Cable Pullover

The lying cable pullover is an exercise that primarily activates the chest muscles, latissimus dorsi, and serratus. It therefore fits into both a back workout and a chest workout. This version of the pullover can be performed either lying on the floor or on a bench.

Lying Cable Pullover Execution

Set the pulley of the cable machine at the height where your head will lie.

Attach a bar to the cable with a length of at least shoulder width.

Choose the desired weight and make sure the pin is securely in place.

Lie on your back in front of the cable machine, with your head facing the pulley. Choose the distance so that, with your arms extended above your head, you can just grasp the bar. Then slide a little farther away to bring it under tension.

Move your (nearly) extended arms and hands upward and downward in a semicircle. Stop just before the cable reaches your forehead.

Lying Cable Pullover

Main muscles:

Latissimus dorsi (the broad back muscle)
Pectoralis major and pectoralis minor (chest muscles)
Serratus
Deltoideus (the “deltoid” shoulder muscle, especially the rear part)
Rotator cuff (stabilizing shoulder muscles: supraspinatus, subscapularis, teres major, teres minor)

Lying Cable Pullover Technique

The lying cable pullover is a variation of the dumbbell and barbell pullover, as well as the standing cable pullover. All these pullover exercises activate the latissimus dorsi, chest muscles, and serratus (those nicely striated muscles at your sides, above your ribs). Some people perform them as part of a back workout, others during a chest workout, and still others to create an even more impressive “midsection” at a low body-fat percentage.

The different variations can shift the emphasis among the various muscles involved. The lying version in the lying cable pullover provides a greater range of motion than the standing variation. The arms can be fully extended alongside the head, whereas in the standing position they must begin diagonally in front of and above you so that your arms can still pass in front of the cable machine. In the standing variation, you can address this by starting the exercise bent forward, but this shortens the movement at the bottom again because your legs get in the way sooner.

The cable provides tension throughout the entire movement. In the dumbbell variation, the tension disappears when the weight is directly above you (when lying on a decline bench, you can go a little farther). With cables, you can maintain this tension almost all the way to your legs.

This lying cable variation (like the machine version) is more suitable for training the back because it keeps the muscles under tension for longer, while other variations involve the chest more (according to some EMG studies).