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Hammer Curl to Shoulder Press

This combination curls the dumbbells to the shoulders in a hammer grip, then presses them overhead in one continuous rep. Two exercises share one movement, which makes it a time-efficient pick for circuits and full-body sessions. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.

Muscles worked

Front shoulders · anterior deltoid Side shoulders · medial deltoid Triceps · triceps brachii Upper traps · upper trapezius Biceps · biceps brachii Forearms · brachioradialis

Sets & reps by goal

Goal	Sets × Reps	Rest
Strength	4 sets × 4-6 reps	2 min
Muscle	3 sets × 8-12 reps	60-90 sec
Endurance	2 sets × 15-20 reps	45-60 sec

Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.

Level — Intermediate

Intermediate — a two-part rep with two failure points; the overhead half sets the weight.

Proper form — 5 cues

Finish the curl completely before the press begins — no blending the two halves.
Press straight up with the palms still facing each other, biceps finishing beside the ears.
Brace the abs and squeeze the glutes so the lower back never arches overhead.
Reverse the exact path: lower to the shoulders first, then uncurl to the thighs.
Pick the load your press can handle — the press, not the curl, is the limiter.

Breathing: Exhale on the curl, inhale at the shoulders, exhale again as the press locks out.

The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most

Leaning back as the dumbbells travel overhead. The lean turns an overhead press into an incline press and hangs the difference on the lumbar spine. Fix: Re-brace before each press and finish with the ribs stacked over the pelvis.

Dipping the knees to bounce the weights up. Leg drive converts the movement into a push press, cheating the shoulders out of the strict work. Fix: Freeze the knees for the whole set — if the press needs legs, the dumbbells are too heavy.

Skipping the lowering sequence and dropping to the sides. Swinging the weights down wide skips the eccentric halves of both exercises and stresses the shoulders. Fix: Retrace the rep: shoulders, then a controlled uncurl to the start.

Common questions

Is the curl-to-press better than doing curls and presses separately?

Better for time, not for maximums. The curl portion works far below its capacity because the weaker overhead press sets the load. In a short session or circuit, that trade is worth it — one pair of dumbbells trains arms, shoulders and trunk together. In a dedicated strength block, keep the lifts separate.

Which muscles does the combination hit?

The curl half loads the biceps, brachialis and forearms; the press half hands over to the deltoids, triceps and upper traps; and the trunk braces throughout to keep the ribs down as the load travels overhead. Few single dumbbell movements cover this much of the upper body in one rep.

Can I do it seated?

Yes — a seated version on an upright bench removes leg-cheat entirely and suits strict shoulder work. You lose the standing trunk demand, which is half the value in circuits, so choose by goal: seated for strictness and isolation, standing for the full-body coordination and midsection work.

Related exercises

Military PressFront shoulders Close Grip Dumbbell Bench PressTriceps · Mid & lower chest Dumbbell Bench PressChest Front Dumbbell RaiseFront shoulders Incline Dumbbell PressUpper chest

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