Scratch Contralateral Hand

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit on a flat bench with your feet firmly planted on the floor.
2. Rest your working forearm flat on the bench with your wrist hanging just over the edge, palm facing up (for flexors) or down (for extensors).
3. Place the fingers of your non-working hand across the palm or knuckles of the working hand to provide resistance.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you curl your wrist upward, using the non-working hand to provide enough manual resistance to make the movement challenging but fluid.
2. Squeeze the forearm muscles at the top of the range of motion for a one-second pause.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower your hand back to the starting position, maintaining constant tension against the resisting hand.
4. Perform a set number of repetitions on one side before switching to the contralateral side.

Form checklist

• Keep your forearm pressed firmly against the bench to ensure only the wrist moves.
• Maintain a steady, controlled tempo rather than using jerky movements.
• Ensure the resisting hand provides consistent pressure throughout the entire range of motion.
• Keep your shoulder and elbow relaxed to prevent them from assisting the movement.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'eccentric overload' by pushing harder with the resisting hand during the lowering phase of the rep.
• Vary your hand angle slightly (tilting toward the thumb or pinky) to target different aspects of the forearm musculature.

Make it harder

• Increase the manual pressure applied by the non-working hand to near-maximal levels.
• Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase to 4-5 seconds to increase time under tension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the scratch contralateral hand work?

The scratch contralateral hand primarily targets the forearms, and also works the abs, obliques, and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the scratch contralateral hand?

The scratch contralateral hand requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the scratch contralateral hand good for beginners?

The scratch contralateral hand is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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• Boxing Jab With Bag And GlovesIntermediate · biceps, deltoids, forearms, and serratus anterior
• Finger PinchBeginner · forearms