Friday, May 7, 2010

Free-Weight Pullovers

Straight-Arm Pullovers on the floor can be used to develop and strengthen the serratus muscles. The serratus come strongly into play in all overhead action once the arms have been raised to shoulder level. Place your left hand on your right side, in the location of the serratus muscles. Now, raise your right arm overhead as if performing a dumbell press. Feel that? That's what I'm talkin' 'bout. Observe, comrade. To get the most out of this exercise, lie on the floor, a barbell held at arms' length above the chest, narrow handspacing. Steadily lower the weight down to the floor, keeping the arms locked straight and the entire back, hips and buttocks pressed against the floor. Don't arch your back off the floor. As soon as the weight touches the floor, raise it back to commencing postion and repeat. Obsoive, playah!



Two versions of Breathing Pullover benches. Circular bench, moon bench, equipment nearing antiquity. The idea was to stretch the ribs to their maximum in the pursuit of a bigger breadbox. Some say breathing pullovers are worthless, others swear by them. Personally, I agree with Rhett Butler on this one.



Two views of the Cross-Bench Dumbell Pullover. I'm sure Reg Park has been there, as has Clancy Ross. The hole-in-the-wall gym was a common thing in their day, however, in this case, the case of Clancy Ross, the hole is in the photo.



Decline Pullovers on two types of benches. Hard to believe, but people lifted with heavy weights on benches like the one directly above. Many 400-plus pound bench presses were made on flimsy equipment. Imagine the end of civilization, it's not hard to do. Now picture, if you will, the sort of training equipment the survivors will use. Alas, in heaven there is no gear.


Pullovers with two dumbells allow for a parallel grip, taking some of the strain off the wrists and forearms. There's bars for this type of thing, but when you train in a bathing suit there's bigger things to worry about.


Alternating Dumbell Pullovers. Don't ask me why. I haven't got a clue. Single-Arm Dumbell Pullovers might be interesting. Why not. Matter of fact, why not knit? Rosey Grier found relaxation and release in needlepoint. You could knit your own hat with flames on it. Add a dandy needlepoint logo and there you have it. I'd like mine to say "World's Biggest Asshole" if you ever start really getting into that.


The position shown above is often used when lifting maximum poundages. If you don't quite understand why right now, continue adding weight to the bar till your nose knows. After that, consider the shortened range of motion this position creates, consider Chris Isaak's nose after being broken seven times on his rise to win the Golden Gloves. Not to say you'll win the Golden Gloves just because your nose has been broken seven times. That's a different award.


Rebounding Bent-Arm Pullovers permit, er, let youse handle very heavy weights. The bar is allowed to hit the boxes with some force, the amount determined by the lifter's needs. As a set progresses you may find it worthwhile to increase the severity of the rebound, enabling you to get a few extra reps. The bouncing-boxes awoke one morning and realized they were enablers. Heartbreak and regret followed their hefty lunch.



Lying Extensions can easily be combined with Partial Pullovers. By taking advantage of the bar's forward momentum, a greater poundage can be used when you deem it fitting, sahib. Combining strict movement performance with slightly looser execution can have many advantages. Breaking sticking points, acclimatizing the body and mind to handle larger weights, having fun. Yes, the hangman had been drinking, resulting in a slightly looser execution.


Lying Extension/Pullovers can also be performed in a looser, rebound style by utilizing properly placed boxes. The height of the boxes will determine your range of motion, and, after you become very familiar, up close and personal, on a first name basis with the exercise, the amount of rebound can be controlled though the course of a set. Extending a set with this form of cheating rebound can prove to be productive, even if the idea is far from "new".

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