Curls performed in a “hammer” or neutral grip are a complementary alternative to working the biceps in supination, with or without rotation. They make it possible to provide an effective variant for the gain in volume of the biceps. It's also the best exercise for working the supinator longus, a muscle that increases the size of the forearms.
Very popular with bodybuilding enthusiasts, the hammer curl is done using dumbbells, but you can also find an alternative with rubber bands. You will find in this article the sequence of the movement and the advice to avoid injury.
Muscles used by the hammer grip curl
Hammer grip curls put more stress on the long portion of the biceps, which will increase the volume of your arm.
The important intervention of the long supinator, muscle of the forearm which is inserted under the biceps, allows to give more volume to the arm also.
When performing curls, as with all bodybuilding exercises, it is impossible to involve only one muscle and even less, one single beam muscular. These are groups of muscles that synchronize to move the joints. In the case of curls, it's the forearms.
Also read: 10 secrets to doing the best exercises for your biceps
The importance of the hammer curl exercise
The fastest way to improve the appearance of your biceps is to focus on the brachialis muscle, formerly known as the anterior brachialis muscle. This is the elbow flexor muscle. Located under the biceps (long and short portions), it contributes more to the thickness of the arm than the biceps themselves. Increasing its volume is therefore an easy way to make the arm bigger, to bring out your muscle mass.
But the way most people train their arms leaves the brachialis muscle understimulated. And if you already know a little about this muscle, you might think that training it consists only of doing curls with the hands in hammer grip, since this is the natural position of the wrist when you use a hammer.
But having the right wrist position is not enough to really use this muscle. The work done during the hammer grip curl is in-depth work depending on the given load and intensity. Remember to master the movement first before adding weight, otherwise you risk injuring yourself or overstretching your elbow joint.
Find out more: Biceps triceps program: 12 secrets to muscle your arms
Performing the Hammer Grip Curl
Starting position
- Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, arms stretched along the body. Slightly bend your legs to stabilize yourself. Turn the palms of the hands so that they face the thighs, in a hammer grip.
- Keep your elbows close to your chest throughout the entire movement and keep your upper arms still, only your forearms should move.
Execution of movement
- Raise one of the dumbbells by forcing on the biceps. Continue until the biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbell is about shoulder level, palm still in a hammer grip.
- Hold the dumbbell in the up position for a brief moment for optimal contraction, then slowly lower it back to the starting position, arm straight and elbow slightly bent.Repeat the movement with the other arm Continue alternating repetitions until the end of your series.
Breathing
- Exhale when raising the dumbbell. Inhale during the descent and in the low position.
- For better stability or when using heavy loads, hold your breath during the climb, exhale after the effort.
In parallel, read also: Training mask: the optimal technique for use
Tips for performing the hammer grip curl
The hammer curl is an exercise very popular with bodybuilders. The concentric contraction, that is to say from bottom to top, must be carried out in a dynamic way, while the eccentric contraction, from top to bottom, must be controlled and slowed down.
This is why certain precautions must be taken to achieve and master it:
- While sitting or standing, spread your feet apart to ensure good stability for your whole body.
- Keep your back flat and your core tight. The bust should not move.
- Do not raise your elbows excessively to maintain tension in the biceps and not overstress the joint.
- In the bottom position, don't fully extend your arm to keep the biceps under tension.
- Keep your chest, elbows, and upper arms stationary throughout the exercise. Don't cheat by performing a pendulum swing.
- Don't push off with your back to perform the hammer grip curl. The movement is done only by the arm.
- If you bend over, strain with your legs, or push with your back, decrease the load. However, the use of heavy loads is not discouraged for the hammer grip curl, which allows you to lift more than with a supine grip. Be sure to master the movement first before adding weight.
- Do not twist your wrists and keep the hammer grip throughout the movement.
- Be sure to keep your elbows close to your chest at all times when performing the hammer grip curl.
Also read: Torn biceps: how to avoid and heal it?
2 variants of the hammer grip curl exercise
Curl desk
For greater stability and better efficiency, use a desk that allows you to work standing up and not sitting down. Place the back of your upper arm against the padded incline support.
Adjust the height of the support so that you are upright and in a stable position. Grab a dumbbell with an underhand grip. Bend your elbows slightly at the start. You can also do the version with both arms.
Inhale deeply and hold your breath as you bend your elbows to lift the load, then exhale at the top near the end of the range of motion.
Raise the load at a moderate speed until your forearms are vertical and slightly higher. Return to the starting position controlling the descent. Pause slightly when your arms are nearly straight, then repeat for the desired number of reps.
Concentrated Curl
Sitting on the edge of a bench, legs apart and feet flat on the ground, lean forward and place your left elbow or your hand on your right thigh for support.
Place your right triceps against the inside of your right thigh Take a dumbbell in your right hand, supine grip and start with your elbow slightly bent. Inhale and hold your breath as you raise the dumbbell until it almost touches your chest. Exhale slightly as soon as you pass the delicate point.
Pause, then exhale completely returning to the starting position while controlling the load. Concentrate on the arm curl using only the biceps and without moving the upper body. Once the desired number of reps have been completed with one arm, switch sides.
To know: The complete guide to the desk curl
Performing the hammer curl with rubber bands
For training at home, rubber bands are the essential bodybuilding accessory. In addition, these elastic bands are a real asset in performing the hammer curl, thanks to the continuous tension provided by the elastics.
Which is not the case with dumbbells. On the contrary, the tension of the brachialis muscle is at its maximum with dumbbells when your elbows form a right angle.
On the other hand, the joint tension is strong at the start of the movement since your arms are tense, and the tension will be almost zero at the end of the movement since your dumbbells simply rest on your forearms which are almost vertical.
With rubber bands, you can achieve supersets and develop your biceps and forearms easily.
An article to read also: All you need to know about the superset in bodybuilding
Superhuman Fit rubber bands for the hammer grip curl
To best support each athlete in their weight training sessions, we have developed Fit Superhuman resistance bands. The goal was to design the best resistance bands in terms of value for money on the French market.
You no longer need to pay for a gym membership and you can finally focus on your muscle performance by just training at home. With these resistance bands, you can perform more than 100 exercises to strengthen your whole body, shape and refine your figure
You can adjust the resistance from 5 to 75 kg to adapt the difficulty to your level. The door anchors allow you to perform all upper body exercises with a simple door and the handles are very comfortable to relieve and protect your joints. This elastic model is ideal for your strength training program with elastic.
And the hammer curl exercise is no exception to the rule. It's easily performed with Superhuman Fit Elastic Resistance Bands for results that are visibly fast!
For more information: Biceps workout
In conclusion on the hammer grip curl
Whether you are new to bodybuilding or a long-time practitioner, the hammer grip curl exercise must absolutely be part of your sessions. It undoubtedly helps to greatly increase the muscle volume of your arms, while bringing out your biceps.
If you've had elbow tendinitis issues, this is a move that really relieves while still allowing you to bulk up.
So don't wait! Add the hammer curl to your strength exercises to bulk up and bring out your fabulous biceps.Consider the alternative with rubber bands for working from anywhere!
