Does the decline angle work the lower chest harder than a flat press?

Not by much, going by the research so far. A study of ten competitive bodybuilders pressing a barbell at 80% of their max found similar activity in the large lower part of the chest on a 15-degree decline as on a flat bench, while the front deltoids worked less on the decline. Use the decline for variety or shoulder comfort rather than as a must for the lower chest.

Why use a hammer grip instead of the usual palms-forward grip?

The hammer grip lets the elbows stay close to the sides, which most lifters find easier on the shoulders and which gives the triceps a bigger share of the press. It is a good choice when palms-forward pressing bothers your shoulders, while the chest stays the main mover either way.

How steep should the decline be?

A moderate decline of about 15 to 30 degrees is enough. Going steeper adds more head-down pressure and makes the dumbbells harder to manage without making the press more effective.

How do I get heavy dumbbells into position on a decline bench?

Sit on the bench with the dumbbells upright on your thighs, lock your legs under the pads, then pull the dumbbells tight to your chest and lie back slowly. Once the weights get heavy, it is easier and safer to have a spotter hand them to you after you lie down and take them back before you sit up.

Can I do this exercise with high blood pressure?

Check with a clinician first. The head-down position can raise pressure in the head, so the flat Dumbbell Hammer Bench Press is the safer choice until you have the all-clear.

Dumbbell Decline Hammer Bench Press

What Is the Dumbbell Decline Hammer Bench Press?

Dumbbell Decline Hammer Bench Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the chest and also engages the triceps and front shoulders. It is an intermediate-level movement performed on a decline bench with the head below the hips and the legs locked under the bench's pads, pressing two dumbbells with the palms facing each other.

Two things set it apart from a flat dumbbell press. The decline angle tilts the pressing path toward the lower part of the torso, so the arms finish over the lower chest and the front deltoids do a little less of the work than on a flat or incline press. The hammer grip keeps the dumbbells parallel and lets the elbows travel close to the sides instead of flaring out, which asks more of the triceps and keeps the shoulders out of the wide, flared position that bothers many lifters on a palms-forward press.

This is an accessory press, not a competition lift or a strength test. It usually follows a main flat or incline press as a second chest movement, in moderate rep ranges such as 8 to 12, and it is a useful way to keep pressing volume high when barbell or palms-forward pressing irritates the shoulders. Paired with the flat Dumbbell Hammer Bench Press and the Dumbbell Incline Hammer Bench Press, it lets a program cover all three bench angles with the same grip.

It suits lifters who already press dumbbells confidently on a flat bench and can handle them safely while lying back and sitting up. Anyone new to decline pressing should first learn the movement on the Dumbbell Hammer Bench Press and get used to the head-down setup with light weights on the Dumbbell Decline Bench Press. Lifters who prefer to stay upright can train a similar pressing angle on the Machine Decline Chest Press.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Pectoralis Major: Primary
Deltoid: Medium
Triceps Brachii (Lateral Head): Medium
Triceps Brachii (Long Head): Medium
Triceps Brachii (Medial Head): Medium
Infraspinatus: Low
Latissimus Dorsi: Low
Serratus Anterior: Low
Biceps Brachii: Minimal
Rectus Abdominis (Lower): Minimal

Instructions

Set a decline bench to a moderate angle, about 15 to 30 degrees.
Sit on the bench with a dumbbell upright on each thigh, then hook your knees over the top pad and lock your ankles under the lower roller pads.
Pull the dumbbells tight to your chest and lie back slowly until your head and upper back rest on the bench. With heavy dumbbells, have a spotter hand them to you once you are lying down.
Press the dumbbells up over your lower chest with your palms facing each other and the dumbbells parallel and close together. Pull your shoulder blades back and down into the bench.
Take a breath and brace, then lower the dumbbells under control, keeping your elbows close to your sides and your forearms vertical.
Stop when the dumbbells reach the sides of your lower chest, keeping your palms facing each other and your wrists straight.
Press the dumbbells back up along the same path until your arms are straight, without snapping your elbows or clanking the dumbbells together.
Breathe out near the top and repeat for the planned reps, keeping your shoulder blades pinned throughout.
To finish, lower the dumbbells to your chest, hold them tight, and sit up slowly using your legs and abs, or hand them to a spotter first. Pause before standing to avoid lightheadedness.

Common Mistakes

Flaring the elbows
Letting the elbows drift out wide turns the press into a standard dumbbell press and gives up the tucked, shoulder-friendly elbow path the hammer grip is chosen for.
Losing the neutral grip
Rotating the palms forward or letting the dumbbells splay into a V partway through changes the arm path from rep to rep.
Bending the wrists back
Cocked-back wrists let the dumbbells tip and load the wrist joint, so keep the knuckles pointing up and the wrists stacked over the forearms.
Setting the bench too steep
A decline far beyond about 30 degrees makes getting in and out harder and increases the head-down pressure without making the press more effective.
Skipping the leg locks
Without the knees and ankles hooked under the pads, the body slides down the bench as the dumbbells come down.
Rushing the exit
Sitting up quickly or swinging heavy dumbbells off the bench after the last rep strains the shoulders and can leave you lightheaded.

Injuries

Dumbbell Decline Hammer Bench Press is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The press itself is one of the more shoulder-friendly chest movements, because the neutral grip lets the elbows stay close to the sides. Most of the risk comes from getting heavy dumbbells into and out of a head-down position, and from the head-down position itself, which can raise pressure in the head.

The usual strain points are the front of the shoulder, when the dumbbells sink too deep or the shoulder blades roll forward off the bench, the elbows, when they are snapped into lockout, and the wrists, when they bend back under the load. Lower the dumbbells under control to the sides of the lower chest, keep the shoulder blades pinned, keep the wrists stacked over the forearms, and keep the bench at a moderate decline of about 15 to 30 degrees. Lifters with high blood pressure, glaucoma or a history of dizziness during exercise should check with a clinician before training head-down, and everyone should sit up slowly after a set.

To regress, return to the flat Dumbbell Hammer Bench Press, use lighter dumbbells, or switch to the Machine Decline Chest Press, which removes the setup and the balance demand. To progress, add load in small steps, slow the lowering phase or pause briefly with the dumbbells at the chest, and have a spotter hand over and take back the dumbbells once they get heavy.

Stop the set for sharp pain at the front of the shoulder, a sudden pop or sharp pain near the armpit or front of the chest, or any dizziness, headache or change in vision. Bruising or a change in the shape of the chest after a pop needs a prompt medical assessment.

Overview

Primary Focus: Chest
Equipment: Dumbbell and bench
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does the decline angle work the lower chest harder than a flat press?: Not by much, going by the research so far. A study of ten competitive bodybuilders pressing a barbell at 80% of their max found similar activity in the large lower part of the chest on a 15-degree decline as on a flat bench, while the front deltoids worked less on the decline. Use the decline for variety or shoulder comfort rather than as a must for the lower chest.
Q: Why use a hammer grip instead of the usual palms-forward grip?: The hammer grip lets the elbows stay close to the sides, which most lifters find easier on the shoulders and which gives the triceps a bigger share of the press. It is a good choice when palms-forward pressing bothers your shoulders, while the chest stays the main mover either way.
Q: How steep should the decline be?: A moderate decline of about 15 to 30 degrees is enough. Going steeper adds more head-down pressure and makes the dumbbells harder to manage without making the press more effective.
Q: How do I get heavy dumbbells into position on a decline bench?: Sit on the bench with the dumbbells upright on your thighs, lock your legs under the pads, then pull the dumbbells tight to your chest and lie back slowly. Once the weights get heavy, it is easier and safer to have a spotter hand them to you after you lie down and take them back before you sit up.
Q: Can I do this exercise with high blood pressure?: Check with a clinician first. The head-down position can raise pressure in the head, so the flat Dumbbell Hammer Bench Press is the safer choice until you have the all-clear.