10 Top Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Alternatives for Training

The Barbell Bent Arm Pullover is done lying on your back with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the EZ Bar Lying Bent Arms Pullover, the Barbell Decline Bent Arm Pullover and the Barbell Decline Wide-grip Pullover.

Barbell Bent Arm PulloverWatch the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover

The steps for the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Lats, with triceps, chest · Barbell · Intermediate · Isolation

  1. Lie flat on a bench with your head at one end and your feet on the floor.
  2. Hold a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and extend your arms straight above your chest.
  3. Lower the barbell behind your head while keeping your arms slightly bent.
  4. Pause for a moment, then raise the barbell back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. EZ Bar Lying Bent Arms PulloverPlay demonstration

    1. EZ Bar Lying Bent Arms Pullover

    99% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Isolation

    A good swap when you have an EZ bar to work with, and it still works the lats.

    • Ez-barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lie flat on a bench with your head at one end and your feet on the floor.
    2. Hold the EZ barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing away from you) and your hands shoulder-width apart.
    3. Extend your arms straight above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
    4. Lower the barbell in an arc motion behind your head, maintaining the slight bend in your elbows.
    5. Pause for a moment, then return the barbell to the starting position by reversing the arc motion.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover
  2. Barbell Decline Bent Arm PulloverPlay demonstration

    2. Barbell Decline Bent Arm Pullover

    94% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Isolation

    Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the lats.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lie down on a decline bench with your head lower than your hips and your feet secured.
    2. Hold a barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing away from you) and extend your arms straight above your chest.
    3. Lower the barbell behind your head in a controlled manner, keeping your arms slightly bent.
    4. Pause for a moment, then raise the barbell back to the starting position by contracting your lats.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover
  4. Barbell PulloverPlay demonstration

    4. Barbell Pullover

    84% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Isolation

    It still works the lats, through a different movement.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Lie flat on a bench with your head at one end and your feet on the floor.
    2. Hold a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and extend your arms straight above your chest.
    3. Keeping your arms straight, lower the barbell behind your head in a controlled manner until you feel a stretch in your lats.
    4. Pause for a moment, then raise the barbell back to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover
  5. Cable Lying Extension Pullover (With Rope Attachment)Play demonstration

    5. Cable Lying Extension Pullover (With Rope Attachment)

    80% match

    Lats · Intermediate · Isolation

    A good swap when you have a cable machine to work with, and it still works the lats.

    • Cable
    How to perform it
    1. Attach a rope to a cable machine and set the pulley at the highest position.
    2. Lie down on a bench with your head towards the cable machine.
    3. Hold the rope with both hands and extend your arms straight up above your chest.
    4. Keeping your arms straight, slowly lower the rope behind your head while maintaining control.
    5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly raise the rope back to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: lats, the same as the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover
    • Equipment: a cable, not free weights
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Barbell Bent Arm Pullover

Why You Might Need a Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Alternative

You may need substitutes because of shoulder pain, limited barbell access, poor pullover mechanics, or a desire for more progressive overload options. The barbell bent-arm pullover isolates the lats through shoulder extension with a fixed grip, which can stress the glenohumeral joint in some lifters. Alternatives let you change leverage, range of motion, and tension (for example, using a cable preserves constant tension). Cue a slightly bent elbow and pull from the lat tendon toward the hip to emphasize lat activation rather than chest or triceps involvement.

Barbell Bent Arm Pullover FAQ

What muscles does Barbell Bent Arm Pullover work?

The movement primarily targets the latissimus dorsi through shoulder extension while the elbow is bent. It also recruits teres major, posterior deltoid, serratus anterior, and the long head of the triceps as stabilizers, cue a soft elbow and scapular depression to bias the lats over the chest.

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