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Hammer Curl

A neutral-grip curl that builds the bicep alongside the forearm and brachialis — the muscle that gives the arm thickness from the side.

Setup

Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Palms facing your body, arms fully extended.

Movement

Keep your elbows pinned to your sides. Same principle as the barbell curl — the elbows act as a fixed hinge. Curl straight up. Bring the dumbbells toward your shoulders, maintaining the neutral grip throughout — don't rotate your wrists.

Return

Lower with control. Return to a fully extended position before starting the next rep.

Common Mistake to Avoid

Rotating the wrist during the curl. The whole point of the hammer curl is the neutral grip — letting your wrist rotate turns it into a standard curl and loses the brachialis emphasis.

Equipment Dumbbells
Primary Muscles Biceps, brachialis
Secondary Muscles Forearms

Why it matters

The neutral grip (palms facing each other, like holding a hammer) shifts some emphasis onto the brachialis, a muscle that sits underneath the bicep and contributes to overall arm thickness when viewed from the side. It also tends to be a more wrist-friendly curl variation for people who feel discomfort with a fully rotated grip.

How to do it

  1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Palms facing your body, arms fully extended.
  2. Keep your elbows pinned to your sides. Same principle as the barbell curl — the elbows act as a fixed hinge.
  3. Curl straight up. Bring the dumbbells toward your shoulders, maintaining the neutral grip throughout — don't rotate your wrists.
  4. Lower with control. Return to a fully extended position before starting the next rep.

Common mistakes

  • Rotating the wrist during the curl. The whole point of the hammer curl is the neutral grip — letting your wrist rotate turns it into a standard curl and loses the brachialis emphasis.
  • Swinging the dumbbells using momentum. Same issue as the barbell curl — momentum replaces real muscle work.
  • Curling both arms unevenly. If you're alternating arms, keep the tempo consistent on both sides rather than rushing through one to rest the other.
  • Letting the elbows drift backward. Elbows that travel behind the torso change the angle of resistance and reduce effectiveness.

Sets & reps by level

Beginner

3 sets of 10–12 reps per arm with light to moderate dumbbells.

Intermediate

3–4 sets of 8–10 reps per arm at a more challenging weight.

Advanced

4 sets of 8–12 reps per arm, sometimes performed alternating or both arms simultaneously depending on the day's volume goals.

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