The dumbbell incline hammer curl is an upper arm exercise that targets the bicep and also works the forearms. It is performed while sitting on an incline bench, which increases the stretch on the bicep and challenges the muscles through a greater range of motion.
Also Works
Forearms
How to Perform
1
Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your torso and arms fully extended.
2
Keep your back against the bench and your feet flat on the floor.
3
While keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
4
Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
5
Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
6
Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
7
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Sit on a 45-60 degree incline bench with dumbbells hanging at arm's length, palms facing each other (neutral grip). The incline stretches the brachialis from the start.
•Curl without rotating your wrists. Maintain the neutral grip throughout to target the brachialis and brachioradialis.
•Keep your elbows pointing straight at the floor and your upper arms motionless. The incline position makes cheating obvious, so use it as a form check.
Common Mistakes
•Swinging the elbows forward to make the curl easier, which eliminates the advantage of the incline position.
•Rotating the wrists to a supinated position, which turns this into an incline Bicep Curl instead of a hammer curl.
•Using too much weight. The combined stretch from the incline and the neutral grip makes this harder than standing hammer curls.