Hammer (the name comes from the grip you use when performing them) curls are a great way to strengthen your wrists and build up your forearms, in addition to targeting the brachialis part of your bicep, so they’re a great addition to any biceps routine. If you’d like to strengthen your wrists and forearms, but don’t have the time or the inclination to set aside time specifically for wrist/forearm training, hammer curls are a good exercise to drop into your biceps routine. You can perform hammer curls seated or standing, one arm at a time, alternating, or both arms together. Another variation are To-The-Front Hammer Curls in which you curl the weight across the front of your body as opposed to the normal upwards arc of a typical curl.
Performance: Stand (or sit) with your back erect, holding two dumbbells in a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Keeping your elbow and upper arm stationary, slowly curl one (or both) of the dumbbells towards your shoulder without turning your wrists. Pause and squeeze at the top of the rep, then slowly lower to the starting position and repeat. To perform To-The-Front Hammer Curls, assume the same start position,then curl one of the dumbbells (you’ll have to do this version one arm at a time for obvious reasons) in front of your chest without twisting or bending your wrists. As you reach the top of the rep, lean slightly into the dumbbell to ensure that your arm and the weight clear your body. Squeeze the muscle hard, then lower the weight slowly and repeat with the other arm.
Muscle Emphasis: brachialis, forearm flexors
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