10 Best Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover Alternatives for Home and Gym

Ranked Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

1. Best match

   Play demonstration

   1. Dumbbell Pullover

   89% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   It still works the pectorals, through a different movement.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie flat on a bench with your head at one end and your feet on the floor.
   2. Hold a dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms straight above your chest.
   3. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head until you feel a stretch in your chest and shoulders.
   4. Pause for a moment, then raise the dumbbell back to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
2. Play demonstration

   2. Dumbbell Around Pullover

   84% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie flat on a bench with your head at one end and your feet firmly on the ground.
   2. Hold a dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms straight above your chest.
   3. Keeping your arms straight, slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head in an arc motion.
   4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then raise the dumbbell back to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
3. 

   3. Decline Dumbbell Bench Press

   79% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   It uses the same equipment and still works the pectorals.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. 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.
   2. Once you are laying down, move the dumbbells in front of you at shoulder width.
   3. Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This will be your starting position.
   4. Bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe out. Keep full control of the dumbbells at all times. Tip: Throughout the motion, the forearms should always be perpendicular to the floor.
   5. As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up..
   6. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions of your training program.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
4. Play demonstration

   4. Dumbbell Decline Hammer Press

   79% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your head lower than your hips.
   2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other and your arms extended above your chest.
   3. Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
   4. Press the dumbbells back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
5. Play demonstration

   5. Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press

   79% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
   2. Sit on the bench with your back against the backrest and feet flat on the ground.
   3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing inwards.
   4. Extend your arms straight up above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
   5. Lower the dumbbells slowly towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body.
   6. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then press the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
   7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
6. 

   6. Hammer Grip Incline DB Bench Press

   79% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
   2. By using your thighs to help you get the dumbbells up, clean the dumbbells one arm at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder width.
   3. Once at shoulder width, keep the palms of your hands with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Keep your elbows flared out with the upper arms in line with the shoulders (perpendicular to the torso) and the elbows bent creating a 90-degree angle between the upper arm and the forearm. This will be your starting position.
   4. Now bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe in. Keep full control of the dumbbells at all times.
   5. As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
   6. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
   7. When you are done, place the dumbbells back in your thighs and then on the floor. This is the safest manner to dispose of the dumbbells.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
7. 

   7. Bent-arm Dumbbell Pullover

   79% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Place a dumbbell standing up on a flat bench.
   2. 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.
   3. 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.
   4. 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.
   5. 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.
   6. Hold the weight on the initial position for a second and repeat the motion for the prescribed number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
8. 

   8. Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip

   78% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Take a dumbbell in each hand and lay back onto a flat bench. Your feet should be flat on the floor and your shoulder blades retracted.
   2. Maintaining a neutral grip, palms facing each other, begin with your arms extended directly above you, perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
   3. Begin the movement by flexing the elbow, lowering the upper arms to the side. Descend until the dumbbells are to your torso.
   4. Pause, then extend the elbow and return to the starting position.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
9. 

   9. Incline Dumbbell Bench With Palms Facing In

   78% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
   2. By using your thighs to help you get the dumbbells up, clean the dumbbells one arm at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder width.
   3. Once at shoulder width, keep the palms of your hands with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Keep your elbows flared out with the upper arms in line with the shoulders (perpendicular to the torso) and the elbows bent creating a 90-degree angle between the upper arm and the forearm. This will be your starting position.
   4. Now bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe in. Keep full control of the dumbbells at all times.
   5. As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
   6. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
   7. When you are done, place the dumbbells back in your thighs and then on the floor. This is the safest manner to dispose of the dumbbells.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
10. Play demonstration

    10. Dumbbell Pullover On Exercise Ball

    77% match

    • Pectorals
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    How to perform this exercise

    1. Sit on an exercise ball and hold a dumbbell with both hands above your chest, arms extended.
    2. Slowly lower the dumbbell behind your head while keeping your arms straight.
    3. Pause for a moment, then raise the dumbbell back to the starting position.
    4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches

    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Straight Arm Pullover