This Single-Arm Pullover Variation Blasts Back and Abs
When you think back exercises, you general think of rows and pullups. And for good reason too. Rows are a key back move that helps offset the pushing positions of everyday life. And the pullup is one of the gold-standard exercises in fitness.
All of that leaves the pullover as an oft-forgotten back move. But use it correctly, and it can shred your lats and rhomboids, while also taking your abdominal and glute strength to new heights. You’ll do all those things with the Single-Arm Pullover March, a new move from Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. It’s a perfect back-day finisher, and delivers a full upper-body burn that you won’t expect.
“We’re hitting on multiple ideas at once in this move,” says Samuel, “and with demands in multiple planes, this one winds up supercharging your entire upper body.”
The driving forces behind the move are the concepts of offset load and time-under-tension. You’re doing a single-arm pullover, but instead of coming out of the rep when your arm is extended, you’re going to hold that position, stressing both lats and abs. From that position, you’ll wind up marching, placing greater challenge on your lats and abs to maintain stability as your lower-body base changes.
“You need to lock in abs and glutes to stay stable,” says Samuel. “Granted, we say that on a lot of exercises. But here, if you don’t, you’re going to feel — and maybe even see — your torso twist out of position.”
Your core works overtime, balancing against both anti-rotation and anti-extension in this move. And that carves out serious abdominal strength and muscle. The best part of the move is this too: It works almost anywhere. “I’m doing it with a dumbbell,” says Samuel. “But you can easily use a backpack at home. And instead of a bench, we can easily use an Ottoman.”
No matter what, you’ll pile on serious muscle. So get ready to get to work.
Lie with your shoulder blades on a bench or box, core tight, a single dumbbell held in your right hand directly over your shoulder.
Tighten your abs and keep your hips and shoulders square to the ceiling. Without arching your back, reach the dumbbell behind your head, as far as you can without losing core tension.
Pause here. Tighten your core and glutes.
Lift your right leg from the ground, as if marching, bringing knee over hip.
Return it to the ground; repeat with your left leg.
Return that leg to the ground.
Drive the dumbbell back to over your shoulder.
That’s 1 rep; do 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side.
[loop src='https://hmg-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/videos/eb-swole-bug-1566488950.mp4' align='right' mediaId='ce2d715e-5975-41e2-b74f-83861bf52485' size='medium' caption=''][/loopThe Single-Arm Pullover to March works in a variety of ways and can play a variety of roles in your training. YOu can use it as a warmup move for a total-body workout, firing up your upper body and readying your mind to create tension. You can also use it as a finishing move in a standard back session. Or integrate it into a total-body circuit, smashing your back and core.
Either way, says Samuel, don’t feel the need to go insanely heavy on this exercise. “You can get a ton of value here while using a light weight,” he says. “Focus on owning the anti-rotation and core positioning. It’s harder than it looks.”
But it’ll build the muscle you crave.
For more tips and routines from Samuel, check out our full slate of Eb and Swole workouts. If you want to try an even more dedicated routine, consider Eb's New Rules of Muscle program.
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