The Pullover

P

petramom

Cathlete
I have tried so hard to make this exercise work for me. I've tried different variations and weights but I just don't feel like the pullover is really working any muscle effectively. And it seems to be in every one of Cathe's weight workouts. So my two questions are:

1. Is it just me who is baffled by this exercise?

2. What do you think is the best substitute exercise (Cathe usually uses it as a back exercise, and it also is supposed to work the pecs and serratus)?
 
petramom said:
I have tried so hard to make this exercise work for me. I've tried different variations and weights but I just don't feel like the pullover is really working any muscle effectively. And it seems to be in every one of Cathe's weight workouts. So my two questions are:

1. Is it just me who is baffled by this exercise?

2. What do you think is the best substitute exercise (Cathe usually uses it as a back exercise, and it also is supposed to work the pecs and serratus)?
Click to expand...

I had a tough time getting this exercise at first as well. Now I instruct my clients on how to do it. It's SO important to do it super slow and start with just a bit lighter than you feel you really want to go. If you go lighter and slower you can really use the specific muscles that you want to "hit." Now, even though I can go heavy with the exercise, I can target a particular muscle group depending on the day (chest, back). Here's a suggestion:

To target your back: use a decline bench

To target your chest: use an incline bench

Each variation will target the specific area slightly more. Here's an article that outlines how to do the decline. Although it references using a barbell, you can substite with a dumbell:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0801/is_6_68/ai_n19187612?tag=rel.res1
 
petramom said:
I have tried so hard to make this exercise work for me. I've tried different variations and weights but I just don't feel like the pullover is really working any muscle effectively. And it seems to be in every one of Cathe's weight workouts. So my two questions are:

1. Is it just me who is baffled by this exercise?

2. What do you think is the best substitute exercise (Cathe usually uses it as a back exercise, and it also is supposed to work the pecs and serratus)?
Click to expand...

Petramom,
It's not just you!! I've never felt this particular exercise working any particular area on my body either. As a matter of fact, the only thing it does do is give me a knot in my right shoulder "wing". :(

The previous poster gave some good suggestions to try, but as for me - since it never fails to give me that muscle knot - I think I'm officially done with the pullover. I'm looking forward to see if anyone posts variations, because I'd like to know too!

:)Christine
 
I find that if I kind of push my scapula into the step as I'm lifting the weight forward, I can feel it more in my lats. Also, thinking of leading the upward motion though the elbows can help focus on the back.

The move hits the chest and serratus more if you go a bit farther towards your hips on the lift forward, or lie sideways on a bench with the his dropped.

One way I help tell my body to work the right muscles in a move is to try the move with no weight, just muscle tension. (This only works, though, if you have enough background, for you, in weight work. When one is just starting out--at least this one!--it's hard to feel the muscles working). Lie on the floor or a bench, and go through the motions of the move with no weight. Work on trying to feel the move in your lats. Not using weights allows you to experiment more safely, and to find the 'groove' that works for you.
 
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lats, visualization

My one or two cents - the pullover is a great lat exercise and they can be hard to target; a good sub would be a lat pulldown machine if you have access to one. What helped me was pressing my shoulders down into the bench and leading with the elbows, as another writer just mentioned. I also close my eyes and imagine the effort originating from my lats, throughout the movement. I have a book showing where all the muscles are which helps me figure out how to focus the visualization. I use this imaging technique with a lot of weight training exercises, not just the pullover, and find it helps me really focus on the muscle(s) which are supposed to be doing the work.
 
kathryn said:
I find that if I kind of push my scapular into the step as I'm lifting the weight forward, I can feel it more in my lats.
Click to expand...
That's a good point. I wonder how many people are unaware that they are hunching forward slightly as they move through the exercise.

Petra, make a conscious effort to bring your shoulders back and down, and as Kathryn said, press your shoulder blades into the step as you execute the movement. Keep them there...don't let them float up. That might help.
 
Very helpful responses - thank you. I have 4DS chest & back tomorrow and will give the form pointers a try.
 
I also find that working the negative on this exercise helps you feel the back more. But I agree with you and so do my PT clients. They just feel the abs, shoulders and some even say triceps, even with good form (?) I have them try a 3 and 1 count or a 6 and 2 count, pulling over fast, but going down slow. HTH! Clarissa
 
petramom said:
I have tried so hard to make this exercise work for me. I've tried different variations and weights but I just don't feel like the pullover is really working any muscle effectively. And it seems to be in every one of Cathe's weight workouts. So my two questions are:

1. Is it just me who is baffled by this exercise?

2. What do you think is the best substitute exercise (Cathe usually uses it as a back exercise, and it also is supposed to work the pecs and serratus)?
Click to expand...


I had this same problem up until very recently (about 3 weeks ago!)! This never did anything for me at all until I started rotation with Slow and Heavy. Maybe it was the pace of the reps, maybe it's the way the weight is held, I don't know. But now it works! I've notces a huge difference in the "bra bulge" area by my shoulder blades!
Like other posters have said, doing it very slowly seems to be the key!
 
engaging muscles

Hi,

I love pull overs, and always feel them more in my back. I think that what previous posters have said, that feeling the correct muscles engage is key to working the exercise properly. That being said, when I first started doing chin/pull ups, I really had to think hard to get the correct muscles to engage and it was like I had never used the muscles in that way before. Once I figured it out, I made much faster progress. The same maybe true for pull overs if you can think and activate the correct muscles.

It could be that you have weaker back muscles and that other muscles are taking over. Just a thought.....

Tracy
 
good topic

This topic was interesting. I always try to go heavy and emphasize the movement with full range of motion so I can feel something. I'll try to slow the pace down now to see if that works.
 
I agree with the slow and heavy too! I did these tonite with heavier weights and slower pace than Cathe was doing and closed my eyes to really concentrate on what muscles I was using and it worked! Thanks guys for the pointer!
 
I use a 30 or 35# DB. I prefer to work slow as well, and I really feel it in my lats. I love this exercise and will often do it even if it isn't in a particular day's workout.
 
I am able to feel pullovers in my back, as I do them, by concentrating. However, I do often feel them in my tricpes also. Particularly if I've gone with heavy dumbbells. Maybe I lose good form and triceps help out.
 
I also work my shoulders before doing pullovers, so that they really warm up. If I don't, I find that something catches in my anterior delts and makes it uncomfortabel to lift heavy.
 
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