Setup
Lie perpendicular across a flat bench with only your upper back and shoulders supported, feet flat on the floor, hips slightly below shoulder level. Hold one dumbbell with both hands cupped under the top plate, arms extended above your chest with a slight bend in the elbows.
How to do it
- Lower the dumbbell back and overhead in an arc while keeping the elbow angle constant.
- Stretch until your upper arms are roughly in line with your torso or you feel a deep stretch in your lats and chest.
- Pull the dumbbell back up over your chest by contracting your lats, maintaining the same arm position throughout.
- Keep your hips low and core engaged to enhance the stretch at the bottom position.
- Breathe in as you lower the weight and exhale as you pull it back up.
Watch out for
- ✗Bending the elbows excessively during the movement, which turns it into a triceps exercise instead of targeting the back and chest.
- ✗Using too much weight and limiting the range of motion, preventing the full stretch that makes this exercise effective.
- ✗Raising the hips too high, which reduces the stretch and takes tension off the target muscles.