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What muscle do hammer curls work?
Hammer curl is an exercise that works on the brachialis muscle. The brachialis muscle is one of the muscles that is often skipped by many of the people who are looking to have a more muscular physique. However, this muscle is very important for people who are looking to have bigger biceps and triceps.
This exercise is great for those looking to build strength in their biceps as it mainly focuses on the short head of the biceps. This is the part of the biceps that comes into play when you want to curl the weight up, which is why this is a good exercise for building strength. It’s also a great exercise for those looking to build size in their arms.
Hammer curls are a great exercise for your biceps. It is a very simple move. But can be very effective in targeting different areas of your biceps. But with any exercise, the execution is key. In this blog, I have detailed out the technique to perform a hammer curl with proper form for maximum results.
What is Hammer curl?
Hammer Curls are one of the most well-known exercises. If you want to develop your biceps then you should consider doing hammer curls. Hammer curls help with your grip because it is performed with a dumbbell that has a closed-handle grip rather than an open-grip. Compared to doing another type of curl, you also work your forearms quite well because the force required to hold the hammer curl is constant during every rep – meaning every forearm muscle will be engaged for longer periods during each set; this makes hammer curls better than a regular barbell or dumbbell curls for forearms development.
Hammer curls are a variation of the biceps curl and aim to isolate muscles in the upper and lower arms. While this exercise is usually performed with a dumbbell, it can also be done using a pair of rubber resistance tubes or a traditional weight machine for more effective results. The hammer curl is typically added to an arm workout but it can also serve as a valuable addition to a full-body resistance program.
If you want to build your bicep, squeezing a hammer isn’t all you need! One must keep their form up throughout the process, always making sure to engage their core and glutes to prevent any unwanted muscle strains or injuries. Hammer curls also work really well at flexing forearms too! By having some variety in your technique you will be able to engage more muscles in your arms which will lead to bigger results overall.
People tend to stick with an exercise routine because they see visible results quickly. However, even though size goals are important goals, it’s also important to ensure that some variety is being added weekly so as not to wreck our joints by lifting improperly!
Benefits of Hammer curl?
Hammer Curls are one of the best ways to gain strong muscles in your forearms and in your biceps. The variations to the original exercise will help you in many other aspects of your body too:
Arm strength:
Like an ordinary curl, this exercise targets your biceps (as well the joints in your wrists and may even engage your forearms if you rotate your hands to face each other throughout the movement). And because you alternate which side of the cable machine you start on and how many times you squeeze up and down, which also engages your obliques and rectus abdominus! The result? A deep ab workout coupled with a killer arm transformation in just one simple move.
Grip strength:
Hammer curls train the smaller muscles in your arms that other bicep exercises may overlook. You might notice your grip is stronger when you lift basic barbells because of the hammer curl training. Plus, if you do a few extra repetitions of hammer curls at the end of a weight lifting session, it can be a great way to burn off some excess fat and tone up your biceps – which happen to be a favorite feature for many women.
Improve mobility:
Hammer curls are quite useful when it comes down to improving your thickness of your arms. It’s quite useful when you want to mimic the natural movements of picking up things of a lighter weight – like shopping bags or pillows, for instance!
How to Do Hammer Curls?
Step 1: Starting Position:
To begin, hold a pair of dumbbells next to your thighs with a neutral grip (thumbs wrapped around the handles). Next, assume a split stance by placing one foot approximately two feet in front of the other and turning each foot outwards so that both feet are angled slightly. From this position, brace your core by contracting your abdominal muscles as you draw your shoulders down and back. This should result in a slight arching of your lower back with your head and neck aligned with it.
Step 2: Upward Phase
Exhale and slowly rotate (twist) both of your elbows toward each other until the ends of your respective dumbbells near (are within an inch’s radius of) the front of your respective shoulders. Because you’re performing alternating arm curls, it is important that you don’t allow any momentum to affect this exercise – the opposite arm should be held in a stationary position throughout its repetitions. You must resist shrugging or curling either of your shoulders and keep an erect (not arched) lower back at all times during this exercise. It is also essential that you maintain a neutral wrist position (wrist straight with palms facing into your body), as well as avoid bending them throughout the movement.
Step 3: Downward Phase
Create a 90-degree angle with your arm and rotate your wrist so that you are touching the pinky finger of that arm to the thumb on the other hand. Make sure you keep some tension on that muscle throughout the movement, inhale and squeeze it as tight as possible without moving any other part of the body. Once this is done, return back to your starting position. Touch some music or nature sounds in the background of your phone to make this exercise even more effective!
Note: Sometimes it’s hard to hold the dumbbells at your sides with straight arms when you’re lowering them down towards the ground because of structural differences in our bodies. For example, some of us have elbow issues that might not allow us to hold the dumbbells at our sides unless we bend our wrists. You should choose a position that’s most comfortable for you and keep your wrists aligned straight along your forearms.
Common Hammer Curl Mistakes:
Hammer curls are a simple exercise which many people can try, even without weights. All you do is hold the dumbbell at the base where your palms face toward you, then curl your wrist upward toward your forearm. Just be sure to keep your hand, wrist, and shoulder in contact with each other to maintain form throughout the movement.
When your elbow lifts up or away from your body or when you shrug, take this as a sign that you need to slow down or stop what you are doing. While performing any exercise, whether it’s with weights or without them, make sure to focus on your form before working faster! This will help prevent injury because if one part of the body is not in proper alignment with the rest of it then there is a problem waiting to happen.
Variations of the Hammer Curl:
Seated hammer curls
Seated hammer curls are a great way to isolate the biceps and forearms because they put all of the pressure on those muscles without relying on momentum or assistance from other parts of your body. It can be executed either by performing both arms simultaneously, or alternating them one after the other, as we’ll present here!
How to do it: Begin by finding a flat bench to sit down on with the incline set at about 60 degrees. Grab a relatively light set of dumbbells in each hand, keeping them held down at your sides. Extend your elbows fully so that your arms are completely straightened out. Your palms should be facing away from your body and directly ahead of you. Then curl both dumbbells up to your shoulders but only go as high as to where they’re just slightly below them otherwise you wouldn’t be able to squeeze for maximum vascularity onto the biceps without letting the weight drop too much. After that, slowly lower back down to starting position and repeat for as many reps as required until you’ve fully completed the desired number of reps for one set before switching over to do another almost immediately right after.
Incline preacher hammer curls
The incline dumbbell biceps curl is an exercise that allows you to isolate the muscle and achieve a greater range of motion. Here’s how you do it:
How to do it:
Stand upright, holding a dumbbell with one hand in front of your chest. Position yourself behind an incline bench at around 75 degrees, then lay that arm flat against the top backrest of the bench. Lower the dumbbell until it touches down on the side of the incline bench by your arm pit, with this entire area flush against the top of the incline bench. Then getting ready to begin your next rep, bring the dumbbell back upwards until it hits bottom overhead, but don’t lift upwards beyond this point; instead hold here in an extended position while squeezing tight. Once you’re feeling fully tensed up deliver another rep and do eight reps to complete that set before swapping arms for set number two.
Dumbbell prone hammer curls
These are untypical bicep exercises that take some getting used to if you’re not into that sort of thing but they are extremely effective for toning your arm muscles fast.
How to do it:
A great biceps workout like this one is very easy to perform and can be done in less time than you’d think. To get started, grab a dumbbell in each hand and then lay face down on an incline bench, making sure that your shoulders are close to the very top of the incline. Then rest your knees on some kind of support so you can keep aligned while raising and lowering the weights. Next, make sure that your elbows are as close to your sides as possible. Slowly raise the dumbbells upwards until they’re fully contracted and both hands are in line with either shoulder for a second before lowering both back down to the starting position. Repeat this movement for as many reps as required.
Standing hammer curls
Last but not least, we have the standing hammer curl an exercise which is so simple in its execution but one that still remains highly effective in its ability to help you build mass and volume in your biceps which only means you will get stronger!
How to do it:
Start with your legs slightly apart, holding dumbbells in each hand. Bend over so that your upper body is at about a 45-degree angle to the floor and slowly raise the dumbbells up towards the shoulders. Make sure you hold this position for a moment, keeping your palms facing each other while also keeping your arms straight before lowering back down to the starting position where you’ll next repeat the exercise for all required repetitions.
Final Thoughts:
Hammer curls are an important staple exercise that work your bicep muscles. They are commonly done on the biceps with either dumbbells, powerlifting equipment or with specially constructed curl machines called hammer strength machines. The hammer strength machine features a higher bar loaded with weights and it works your biceps more by using gravity.
It is also possible to choose between doing this exercise on one arm or two arms together, depending on your specific workout goals. A good tip for beginners invested in building their forearm muscles is to try out the reverse hammer curl which seems to be just as effective.
FAQs:
Are hammer curls better for wrists?
For most people, who want to work on their forearm, wrist, and grip strength, hammer curls are an ideal exercise. By using a barbell with a weighted hammer, you can achieve maximum results in a short period of time with just a few reps per set.
Are hammer curls better than bicep curls?
Hammer curls, like bicep curls, allow for the most complete movement of the hand muscles. Directing power towards specific areas of your arms is one of the numerous benefits of hammer curls. The most notable benefit of this exercise is that you can do it at home or in any setting with equipment that is readily available, mostly dumbbells and barbells.
Is hammer curl push or pull?
Hammer curls are pulling exercises, and they can be done with two hands or one. You first position the weight near the top of the hammer curl and grip the weight with your hand. Your thumb must be on top of the weight, and your wrist must be controlled as you curl it up toward your shoulder. Hammer curls are a great arm exercise, and they work your biceps as well as your forearms. To get the most out of your hammer curls, you should choose a weight that you can control and squeeze your biceps properly. Also, keep your elbow facing out toward the wall and your upper arm tight to your body as you perform this exercise.
Can I do Hammer curls everyday?
Yes, every day is a good day for biceps – even if you’re holding fast to your regular training schedule. This works very well for people who find their biceps are always the last muscle group to grow following the initial stages of training during “newbie gains.”
