Hammer Curl: How to Do It Right

You stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand and bend the elbows to bring the weights up to your shoulders, thumbs on top the whole way. The neutral grip brings in the brachialis under the biceps and the top of the forearm, so your arms grow thicker, not just the peak. Below you will find how to do a hammer curl step by step, the muscles worked, hammer curl vs bicep curl, and the mistakes that turn it into a body swing.

The biceps brachii on the front of the upper arm bends the elbow and does most of the lifting. Because the palm does not turn up, the brachialis, the muscle under the biceps, works harder than in a regular curl and pushes the biceps up from below. The brachioradialis along the top of the forearm is in its strongest position with a neutral grip, which is why hammer curls build forearms. The front delts help a little to keep the upper arm in place.

Do 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, one or two times a week, after your heavier pulling work. Stop each set with 1 or 2 clean reps left and move up a dumbbell once you can do 12 strict reps on every set. Hammer curls usually take a little more weight than regular curls, so do not be surprised if your numbers are higher. Alternating arms, as the app shows it, makes it easier to stay strict. Curling both arms at once halves the time. Both count the same, so log the weight per dumbbell.

The only real difference is the grip. A regular bicep curl turns the palm up, which lets the biceps shorten fully and gives the best peak contraction. The hammer curl keeps the palm facing in, which moves more of the work to the brachialis and the brachioradialis in the forearm. The brachialis sits under the biceps, so building it pushes the whole arm out and makes it look wider from the front and the side. Neither is better. Most lifters do regular curls as the first biceps exercise and hammer curls as the second, or switch between them from one block to the next. If straight bars or palms up curls bother your wrists or elbows, hammer curls are usually the kinder option.

The cross body hammer curl brings the dumbbell up toward the opposite shoulder and loads the brachialis a little more. A rope hammer curl on a cable keeps tension at the bottom of the rep. Seated hammer curls take the legs and hips out of it, so the swing disappears. Incline hammer curls on a bench stretch the biceps at the bottom. In the app the exercise is called Hammer Curl, and it is logged like any dumbbell curl: weight per hand and reps per arm.

Any curl trains the same elbow flexors. The regular dumbbell curl is the closest swap and the natural partner. Chin ups and underhand pulldowns load the biceps hard with a lot more weight, and rows train them as helpers. The moves below cover the biceps from other angles.

The hammer curl is the fifth exercise on Day B of Dumbbell Home Essentials, the 3 day home plan with one pair of dumbbells: 3 sets of 6 to 10 after the side raises. Log every set in GymDroid and the plan sets your next weight. On iPhone and Android.

Full Body Foundation · Curves & Confidence · Dumbbell Home Essentials

The biceps and the brachialis under it, plus the brachioradialis on the top of the forearm. The front delts help a little. Hammer curls are the curl for thicker arms and stronger forearms.

Not better, different. Regular curls with palms up train the biceps a bit more. Hammer curls train the brachialis and forearms more. Do both, or switch between them every few weeks.

A weight you can curl 8 to 12 times without swinging. Many beginners start with 6 to 10 kg dumbbells. Hammer curls usually take a little more than regular curls.

Both work. Alternating, as the app shows it, is easier to keep strict and lets you focus on one arm. Curling both at once saves time. Log the weight per dumbbell either way.

Yes. The neutral grip puts the brachioradialis, the big muscle on the top of the forearm, in a strong position. Hammer curls and farmer carries are the simplest way to grow the forearms.

Usually the weight is too heavy, the elbows drift forward, or the wrists bend at the top. Lower the weight and slow down. If the pain stays, stop and see a professional.