8 Hammer Curl Benefits You Need to Know About 2024

The hammer curl is a variation of the standard dumbbell curl that changes the grip position to target different muscles. With this exercise, you start with a neutral grip, where your palms are facing your body. You maintain this grip throughout the exercise, simulating using a hammer. 

The dumbbell hammer curl targets the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles, with the biceps brachii being a secondary worker. This helps develop biceps thickness and may help build biceps peak. The exercise also increases forearm size and strength.

The hammer curl should be considered an addition rather than a replacement for the standard dumbbell curl. By doing both exercises, you will be working all of the muscles that make up the front of the arms. 

8 Hammer Curls Benefits

Here are eight reasons to add the hammer curl to your upper arm workout routine.

Targets The Brachialis And Brachioradialis Muscles

The neutral grip of the hammer curl switches the emphasis from the biceps brachii to the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles. The brachioradialis originates on the upper arm bone (humerus), crosses the elbow joint, and inserts onto the forearm bone (radius). It adds thickness to the lower biceps and upper forearms 

The hammer curl provides a good brachialis workout. The brachialis runs the length of the upper arm bone, lying under the biceps brachii. When it is developed, it pushes the biceps brachii up, making the upper arm appear bigger. 

Improves Grip Strength

The brachioradialis is the most powerful of the forearm gripping muscles. The hammer curl directly stimulates this muscle, helping to build grip strength. A strong grip is essential for everyday activities involving carrying, holding, and opening. 

Reduces Wrist Strain

The neutral grip of the hammer curl means that you do not have to turn your palm upward (supination) or downward (pronation). Your wrist remains in a neutral position. As a result, the wrist does not have to do any dynamic work. 

This reduces wrist strain, making this exercise a good choice for people with wrist issues. Wrist injuries account for approximately 25% of all sports-related injuries, so minimizing strain through exercises like the hammer curl is beneficial.

May Help Create Bicep Peak

The hammer curl builds size and strength in the brachialis muscle, which lies directly under the biceps brachii. This may push the biceps brachii up slightly, enhancing the biceps peak appearance. 

As a result, the hammer curl is often considered a bicep peak exercise. It should be noted, however, that biceps peak is largely genetic. You cannot dramatically change a flat biceps to a peaked one with hammer curls. 

Supports Elbow Stability

The hammer curl strengthens the muscles that surround the elbow joint. This can improve elbow joint stability and reduce the risk of injury. By making the brachioradialis and brachialis muscles stronger, this exercise supports the elbow joint and enhances gripping power. 

This added stability helps prevent overuse injuries of tendons, also referred to as tendonitis. An example of a common overuse injury is tennis elbow which affects the lateral tendons of the elbow.  

Helps Correct Muscle Imbalances

The hammer curl is usually performed as a dumbbell exercise. As a result, it is considered a unilateral exercise, where you work each limb individually. This allows you to build even strength and muscle development between the right and left arms. You can also correct muscle imbalances that may develop when you use a barbell. 

Research also suggests that unilateral training may lead to greater strength gains than bilateral training. 

Builds Forearm Size

The hammer curls’ emphasis on the brachioradialis allows for the development of the meaty part of the top of the forearm. This is the area between the elbow and the middle of the lower arm. This muscle is often underdeveloped. This exercise, along with biceps and triceps movements, allows you to develop all of your arm muscles fully. 

Adds Versatility To Your Workouts

The hammer curl can be performed with a variety of training tools. Although traditionally done with dumbbells, it can also be performed with a cable machine, a barbell, or resistance bands. This versatility is useful in a busy gym environment where you may not have access to your preferred equipment.

Tips For Doing Hammer Curls 

• Keep your elbows in at your sides at all times.
• Use a full range of motion, bringing the dumbbells up to shoulder level and extending to full arm extension.
• Use a slow controlled tempo, with an emphasis on resisting gravity during the lowering phase. 
• Keep your core engaged by pulling your belly button toward your spine.
• Squeeze the biceps in the top contracted position. 

Variations And Modifications

There are several variations of the hammer curl, each one emphasizing a different area of your arm muscles.

Dumbbell Cross-Body Hammer Curl

The main variation of the hammer curl is the dumbbell cross-body hammer curl. In this version, you bring the dumbbell across your body toward your opposite shoulder. As a result, the movement path is diagonal rather than vertical. This puts more emphasis on the forearm and includes a degree of shoulder rotation. 

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and dumbbells in hand at your sides. Use a neutral grip with your palms facing your thighs.
2. Bring the right-hand dumbbell across your body until the weight touches your left shoulder.
3. Lower under control to the start position.
4. Repeat with the left-hand dumbbell. 

Tips

• Do not allow your elbow to flare out, keep it at your side throughout the movement.
• Keep the dumbbell close to your body at all times.
• Squeeze your bicep in the top position.
• Lower your arm back to the starting position.

Incline Bench Hammer Curl

The hammer curl can also be done on an incline bench. This version allows for a deeper stretch of the biceps and brachialis at the bottom of the movement. Doing the exercise seated may also make it more challenging, as you cannot use your lower body to create momentum.

How To Do

1. Set the angle on an incline bench to 45 degrees.
2. Grab a pair of dumbbells then sit on the bench, leaning back against the back pad. Hold the dumbbells at arm’s length with a neutral grip.
3. Curl your right arm up to shoulder level.
4. Lower under control to the start position.
5. Repeat with the left arm,  then alternate sides to complete the rep count. 

Tips

• Keep your elbows in at your sides throughout the exercise.
• Maintain a solid stance with your feet on the floor, hips down, and shoulder blades back against the bench.
• Do not swing the weight up; use a controlled movement that isolates the arms.
• Squeeze the bicep in the contracted position.

Reverse Grip Hammer Curl

The reverse grip hammer curl is a challenging version of the exercise that uses a pronated grip (palms facing backward). This version places even more emphasis on the brachioradialis.

How To Do

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and dumbbells held at arm’s length. Hold the dumbbells with a pronated grip where your palms face backward.
2. Curl your right arm up to shoulder level.
3. Lower under control to the start position.
4. Repeat with the other arm.

Tips

• Use a weight that you can control during the lowering phase.
• Do not allow your elbows to flare out at any time.
• Squeeze the bicep in the contracted position. 

Zottman Curl

The Zottman curl is another variation of the hammer curl. In this version, you begin the curl in a neutral palm position, maintaining it for the upward phase. You then turn the palms down for a pronated grip on the lowering phase. This again emphasizes the forearm during the lowering, or eccentric, part of the exercise.

How To Do

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and dumbbells held by your sides with a neutral grip.
2. Curl the right arm up to shoulder height.
3. Pronate your wrist to turn the palm to the floor.
4. Lower under control to the start position.
5. Repeat with the left arm, alternating to complete the rep count. 

Tips

• Keep your elbow by your side throughout.
• Squeeze the bicep in the top position.
• Use a slow, controlled cadence during the lowering phase. 

Conclusion

The hammer curl develops the meaty part of the forearm while also stimulating the biceps. Include it in your bicep workouts with dumbbells. Doing so will help to fully develop your upper arms, support elbow stability, and increase your functional strength.

Frequently Asked Questions