The Cross Bench Pullover (Part II)

Last summer, I said that the cross bench pullover was one of those exercises that should have never fallen out of fashion. Apparently, no one at G's G reads Squat Rx, because I've only seen one dude doing them there - me. That's fine, I don't expect 20 years olds to be flocking to that round middle-aged guy doing weird exercises in the "SKWAT!" t-shirt for training pointers exactly, but it is a great exercise.

My guess is you don't see a lot of guys doing these in the gym...

Here are a few exercise pointers I'd like to pass along:

*If possible, find a well-padded, narrow bench that isn't going to lock your scapulae into a frozen position.

*Resist the temptation to shrug while doing the exercise, as this will shift stress from the scapulae and lats and potentially crank the shoulders.

*Sink the hips as you lower the weight, being mindful of range of motion. Lower to a gentle stretch and gradually, slowly, and progressively increase range of motion. When I say "gradually", "slowly", and "progressively", I don't mean in a single set or session...

*Do not be overzealous about load or range of motion - for strong people 30-40lbs is more than enough to be an effective range of motion drill, and most people will get as much benefit with weights as little as 5-20 pounds.