Chest
Dumbbell Hammer Press
The Dumbbell Hammer Press is a strength exercise with dumbbells for your chest. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: mid chest 32%, front delts 15% and upper chest 11%.
How to do it
- Lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
- Hold the dumbbells at the sides of your chest with the elbows close to your body.
- Set your feet and pull your shoulder blades back and down.
- Press the dumbbells straight up until your arms are straight.
- Lower them slowly back to the sides of your chest, palms still facing in.
Tips
- The neutral grip lets the elbows stay closer to the ribs, which suits sensitive shoulders.
- Keep the dumbbells parallel to each other throughout.
Common mistakes
- Rotating the palms forward during the press.
- Letting the elbows flare wide.
- Cutting the range short at the bottom.
Muscles worked by the Dumbbell Hammer Press
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Free implements need more shoulder stabilisation (Saeterbakken 2011). Elbows tucked with a neutral grip shift a little work to front delt and triceps. Pressing away from the chest is shoulder horizontal adduction plus elbow extension: the sternal pec drives it, front delt and triceps assist, and the clavicular pec joins as a strong secondary on a flat bench.
Dumbbell Hammer Press alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Dumbbell Hammer Press work?
Mainly the mid chest and lower chest. The front delts, upper chest, triceps (lateral head) and triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Dumbbell Hammer Press good for beginners?
Yes. The Dumbbell Hammer Press is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Dumbbell Hammer Press?
For example the Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Press, Dumbbell Bench Press and Dumbbell Floor Press. They train mostly the same muscles.
How do you make the Dumbbell Hammer Press harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Double Kettlebell Bench Press and Bench Press.
Sources
- Rodriguez-Ridao et al. 2020, IJERPH 17(19):7339 (five bench inclinations)
- Lehman 2005, JSCR 19(3):587-591 (grip width and forearm position)
- Saeterbakken et al. 2011, J Sports Sci 29(5):533-538 (barbell, dumbbell, Smith)
Log your sets in Zulta
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