Pullover exercises primarily work the pectoral muscles of the chest. The stiff- or straight-arm pullover is one form of the exercise along with the bent-arm version. According to MuscleMagFitness.com, the pullover is an advanced movement that will work the chest at different angles and employ muscle fibers that standard chest-building exercises may miss.
Equipment Used
Perform stiff-arm pullovers with either dumbbells or barbells. With dumbbells, you will use one dumbbell and grip it with both hands; with barbells, use in the standard way. Perform the exercise on any bench, but it is easiest to do on a flat bench with no weight rack on the back. However, if you only have a bench with a weight rack, lie sideways with only your shoulders on the bench to perform the move.
How to Perform
Lie on a bench with your head barely hanging off the edge of the bench. Hold a weight above your head, and while keeping your arms straight, lower it behind your head as far as you can. Push the weight back up to the front of your chest and repeat.
Main Muscles Worked
The stiff-arm pullover mainly works the pectoralis muscles of the chest. It also extensively works the lat muscles of the back. The pullover can help expand your rib cage. The deep extension at the back of the exercise stretches the chest, and the pullover action works the chest and lats heavily.
Other Muscles Worked
The stiff-arm pullover also works the triceps and serratus muscles. The triceps on the back of the arm help to extend the weight back and push it forward. The serratus muscle is on the rib cage and is worked heavily during the back portion of the exercise, which helps to stretch and extend the chest.
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