This week’s Thursday Q&A comes from long time reader and frequent weekend challenge doer Consolation_of_Philosophy. We are all grateful for this question as it touches on one of the most important lifts possible. COP wrote:

Glad you mentioned the DB chest pullover. It’s become a favorite since WB featured it, but I would not have thought to try a pyramid (or reverse pyramid) with it. In fact, I’ve been a little hesitant to up my weight with it. Usually go 4×20, at 30 or 35lbs– and it’s slow going, slow movements. Takes most of a song to get through set. Any form pointers, here? I usually go back pretty far, almost letting the dumbbell touch the ground, and squeeze forward from the belly through the shoulders.

Lou Skunt

This is such a great movement, but I’ve found that it’s one of those exercises that doesn’t work the same way for everybody.  The shoulder joint is delicate and not everybody has the same range of motion throughout this entire movement.  If you’re hesitant to add weight with the way you’re currently performing the movement, you can always mix things up with these two options:

– Try using the dumbbell on either an incline bench or decline bench.  Laying on either one of these benches as they were intended can add a little extra support in the core and provide additional stability for the stretch portion of the movement.

– Same as above, but instead of a dumbbell, use a cable with either a bent bar or straight bar.  The cable creates constant tension and the bar keeps things in a fixed position.

In terms of actual weight, when performing this exercise, I’ve always used lighter weight and performed the movement at the end of my chest routine.  This on one of these movements where you should really focus on the chest muscle doing the work – the hands/arms act only as hooks to support the movement.

J. Nyx

Locking my core helps me with these a lot.  Also placing my shoulders a bit over the bench helps get that full ROM.  You have it right, as with all lifts its important not to rush through it.  Too many people using momentum to move the weight instead of their muscles. I like to hit the point just before locking out, pause then do the negative movement.

I do hope these answers helped you COP and also helped the rest of Team WB Fitness.

Trust The Process!!