My love for the dumbbell hammer curl dates way back to my teenage years.
Before I knew what a proper workout routine looked like, I would perform marathon sets of different curl variations in hopes of building bigger biceps.
And it worked at the time. However, now I know I could’ve seen better results with more exercise variety and balanced training.
One of those curl variations was the dumbbell hammer curl.
And as I dreamt of holding a microphone during a heated wrestling promo (I was a big wrestling fan), I knew the hammer curl was the exercise I needed so my arms and forearms looked fantastic on during the televised close up.
That’s probably not your dream though. And you may have different goals than building huge biceps. And you’re here wondering how the dumbbell hammer curl can help you achieve your individual goals.
Well, let’s get into it then. This article is an expert guide on the dumbbell hammer curl exercise. I will cover how to perform the hammer curl, what muscles it targets, how to add it to your workouts (balanced workouts at that), and provide a list of variations you can check out.
How to Perform Dumbbell Hammer Curls
The dumbbell hammer curl is obviously a dumbbell exercise and will require a set of (adjustable) dumbbells so that you can perform it. The weight you select will depend on your goal for the exercise and we will get into more detail about this in the how to add the dumbbell hammer curl to your workouts section.
This article will explain how to perform the dumbbell hammer curl with both arms. However, it can also be performed in an alternating arm fashion as well. Technically, this is a variation of the dumbbell hammer curl called alternating dumbbell hammer curls.
To perform the dumbbell hammer curl:
- Select the pair of dumbbells you would like to use and pick them up.
- Stand in a shoulder width stance.
- Brace your core and maintain an upper right posture throughout the exercise.
- Begin with the dumbbells by your side with a neutral grip (palms facing in).
- Keep your core engaged and maintain an engaged posture by ensuring that you are pressing through all four corners of your feet on the floor.
- Maintaining a neutral grip, contract your bicep to begin pulling the dumbbells from your side up to your shoulder.
- Once at shoulder height, reverse the movement until the dumbbells are back by your side.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
What Muscles Does the Dumbbell Hammer Curl Target?
The dumbbell hammer curl is considered an isolation exercise and is primarily performed to target the muscles of the biceps.
Due to the nature of your grip on the dumbbells, you will also place a lot of emphasis on the muscles of your forearms as well.
Indirectly, the dumbbell hammer curl trains the muscles of the core as you maintain perfect posture while performing the exercise.
How to Add Dumbbell Hammer Curls to Your Workouts
The dumbbell hammer curl will typically be used as an accessory exercise for those looking to add a little additional volume target their biceps.
The only time it may be performed as a primary exercise is during an arm day workout of a bro-split style workout routine.
Typically, the hammer curl is performed with low to moderate sets at moderate rep ranges, and with moderate weight in respect to a smaller muscle group.
What this translates into is 2-4 sets of 8-15 repetitions (I have found 8-12 to be the sweet spot) with a moderate weight.
The dumbbell hammer curl can be added to workout routines in the following ways:
- As a final movement during a full body workout routine.
- On upper body workouts in upper/lower split routines.
- During pull workouts in push/pull/leg workout routines.
- On arm day workouts in bro-split workouts.
They are also an excellent bicep exercise to consider if you perform dumbbell only workouts.
Dumbbell Hammer Curl Variations
The dumbbell hammer curl is a variation itself. It is a variation of the dumbbell curl. There are many curl variations you can perform to target your biceps. Below is a list. As I create more content on Legacy Muscle, I will be sure to link the associated expert guides. However, if there is one not linked, I encourage you to perform a YouTube search for a video demonstration of the exercise.
- Cross Bar Hammer Curls
- Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curls
- Alternating Hammer Curls
- Dumbbell Bicep Curls
- Pinwheel Curls
- Zottman Curls
- Cable Machine Hammer Curls
- Resistance Band Hammer Curls
Conclusion
That’s a wrap on the dumbbell hammer curl. It is an excellent dumbbell bicep exercise that can be added to pretty much any workout routine.
If you enjoyed this content, please consider bookmarking Legacy Muscle so that you remember to come back to the website. I am creating 100% human generated content nearly every day and I would love to continue to be a part of your fitness journey.
And if you think of someone else who might enjoy the content on Legacy Muscle, please consider sharing the website with them as well!