Back · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
How to do the dumbbell straight arm pullover, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPull
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Lie back across a flat bench with only your upper back supported and your feet planted. Hold one dumbbell with both hands over your chest, arms straight. Keeping a slight fixed bend in your elbows, lower the weight back behind your head until you feel a stretch through your lats and chest, then pull it back over your chest using your lats.
- 1Feel the stretch through your lats and ribcage as the weight travels
- 2behind your head
- 3Keep your arms nearly straight and pull with your back, not your elbows
- 4Drive your ribs down and keep your core braced to protect your lower back
Common mistakes
- Don't bend or flare your elbows to turn it into a triceps movement
- Avoid arching your lower back as the weight goes overhead
- Don't drop the weight too far or too fast and overstretch the shoulder
Muscles worked
The dumbbell straight arm pullover mainly works the lats, with the lower chest, triceps, forearms, mid chest, mid traps, lower traps, and upper abs assisting.
- LatsPrimary
- Lower ChestSupport
- TricepsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- Mid ChestSupport
- Mid TrapsSupport
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsMinor
- Rear DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell straight arm 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 back exercises
- How to do the archer pull-up
- How to do the resistance band assisted pull-up
- How to do the machine assisted pull-up
- How to do the back extension bench back extension
- How to do the machine back extension
- How to do the back lever
Last reviewed June 2026.