What you'll gain

• Builds upper-arm thickness through the brachialis underneath the biceps.

• Develops forearm size and grip strength through the neutral grip.

• Wrist-friendly curl option for users who feel strain with palms-up curls.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1

   Stand tall with a dumbbell in each hand, arms at your sides, and palms facing your thighs.

2. 2

   Keep the elbows pinned to the ribs and the shoulders pulled back and down throughout the set.

3. 3

   Curl both dumbbells up by bending only at the elbow, keeping palms facing each other the whole time.

4. 4

   Squeeze hard at the top with the dumbbells just below shoulder height and the wrists locked straight.

5. 5

   Lower the weights under control over 2 to 3 seconds back to a fully straight-arm position.

6. 6

   Pause briefly at the bottom with the elbows extended, then curl back up for the next rep.

Common Mistakes

• Swinging the torso to throw the weight up instead of curling cleanly with the arms.

• Letting the elbows drift forward at the top, which turns the curl into a half front raise.

• Rotating the wrists at the top and rushing the lower, missing the brachialis-building tension.

• Using too heavy a weight, which forces partial reps and short-changes the muscle stretch.

About This Exercise

The dumbbell hammer curl is a curl performed with a neutral grip — palms facing each other the whole rep. That hand position shifts the work off the peak of the biceps and onto the brachialis underneath and the brachioradialis of the forearm, giving the upper arm visible thickness from the side. For app and content use, this is the second curl every arm program should ship after the standard supinated curl. It belongs in pull-day flows, dedicated arm-day blocks, and any hypertrophy track that wants a complete biceps curriculum. It's also a wrist-friendly alternative for users who feel strain with palms-up curls, which makes it a popular pick in beginner and rehab-adjacent programs.

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