Dumbbell Hammer Strict Curl

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your upper back, glutes, and elbows pressed firmly against a flat wall.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip, palms facing your torso.
3. Position your feet 6-12 inches away from the wall with a slight bend in the knees for better stability.
4. Allow your arms to hang fully extended with the back of your triceps touching the wall.

How to do it

1. Exhale and curl the weights toward your shoulders while keeping your elbows and upper back pinned against the wall.
2. Maintain the neutral 'hammer' grip throughout the entire movement without rotating your wrists.
3. Squeeze your biceps and forearms hard at the top of the movement for a one-second peak contraction.
4. Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position using a controlled 3-second eccentric tempo.

Form checklist

• Keep your elbows in constant contact with the wall to prevent shoulder involvement.
• Maintain a neutral wrist position; do not let the weight pull your wrists into extension.
• Ensure your head and shoulder blades remain glued to the wall to eliminate swinging.
• Keep your core braced to prevent your lower back from arching away from the wall.

Pro tips

• Squeeze the dumbbell handles as hard as possible to increase muscle fiber recruitment through irradiation.
• Focus on driving your thumbs toward your shoulders to maximize the engagement of the brachioradialis.

Make it harder

• Perform the movement with a 5-second eccentric (lowering) phase to increase time under tension.
• Add a 2-second isometric pause at the 90-degree 'sticking point' of the curl.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell hammer strict curl work?

The dumbbell hammer strict curl primarily targets the biceps, and also works the forearms as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell hammer strict curl?

The dumbbell hammer strict curl uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell hammer strict curl good for beginners?

The dumbbell hammer strict curl is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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