Hammer dumbbell lifts are a popular strength exercise for the arms. It is very good for thickening the biceps. This is because the exercise develops the brachialis.
which pushes the biceps outward and also because the exercise has a powerful effect on the long head of the biceps. In addition, the hammer allows you to enlarge your forearm.
Applications and benefits
Hammers are used in any strength training: bodybuilding, powerlifting, and strongman. Suitable for athletes of all fitness levels.
Hammer dumbbell lifts - the main muscles involved
By doing this exercise, you are forcing the following muscle groups to work: the brachialis, biceps, brachialis-radialis, and the round pronator.
In the initial phase of the movement, the brachialis does the flexion of the arm at the elbow, then the biceps. Also, the biceps rotates the forearm around its axis.
The brachialis muscle helps to flex the arm at the elbow and rotate the forearm around its axis. The round pronator helps bend the arm at the elbow
Dumbbell hammer lifts technique:
- Grab the dumbbells in both hands in a neutral grip (palms facing each other);
- Stand completely straight, bend slightly in the lower back and lower the dumbbells to your thighs;
- Look straight ahead;
- Tense your lower back muscles and fix the natural curvature of your spine for the rest of the set.
- Take a breath and hold your breath;
- Tense your biceps and lift one of the dumbbells to your shoulder. Keep your elbows still and at the sides of your torso. Do not bring them forward;
- As soon as your hand is at the top of your chest, stop for 1-2 seconds, tense your biceps and forearm even harder;
- As you exhale, smoothly lower the dumbbell;
- At the lower point, pause and lift the other dumbbell.
Alternatively, you can lift both dumbbells at the same time. But in this case be careful - the closer to the end of the set, the stronger the fatigue and the greater the temptation to push the dumbbells out with your whole body.
Therefore, as soon as you feel that you started slacking off, immediately switch to alternate lifts.
It is desirable that the palms of your hands always face each other. If you turn your hand so that at the upper point your palms are facing upwards, the emphasis of the load is shifted from the shoulder muscles to the biceps.
By turning your hand the opposite way (with the palm pointing more toward the floor at the top), you're engaging the brachioradialis and the round pronator more;
