Preparation
Position set of dumbbells at the end of incline bench. Pick up the dumbbells of the floor using a neutral grip (palms facing inward), place the dumbbells at the end of your thighs and sit down at the bench. Then push the dumbbells with your thighs and lie back on the bench, with the dumbbells straight up above your chest, at shoulder width. Keep your hands at a neutral grip (palms facing inward). This will be your starting position.
Execution
As you inhale start lower the dumbbells in controlled motion until the dumbbells stand right to the sides of your upper chest. From this position bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position as you exhale. Contract the pecs at the top, hold for a second and repeat the movement for desire reps.
Recommendations
- For best results and maximum upper chest development use a bench with angle between 20 and 30 degrees. If you perform the hammer grip bench with higher inclination you will use your shoulder muscles too much and the chest will execute a smaller amount of work.
- Move the dumbbells in a slight arch trajectory, this would help you to get good stretch at the bottom and better contraction at the top of the movement.
- Do not touch the dumbbells at the top, keep them about 5- 10 cm. apart, this would help you to keep constant tension on the pectoralis muscles and will lead to a better development.
- Keep the elbows pointed outward and don’t lock it at the top of the movement to keep the tension in the chest muscles.
- Concentrate on keeping the dumbbells fully balanced and under control during the movement, perform the negative phase twice longer than the positive.
- If you use heavy weights don’t bring down the dumbbells lower than the point in which the angle between your upper arm and your forearm is 90-degrees. This will overload your rotator cuff and can lead to overstretch or rupture in chest muscles.
- When you finish your set DON’T drop the weights, this can be dangerous to your rotator cuff and the others trainable around you. To safely place the dumbbells of the floor bring your knees up, put the dumbbells on the top of your thighs and bring your self back up with slight kick forward with your legs.
- Use a spotter for your heavy sets