Hammer Curl

STRENGTHBEGINNERDumbbellForce: PullType: Isolation

Preparation: setup of the hammer curl

How To Perform

1
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
2
Keep your elbows pinned at your sides and your upper arms stationary.
3
Curl the dumbbells upward toward your shoulders while maintaining the neutral grip throughout.
4
Squeeze at the top when the dumbbells reach shoulder level.
5
Lower the dumbbells slowly back to the starting position with full arm extension.

Recommended Volume Guide

Level	Sets & Reps	Goal Focus
Beginner	3 sets of 10-12 reps	Form mastery, neural adaptation
Intermediate	4 sets of 8-10 reps	Hypertrophy, moderate loading
Advanced	4 sets of 6-8 reps	Strength, high intensity/volume

Muscles Worked

Primary Target

Biceps

Secondary Target

Forearms

Key Benefits

Targets the brachialis and brachioradialis in addition to the biceps for thicker arms
The neutral grip reduces wrist strain and is generally more comfortable than supinated curls
Builds forearm size and grip strength as a secondary benefit

Common Mistakes

Swinging the weights up using body momentum instead of strict curling
Rotating the wrists during the movement, turning it into a standard curl
Not controlling the descent, letting the dumbbells drop too quickly

Pro Coaching Tips

Perform cross-body hammer curls by curling the dumbbell toward the opposite shoulder to emphasize the brachialis
Use a slow, 3-second eccentric phase to maximize time under tension
These are generally stronger than standard curls, so feel free to go slightly heavier

Related Exercises

Dumbbell Bicep Curl

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Concentration Curl

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Incline Dumbbell Curl

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