How to do the barbell decline pullover, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie back on a decline bench gripping a barbell with both hands above your chest, arms nearly straight with a slight elbow bend. Lower the bar in an arc behind your head until you feel a deep stretch across the chest and lats. Pull the bar back over your chest using your chest and lats to return to the start. The decline angle increases the stretch and chest emphasis.
- 1A deep stretch across the chest and lats behind the head
- 2Chest and lats pulling the bar back over the chest
- 3A fixed slight elbow bend held the whole set
Common mistakes
- Bending the elbows to turn it into a pulldown
- Dropping the bar too far and straining the shoulders
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears
Muscles worked
The barbell decline pullover mainly works the mid chest and lats, with the lower chest, triceps, and upper chest assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- LatsPrimary
- Lower ChestSupport
- TricepsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- BicepsMinor
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the barbell decline pullover for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More chest exercises
- How to do the archer push-up
- How to do the assisted dip
- How to do the resistance band chest flyes
- How to do the resistance band push-up
- How to do the barbell bench press
- How to do the paused bench press
Last reviewed June 2026.