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EZ Bar Lying Bent Arms Pullover
A lying pullover with an EZ bar and deliberately bent elbows, loading the lats through a long overhead arc with less elbow strain than a straight-arm version.
BackBarbellPullover
GoLightWeight mediaez-bar-lying-bent-arms-pullover
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Latissimus dorsi
Secondary
Pectoralis majorTricepsTeres majorSerratus anterior
Equipment
Barbell
Pattern
Pullover
Setup
- 01Lie back on a flat bench with feet planted on the floor.
- 02Hold the EZ bar over the chest on the inner angled grips, palms facing away.
- 03Bend the elbows to roughly 90 degrees and keep them that way.
- 04Set the ribs down and brace lightly before the first rep.
Execution
- 01Lower the bar back over your head in an arc, keeping the elbow bend fixed.
- 02Descend until you feel a strong stretch through the lats.
- 03Pull the bar back over the chest along the same arc.
- 04Stop above the lower chest without pressing the bar upward.
Checkpoints
- -Elbow angle stays constant; the shoulders do the moving.
- -Ribs stay down with only a small natural arch.
- -The stretch lands in the lats, not the shoulder joint.
- -Bar path is a smooth arc, not a drop and heave.
Common mistakes
- -Turning it into a triceps extension by opening and closing the elbows.
- -Flaring the ribs and overarching to gain range.
- -Going so deep that the shoulders pinch.
- -Using a load that forces a jerky turnaround at the bottom.
Programming notes
- -Use 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps with a controlled 2 to 3 second lowering.
- -Keep it as a stretch-focused accessory after rows or pulldowns.
- -Increase range before increasing load.
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