Barbell Pullovers
Bodyweight Strength - This exercise is an old school classic that you don't see in gyms very often these days but it is a great way to begin working up towards the Muscle Up (which seems to be a goal of most bodyweight strength adherents).
To perform the exercise, lay flat on a bench with your head at the very edge of one of the ends of the bench. Have someone help you get a barbell onto your chest as though you are going to perform a Bench Press (but with much lighter weight). Grip the bar with your hand at about a shoulder width grip and while keeping your elbows bent at about a 90 degree angle, raise the bar off of your chest, move it back steadily over your face and then behind your head off beyond the edge of the bench towards the floor. Once you receive the stretch in your lats and chest, contract those muscles tightly and use them to pull the barbell back to the starting position (by the way, most people will feel most comfortable with a thumbless grip on this exercise). Make sure to maintain that 90 degree angle in your elbows throughout this entire exercise and make sure not to stretch back too far at the bottom to where your shoulder joints actually feel the stretch. If this happens then your shoulder joints will be receiving tremendous pressure and could easily get injured. Only go as far back as the flexibility of your lat and chest muscles will allow. Be patient and your flexibility will improve if you keep your form strict, proper, and controlled.
After mastering this exercise you can move on to the combo version in which you will perform Barbell Pullover immediately followed by a Close Grip Bench Press. This combo exercise will lead you right into performing Muscle Ups (as long as you are also already strong performing regular Medium Grip Overhand Pull-ups and Weighted Dips and Straight Bar Dips)
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.bodyweight-strength.com
To perform the exercise, lay flat on a bench with your head at the very edge of one of the ends of the bench. Have someone help you get a barbell onto your chest as though you are going to perform a Bench Press (but with much lighter weight). Grip the bar with your hand at about a shoulder width grip and while keeping your elbows bent at about a 90 degree angle, raise the bar off of your chest, move it back steadily over your face and then behind your head off beyond the edge of the bench towards the floor. Once you receive the stretch in your lats and chest, contract those muscles tightly and use them to pull the barbell back to the starting position (by the way, most people will feel most comfortable with a thumbless grip on this exercise). Make sure to maintain that 90 degree angle in your elbows throughout this entire exercise and make sure not to stretch back too far at the bottom to where your shoulder joints actually feel the stretch. If this happens then your shoulder joints will be receiving tremendous pressure and could easily get injured. Only go as far back as the flexibility of your lat and chest muscles will allow. Be patient and your flexibility will improve if you keep your form strict, proper, and controlled.
After mastering this exercise you can move on to the combo version in which you will perform Barbell Pullover immediately followed by a Close Grip Bench Press. This combo exercise will lead you right into performing Muscle Ups (as long as you are also already strong performing regular Medium Grip Overhand Pull-ups and Weighted Dips and Straight Bar Dips)
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.bodyweight-strength.com