Exercise Comparison
Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover vs Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up




Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover
Only in Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up
Instructions
Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover
Lie on a flat bench with a barbell using a shoulder grip width.
Hold the bar straight over your chest with a bend in your arms. This will be your starting position.
While keeping your arms in the bent arm position, lower the weight slowly in an arc behind your head while breathing in until you feel a stretch on the chest.
At that point, bring the barbell back to the starting position using the arc through which the weight was lowered and exhale as you perform this movement.
Hold the weight on the initial position for a second and repeat the motion for the prescribed number of repetitions.
Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up
Grab the pull-up bar with the palms facing forward using a wide grip.
As you have both arms extended in front of you holding the bar, bring your torso forward and head so that there is an imaginary line from the pull-up bar to the back of your neck. This is your starting position.
Pull your torso up until the bar is near the back of your neck. To do this, draw the shoulders and upper arms down and back while slightly leaning your head forward. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: Concentrate on squeezing the back muscles once you reach the full contracted position. The upper torso should remain stationary as it moves through space and only the arms should move. The forearms should do no other work other than hold the bar.
After a second on the contracted position, start to inhale and slowly lower your torso back to the starting position when your arms are fully extended and the lats are fully stretched.
Repeat this motion for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the lats. Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover is a intermediate exercise using barbell, while Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up is intermediate and uses bodyweight. Choose Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover if you have access to barbell, or Wide-Grip Rear Pull-Up if you prefer bodyweight.