Seated Hammer Curl
Seated on an upright bench with palms facing each other, you curl the dumbbells without any wrist rotation, aiming the work at the brachioradialis and the brachialis beneath the biceps. Combined with the seat's strictness, it is the cleanest way to build the forearm and outer-arm thickness a rotating curl underserves. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4 sets x 3-6 reps | 2-3 min |
| Muscle | 3-4 sets x 9-12 reps | 60-90 sec |
| Endurance | 2-3 sets x 18-27 reps | 30-45 sec |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Beginner
Beginner — technically simple; the discipline is preserving the neutral grip and the dead-stop bottom as loads climb.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Sit upright with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your thighs.
- Keep the neutral grip locked — the palms face each other from bottom to top.
- Curl the dumbbells up with elbows fixed at your sides.
- Drive the thumb-side of the fist toward the shoulder and squeeze at the top.
- Lower on a three-second count to a dead-straight arm before the next rep.
Breathing: Exhale on the curl, inhale on the slow return to straight arms.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
Common questions
What is the point of hammer curls if I already do biceps curls?
Coverage. Palm-up curls favour the biceps; the neutral grip shifts emphasis to the brachialis — which sits under the biceps and pushes it outward as it grows — and the brachioradialis along the forearm. Training only supinated curls leaves those two under-loaded. Running both across the week builds the arm from more directions than either alone.
Why can I hammer curl more weight than I can biceps curl?
The neutral wrist position is mechanically stronger — three elbow flexors pull together in a comfortable line, and the wrist joint sits in its most stable orientation. A gap of ten to twenty percent over your supinated curl is typical. Enjoy the bigger dumbbells, but hold the same strictness standards; the stronger position is not an invitation to swing.
Seated or standing hammer curls?
Seated, if strictness is the goal — the bench back catches the subtle lean-back that creeps into standing sets, especially with the heavier loads hammer curls allow. Standing is perfectly serviceable when no bench is free, provided you brace the trunk and keep the elbows anchored. The muscles worked are identical; only the opportunity to cheat changes.
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