- EquipmentDumbbell
- PatternIsolation
- Reps8 to 15 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing your body.
First cueKeep the thumbs up throughout.
How to do the Hammer Curl
Set up. Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing your body.
- Curl the dumbbells up with the palms still facing in.
- Stop near the shoulder.
- Lower under control.
Form cues
- Keep the thumbs up throughout.
- Keep the elbows at your sides.
- Do not swing.
Common mistakes
- Rotating the wrists into a normal curl.
- Rocking the torso.
Muscles worked
Main target: Biceps. The biceps runs down the front of the upper arm. It bends the elbow and turns the palm up, and it helps in every pull.
On the way: Forearms.
Its other side: Triceps, in the arms pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Hammer Curl, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Dumbbell Overhead Extension Superset partner: it trains the other side of the arms pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row Same pull session: it trains the upper back.
- Pull-Up Same pull session: it trains the lats.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Hammer Curl first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Hammer Curl 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Dumbbell Overhead Extension 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Pull-Up 3 × 3 to 15 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Gym or cable swap
Cable Hammer Curl
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Cable Hammer Curl.
Do before it: Wrist Mobilisation (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Hammer Curl is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Hammer Curl?
Set up: Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing your body. Steps: 1. Curl the dumbbells up with the palms still facing in. 2. Stop near the shoulder. 3. Lower under control. Form cues: Keep the thumbs up throughout. Keep the elbows at your sides. Do not swing. Common mistakes: Rotating the wrists into a normal curl. Rocking the torso.
What muscles does the Hammer Curl work?
It trains the biceps as its main target and works the forearms on the way.
What can I do instead of the Hammer Curl?
In a gym: Cable Hammer Curl. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Hammer Curl with?
Good partners in the same workout are Dumbbell Overhead Extension, Single-Arm Dumbbell Row and Pull-Up.
How heavy should the Hammer Curl be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.