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Mastering Hammer Curls: Your Guide to Stronger, Bigger Arms

Abhishek Bhadauria | Jun 18 2025
Mastering Hammer Curls: Your Guide to Stronger, Bigger Arms

Mastering Hammer Curls: Your Guide to Stronger, Bigger Arms

Have you ever experienced sore arms after trying to carry lots of groceries?

Having strong arms is useful for more than just looks; it makes doing basic tasks simpler.

You can use the hammer bicep curl to attain this.

Doing the dumbbell hammer curl will make your arms stronger and also boost your general movements. We can discuss how to correctly perform the exercise to enjoy the results.

What Are Hammer Curls?

The hammer curl exercise involves using a different technique than the standard bicep curl.

During the exercise, your palms remain facing together instead of upward.

By using this grip in workout sessions, the biceps, brachialis and brachioradialis are all strengthened for better arm development.

Muscles Worked

The biceps hammer workout primarily engages:

Biceps Brachii: The main muscle responsible for elbow flexion.

Brachialis: Located underneath the biceps, it adds thickness to the upper arm.

Brachioradialis: A key forearm muscle that aids in elbow flexion.

Additionally, the exercise activates the forearm muscles, enhancing grip strength.

Benefits of Hammer Curls

Improved Arm Strength: Because this exercise involves several muscles, hammer curls assist in strengthening your arms as a whole.

Grip becomes stronger when the forearms are strengthened through forearm exercises.

Less Wrist Discomfort: Since the neutral grip protects the wrists, it is ideal for anyone struggling with wrist pain.

Strong arms play a role in making it easier to pick up and handle things every day.

How to Do Hammer Curls

Starting Position:

Step so that your feet are shoulder-width apart and stand upright.

Keep your arms straight and hold a dumbbell in each palm away from your body.

Execution:

  • Hold your upper arms steady and bend your elbows to lift the weight as if you are curling with them.
  • Your forearms should be in a neutral position and your dumbbells at the height of your shoulders.
  • Take a breath while you are at the top of the movement.
  • Bring the weights down slowly to return to the beginning of the exercise.

Breathing:

  1. Breathe in as you lift the weights.
  2. As you lower your body, breathe out.
  3. Do 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions, making sure your movements are controlled.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using Momentum: When you use more momentum, the exercise becomes less effective.

Select a weight that does not cause you to push or pull with poor posture.

Full Extensions and Contractions: Your muscles will benefit most by fully stretching and shortening during this exercise.

Elbow Position: Maintain your elbows close to your torso to ensure the biceps are engaged during the entire exercise.

Variations to Try

Do alternating Hammer Curls: Curl each arm separately to train one side at a time.

Move the dumbbell diagonally to the other shoulder, making sure to train your brachialis.

Seated Hammer Curls: With this position, you are less likely to rely on momentum to perform the movement.

Hammer Curls into Your Routine

Try to do hammer curls into your arms or a whole-body workout 2–3 times a week. For more intense training, you can do these exercises after pulling or rowing movements to further wear out your arms.

Conclusion

Performing hammer bicep curls may result in arms that are stronger and better able to support your daily activities.

Regardless if you’re carrying groceries or doing sports, dumbbell hammer curls help you in many ways.

Don’t skip proper form, begin exercising with reasonable weights and visit the gym at the same time every time. The movement will be appreciated by your arms.

FAQs

Q: Can beginners perform hammer curls?

A: Absolutely. Before increasing the weight, work on the form with lighter ones.

Q: How do hammer curls differ from traditional bicep curls?

A: The most significant difference between them is the way you hold the golf club. The neutral grip in hammer curls allows the brachialis and brachioradialis to be worked more.

Q: Should I do hammer curls seated or standing?

A: Both work well. Working out while standing works the core more, while performing the exercises seated is a good way to avoid moving from the momentum.