Need another back exercise to sub for pullovers

workout junkie

workout junkie

Cathlete
I'm currently doing PUB. I love pullovers, but my shoulder has been bothering me off and on the last few months and pullovers tend to aggravate it. (By the way, so do overhead triceps extensions if that matters.) Anyone have any suggestions for another back exercise?
 
Since Cathe pairs pullovers with double arm Db row, instead of the pullovers, you could try rear db flyes. Rear db flyes will hit both your upper back and rear delts. It is also a nice exercise to compliment the double arm row. Another idea would be to perform underhand double arm db rows and then go right into the narrow grip db row (which if the pair). Hope you like these ideas!


Kristen
 
Hi Kristen,

Thanks for the ideas. If you don't mind, I'd like to pick your brain a bit more.

I thought about possibly doing rear db flyes instead of pullovers, but then Cathe does rear delt flyes in the shoulder section. I thought that although they target different muscles, they were still too similar to do both. Maybe not? If I do flyes instead of pullovers, do you think I should do them before or after the rows?

I also like the idea of doing two types of rows.

Thanks again,
Melissa
 
Do the flyes when she does the pullovers. (just substitute) Another I idea that just popped into my mind is lower back deadlifts with dummbells. That would be good too!


Kristen
 
If you have resistance cords and a door attachment you can put through the top of a door (like the attachments www.sissel-online.com sells), you can do pulldowns, which I think would be a better sub for pullovers than flyes would be, as both pullovers and pull downs (as well as pull-ups/chin-ups) work a similar motion.

You might want to work on flexibility of your anterior deltoid area, and do some supplemental exercises for the rotator cuff to see if that will help with the discomfort from doing pullovers.
 
Thanks for the suggestions kathryn!

I don't have resistance cords or a door attachment. I do have a pullup tower that I should be using, but haven't been. I wish I had Cathe's new Power Tower so it'd be easier to do modified pullups.

I took a few weeks break from working out while on vacation, hoping that'd help my shoulder, but once I started working out again, I felt the same old twinge I've been fighting for several months.

I will take your advice and work on flexibility and do some additional rotator cuff exercises.

Thanks again!
 
I often do lat pulldowns if the pullovers aren't working out for me -if I try a pullover and get clicking/snapping in my one shoulder then I stop the DVD and switch to a pulldown. But I realize you may not have any way to do that.

Another thing I do a lot, more often now actually - is if I am doing a DVD where I know pullovers are coming next - I pause the DVD and do intense shoulder, arm (mainly tricep) and upper back stretching for about 5 minutes BEFORE I start the pullovers. Many times this alleviates the problem for me.

HTH,

~ Ann ~
Aim for nothing and you'll hit it everytime --- anonymous
 
Hi Ann.

We have a lat pulldown machine, so that is a definite possibility for me. I've been afraid to try them again though, because last time I tried them, I really messed up my neck and back. I think I was trying to go too heavy, so maybe I should just try again with lighter weight.

Thanks for the recommendations!
 
> I've been afraid to try them again
>though, because last time I tried them, I really messed up my
>neck and back.

Make sure to pull to the front of your body, not behind the neck.
 
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