The hammer grip front raise is a shoulder isolation exercise performed standing with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other, lifting both arms to shoulder height to train the anterior deltoid. It is the same movement this library also lists as thehammer front raise. Holding the dumbbells like hammers keeps the upper arm in neutral rotation, so the front delt does the lifting without the shoulder rolling inward as it does in a palms-down raise, and the top position pinches less. Lifters program it as a late accessory on a shoulder or push day.
What Muscles Does the Hammer Grip 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 Grip Front Raise?
Stand with your feet hip width apart holding a light dumbbell in each hand, thumbs on top and palms turned toward each other. Soften the knees and keep the ribs down so the lower back stays neutral. Let the arms hang with a slight elbow bend, pull the shoulders down away from the ears, and hold the dumbbells a few centimetres in front of the thighs so both front delts are loaded before rep one.
How Do You Perform the Hammer Grip Front Raise?
- Set the dumbbells just in front of the thighs, thumbs up, elbows softly bent and shoulders pulled down.
- Raise both arms forward in a single arc, keeping the palms facing each other the whole way.
- Stop when the arms are parallel to the floor, dumbbells level with the collarbones, torso still upright.
- Hold one count at the top, thumbs still pointing at the ceiling and the traps quiet.
- Lower along the same arc over two counts until the dumbbells hover just in front of the thighs.
- Settle the shoulders down and let the delts take the load again before the next rep.
What Are the Key Form Cues?
- Hammers stay upright: picture driving a nail into the ceiling with each dumbbell; if the head tips inward the grip has gone palms-down.
- Push the weight away, not up: reaching the dumbbells toward the far wall keeps the delt lengthening the arc and stops the trap hitching the shoulder.
- Keep the elbow bend fixed so the biceps do not turn the raise into a curl.
- Feel the torso stay vertical as the arms pass hip height.
- Exhale through the rise and stretch the front delt at the bottom before every rep.
What Are the Most Common Mistakes?
- Using dumbbells you would curl with: the hips swing forward to start each rep and the lower back arches under the momentum, so pick a load you can raise from a dead stop.
- Letting the wrists roll so the palms face down at the top: the humerus rotates inward and the biceps tendon is pinched under the acromion, so keep the thumbs up for the whole rep.
- Raising above shoulder height: the delt hands the load to the upper trap, so stop with the arms parallel to the floor.
- Shrugging as the arms rise: the traps lift the shoulder girdle and steal range from the deltoid, so pull the shoulders down first.
- 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 Grip Front Raise Variations?
- Seated hammer grip front raise: sitting on a bench removes the hip swing, the regression for a strict raise.
- Alternating hammer grip front raise: one arm rises at a time, each delt resting for a rep while the trunk resists a lean.
- Dumbbell reverse front raise: palms up adds external rotation and more biceps involvement.
- Single-arm cable front raise: a low pulley keeps the front delt loaded at the bottom where the dumbbell goes slack.
- Front incline dumbbell raise: leaning back on a bench stretches the delt before each rep.
How Do You Progress the Hammer Grip Front Raise?
- Add 2.5 pounds a hand once every set reaches 15 reps with the thumbs up and no hip swing.
- Build from 10 reps to 15 before adding weight.
- Start with 2 sets and add a third once every rep stops cleanly at shoulder height.
- Lower over three counts, or hold the top for two, before adding load.
How Should You Program the Hammer Grip Front Raise?
Place the hammer grip front raise late in a shoulder or push session, 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 rear shoulder gets the same volume as the front.
