The hammer front raise is ashoulderisolation exercise performed standing with a dumbbell in each hand held in a neutral, palms-facing-each-other grip, raising both arms to shoulder height to train the anterior deltoid. The hammer grip is the variable: with the thumbs on top the humerus sits in neutral rotation instead of the internal rotation a palms-down raise forces, so the front delt lifts without the biceps tendon and the acromion crowding each other at the top. Lifters program it as a late accessory on a shoulder or push day.
What Muscles Does the Hammer Front Raise Work?
- Primary: Anterior deltoid (front shoulder)
- Secondary: Clavicular pectoralis major (upper chest), lateral deltoid, biceps brachii long head
- Tertiary: Upper trapezius, serratus anterior, wrist flexors
How Do You Set Up for the Hammer Front Raise?
Stand with your feet hip width apart and a light dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other. Soften your knees, squeeze your glutes and pull your ribs down to keep the lower back neutral. Let both arms hang with a slight elbow bend, shoulders pulled down away from your ears, and lift the dumbbells a few centimetres off your thighs so the front delts are already under load.
How Do You Perform the Hammer Front Raise?
- Set both dumbbells just off your thighs, thumbs on top, with a soft elbow bend and the shoulders pulled down.
- Raise both arms straight forward in one arc, keeping the palms facing each other and the thumbs leading the way up.
- Stop at shoulder height when the dumbbells are level with your collarbones and the arms are parallel to the floor.
- Hold for one count at the top with the wrists neutral and the upper traps relaxed.
- Lower both dumbbells along the same arc over two counts until they hover just off the thighs.
- Reset the shoulders down and let the front delts load before starting the next rep.
What Are the Key Form Cues?
- Thumbs lead the arc: keep the thumb pointing at the ceiling from thigh to collarbone; if it turns inward you have drifted into a palms-down raise.
- Reach long, not up: push the dumbbells toward the far wall as they rise so the delt lifts the load and the trap does not hitch it.
- Grip the handles like hammers so the wrists stay locked at the top.
- Keep the ribs down as the arms pass hip height, where leaning back is tempting.
- Exhale on the way up and feel the front delt stretch at the bottom before each rep.
What Are the Most Common Mistakes?
- Picking dumbbells sized for a curl: the hips rock forward to launch each rep and the lower back extends under the swing, so drop to a load you can raise from a dead stop.
- Letting the palms turn down as the arms rise: the shoulder rotates inward and the biceps tendon is pinched under the acromion at the top, so keep the thumbs up throughout.
- Raising past shoulder height: the load passes onto the upper trap and the delt unloads, so stop with the arms parallel to the floor.
- Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears: the traps lift the girdle and steal range from the deltoid, so pull the shoulders down before each raise.
- Resting the dumbbells on the thighs between reps: the front delt unloads at the bottom, so hover them a few centimetres off the leg.
What Are the Best Hammer Front Raise Variations?
- Hammer grip front raise: the same neutral-grip raise listed under its second name in this library.
- Seated hammer front raise: sitting on a bench removes the hip swing, the regression for learning a strict raise.
- Alternating hammer front raise: one arm at a time, each delt resting for a rep while the trunk resists a lean.
- Dumbbell reverse front raise: palms turned up adds external rotation and more biceps involvement.
- Cable hammer front raise: a low pulley keeps tension through the bottom where the dumbbell goes slack.
How Do You Progress the Hammer Front Raise?
- Add 2.5 pounds a hand once you complete every set at 15 reps with the thumbs up and no hip swing.
- Work from 10 reps up to 15 before adding weight.
- Start at 2 sets and add a third once all reps stop cleanly at shoulder height.
- Slow the lowering to three counts, or pause two counts at the top, before adding load.
How Should You Program the Hammer Front Raise?
Program the hammer front raise as a late accessory on a shoulder or push day, after overhead presses and lateral raises, one to two times a week. Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps with 45 to 60 seconds of rest between sets. Pair it with a rear delt fly or a face pull so the back of the shoulder gets equal work.
