10 Best Bent-arm Dumbbell Pullover Alternatives for Chest Hypertrophy
If you need an alternative to the bent-arm dumbbell pullover, choose exercises that preserve shoulder safety while loading the pectoralis major. Try a single-arm cable crossover (stand tall, pull horizontally across the body with a 10–20° elbow bend) or a dumbbell floor press to keep chest tension and limit end-range shoulder extension.
Original Exercise: Bent-arm Dumbbell Pullover
How to Perform Bent-arm Dumbbell Pullover
- Place a dumbbell standing up on a flat bench.
- Ensuring that the dumbbell stays securely placed at the top of the bench, lie perpendicular to the bench (torso across it as in forming a cross) with only your shoulders lying on the surface. Hips should be below the bench and legs bent with feet firmly on the floor. The head will be off the bench as well.
- Grasp the dumbbell with both hands and hold it straight over your chest with a bend in your arms. Both palms should be pressing against the underside one of the sides of the dumbbell. This will be your starting position. Caution: Always ensure that the dumbbell used for this exercise is secure. Using a dumbbell with loose plates can result in the dumbbell falling apart and falling on your face.
- While keeping your arms locked in the bent arm position, lower the weight slowly in an arc behind your head while breathing in until you feel a stretch on the chest.
- At that point, bring the dumbbell back to the starting position using the arc through which the weight was lowered and exhale as you perform this movement.
- Hold the weight on the initial position for a second and repeat the motion for the prescribed number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
- Category: Strength
- Force: Push
- Movement type: Compound
Best Bent-arm Dumbbell Pullover Alternatives
1. Dumbbell Pullover On Exercise Ball
95.8% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on an exercise ball and hold a dumbbell with both hands above your chest, arms extended.
- Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head while keeping your arms straight.
- Pause for a moment, then raise the dumbbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Bodyweight Flyes
94.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Position two equally loaded EZ bars on the ground next to each other. Ensure they are able to roll.
- Assume a push-up position over the bars, supporting your weight on your toes and hands with your arms extended and body straight.
- Place your hands on the bars. This will be your starting position.
- Using a slow and controlled motion, move your hands away from the midline of your body, rolling the bars apart. Inhale during this portion of the motion.
- After moving the bars as far apart as you can, return to the starting position by pulling them back together. Exhale as you perform this movement.
3. Barbell Decline Pullover
93.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie down on a decline bench with your head lower than your hips and your feet secured.
- Hold the barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing away from you) and your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Extend your arms above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Lower the barbell in an arc motion behind your head, feeling a stretch in your chest and shoulders.
- Pause for a moment, then return the barbell to the starting position by reversing the motion.
4. Dumbbell Fly
92.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
- Extend your arms straight up over your chest, with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lower your arms out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
- Pause for a moment, then reverse the movement and bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Dumbbell Decline Fly
92.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your head lower than your hips.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other and your arms extended above your chest.
- Lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
- Pause for a moment, then squeeze your chest muscles to bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
6. Dumbbell Decline Twist Fly
92.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie down on a decline bench with your head lower than your hips.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other and your arms extended straight up over your chest.
- Lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
- As you lower the dumbbells, twist your wrists so that your palms face forward at the bottom of the movement.
- Reverse the motion and bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles at the top.
7. Dumbbell Fly On Exercise Ball
89.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on an exercise ball and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Walk your feet forward and roll your body down until your head, neck, and upper back are supported by the ball.
- Extend your arms straight up above your chest, palms facing each other.
- Bend your elbows slightly and lower your arms out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
- Pause for a moment, then reverse the movement and squeeze your chest muscles as you bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.
8. Dumbbell Incline Fly On Exercise Ball
89.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Sit on an exercise ball and roll forward until your upper back is resting on the incline bench.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other and your arms extended above your chest.
- Lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
- Pause for a moment, then squeeze your chest muscles to bring the dumbbells back to the starting position.
9. Decline Dumbbell Flyes
89.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and lie down with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
- Once you are laying down, move the dumbbells in front of you at shoulder width. The palms of the hands should be facing each other and the arms should be perpendicular to the floor and fully extended. This will be your starting position.
- With a slight bend on your elbows in order to prevent stress at the biceps tendon, lower your arms out at both sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch on your chest. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Keep in mind that throughout the movement, the arms should remain stationary; the movement should only occur at the shoulder joint.
- Return your arms back to the starting position as you squeeze your chest muscles and breathe out. Tip: Make sure to use the same arc of motion used to lower the weights.
- Hold for a second at the contracted position and repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
10. Dumbbell Incline Fly
89.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle.
- Sit on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
- Lie back on the bench and press the dumbbells up to the starting position, directly above your chest.
- Lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
- Pause for a moment, then squeeze your chest muscles to bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
Why You Might Need a Bent-arm Dumbbell Pullover Alternative
You might substitute the bent-arm pullover for shoulder pain, limited mobility, or lack of a heavy dumbbell. The pullover places the shoulder into aggressive extension and requires scapular control; that makes it risky for rotator cuff issues. Substitutes let you preserve horizontal adduction and chest tension while reducing stretch on the anterior capsule. For example, switch to a cable crossover and cue a soft elbow bend and controlled eccentric to emphasize pectoral fiber loading, or use a floor press to stop before painful end-range shoulder extension.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Pick a substitute based on joint tolerance, equipment, and the movement pattern you need. If you want to mimic pullover shoulder extension, choose lat-dominant moves like straight-arm pulldowns and cue a long thoracic reach. To target horizontal adduction of the chest, select presses or flyes and cue active scapular retraction with the chest leading the motion. Also match loading strategy: use heavier sets (4–8 reps) for strength and moderate reps (8–15) with 2–3 second eccentrics for hypertrophy to maximize pectoral activation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Bent-arm Dumbbell Pullover work?
The bent-arm pullover primarily targets the pectoralis major and also engages the latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior depending on arm path. Elbow bend and humeral extension determine whether the chest or lats take more load; keep a slight elbow bend to bias the pecs.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Bent-arm Dumbbell Pullover?
A strict archer push-up or wide push-up with a forward lean is an effective bodyweight alternative because it increases horizontal adduction under tension. Cue a forward-leaning torso, elbows ~30° from the body, and pause at the bottom to increase pectoral stretch and activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Bent-arm Dumbbell Pullover?
Yes. You can stimulate pectoral hypertrophy with presses, cable crossovers, and controlled fly variations that maintain chest tension through ROM. Prioritize progressive overload, full-range reps, and tempo control (2–3 second eccentrics) to maximize muscle activation without that specific pullover movement.
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