Chest
Hex Press to Pullover
A hex press with a pair of dumbbells squeezed together, then a pullover behind your head, all lying on the floor. The press works your chest and triceps, and the pullover adds your lats.
- Works
- Chest, lats, triceps, front shoulders, core
- Equipment
- A pair of dumbbells and a mat
- Load
- Medium
How to do it
- 1Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Hold a pair of dumbbells over your chest, palms facing in, and squeeze them together.
- 2Keep squeezing and lower them to just above the middle of your chest, then press them back up.
- 3With your arms nearly straight, lower the dumbbells back behind your head, only as far as your ribs stay down.
- 4Pull them back up in the same arc until they're over your chest. That's 1 rep.
Cues
- Squeeze the dumbbells together the whole time.
- Arms soft and nearly straight on the pullover.
- Ribs down and lower back on the floor.
Common mistakes
- Letting the dumbbells come apart. Keep squeezing through the press and the pullover. If you can't, go lighter.
- Bending your elbows on the pullover. That turns it into a triceps move. Keep the same slight bend from over your chest to behind your head.
- Arching your back on the reach. Stop the pullover before your ribs lift, even if your arms don't reach the floor.
Easier
Go lighter, or shorten the pullover so the dumbbells stop over your forehead.
Harder
Pause for 2 seconds just above your chest on the press, and take 3 seconds on the way back on the pullover.
Try it: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
Can you do a dumbbell pullover on the floor?
Yes. The floor stops your arms at a safe depth, so you can't overreach. Keep your knees bent and your lower back flat, and stop the reach if your ribs start to lift.
