Pullovers for Back

berry99

berry99

Cathlete
Hi everyone. Cathe does an exercise called pullovers for back muscles on both the Slow and Heavy and the Pyramid Upper Body. I think that I am doing this exercise correctly and the way that she describes it, but I really don't feel it in my back. Do I need to increase my weight or just really try to focus on the back muscles more?

Any help is apprecitated!!!
 
I'm so glad you asked this question as I have the same problem. I think I'm doing it correctly too but just don't seem to feel it like I think I should. Hopefully someone will chime in here and give some advice. Please:)
 
Love pullovers, one of my favourite exercises ever!

I find it helps to focus mentally on the targeted muscle group, and also to contract those muscles as the weight reaches the furthest piont over the head, just before you bring it back over again. This then keeps the focus on those muscles throughout.

Also as you move your arm back over the head, keep this controlled. Don't let your arms flop back and don't think of this as a stretching move, i.e. how far back can you stretch your arms. Keep it more contained than that, make an arc with the arms and keep them in that arc the whole way over and back. You should then feel a stretch under the arm pit and along the shoulder blade as you reach back and this eases as the weight comes forwards again. If you are not feeling much of a stretch and no challenge at all in the entire exercise as you pull the weight back over the head, try a heavier weight.

What weight do you use for these? Cathe uses 15's in S&H I think, and that's too light for me. I use 25 or 30 pounds. And I feel it after 3 sets of 8 reps.

Clare
 
I love this exercise as well...I have found that you REALLY have to concentrate on the move when you do it.

As Clare mentioned, really focus on the movement and if you find that you don't feel it after that, increase your weight.

Let us know how it goes...



~Marietta
FITXME
http://www.picturetrail.com/fitxme
 
Cathe typically uses 15# for pullovers. I use s 30# dumbbell and find this really helps me feel this excercise. Another thing that's helped me is to lie on a 10" step and bring my arms back over the head far enough so that the head of the dumbbell just grazes the floor. Then I pull back of bracing my core and lower back and I really feel it in the lats. (I find this exercise really works my triceps as well.)
 
Pullovers are one of my favorite, too! I started feeling it in my back when I:
-- didn't extend my arms as much, I keep a curve in my elbows, as mentioned above
-- use a barbell or body bar instead of holding one dumbbell in both hands, a la FIRM workouts. I needed to separate my hands more, keeping them in alignment with my shoulders. HTH!
 
1- WOW! you girls have me in awe! 30lbs during Slow & Heavy?? !! I'm using 20 lb on the first set, and then drop to 15 for the next 2, and that's tough enough for me. :+ Any more weight, and I'd have a db drop on my head. :/

2- The only tip I'd add, is that when I reach the over head point, I stop BEFORE the db leaves the working zone. I keep tension on the back muscle during the entire 8 rep set. If you bring the weight all the way on top (over your shoulders), the movement becomes a "rest", and you lose any pull on the muscle. At least, that's what works best for me.
 
i have to really concentrate and engage the right muscles. i don't go over 15lbs right now that seems to be a challenging yet comfortable weight for me.


kassia



When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be
disappointed to discover they are not it -- Bernard Bailey
 
Focus is very important with this exercise, IMO, because it can work back OR chest. When working back, when you are bringing the weight up from the down position, think a bit about pushing the lats into the step, that helps me focus my attention there.
 
I lead the movement with my elbows. I feel my lats more this way. If I don't keep the focus in my elbows, I have the tendency to lead with my chest and triceps, which aren't the targets of the exercise.

Pinky
 
I agree with leading with the elbows to feel it. 25 years ago when I first started lifting, I used Nautilis machines, and one of my favorites was the pullover machine. When I do these pull-overs on my back, I always think about how I worked that machine and isolate to that feeling. With that machine, you did not move it unless you focused on pressing down with your elbows. I use about 25 pounds, or on the new videos, 30 pound barbell.
 
Berry99, thanks so much for asking the question and starting this thread. Pullovers seem to do more for my back than the usual dumbell rows. The only thing I could think of was focusing on my lats while doing pullovers, but all the pointers offered will help. Thanks, everyone!
 
Thanks for the information everyone. I can't wait to try the pullovers again with all of this great input.
 
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