When it comes to bicep exercises, it has to be said that curls are most definitely many people’s exercise of choice, and although bicep curls are very efficient bicep exercises, so too are dumbbell hammer curls.

Hammer curls are very easy to perform, are great for working the biceps as well as the forearms, and they can also be performed in a whole variety of different ways.

Let’s take a look at four different variations of the dumbbell hammer curl and how they’re performed effectively, safely, and correctly:

Seated hammer curls

Seated hammer curls are great because they help stabilise the back to prevent you from rocking back and forth to gain momentum.

This means that the biceps and forearms are forced to do all of the work.

Seated hammer curls can be perform using both arms at the same time, or alternately but here we’ll be looking at the double arm method.

• Begin by taking a seat on a bench with the incline back support set at around 60 degrees.
• Grab a set of relatively light dumbbells, one in each hand, and lower your arms down to your sides so that your elbows are fully extended.
• Your palms should be facing your body and your head dead ahead.
• Next, curl both dumbbells up to your body but make sure that you keep your palms facing the side of your body.
• Curl them upwards until the dumbbells are just slightly lower than your shoulders, squeeze the biceps, and then slowly lower the dumbbells down and repeat for as many reps as required.

Incline preacher hammer curls

These are another great bicep exercise that really allows you to isolate the muscle. Here’s what to do:

• Grab a dumbbell in one hand and stand upright behind an incline bench set at around 75 degrees.
• Extend the arm holding the dumbbell over the bench so that it lies completely flat against it, with the arm pit resting against the top of the bench.
• Next, slowly lower the dumbbell downwards until your arm is nearly fully extended.
• Once extended, bring the dumbbell back up and hold and squeeze for a second at the top of the movement.
• Repeat for as many reps as required, and then do exactly the same thing but using the opposite arm this time.

Dumbbell prone hammer curls

These are unusual bicep exercises but are extremely efficient and easy to master.

• Start off by grabbing a dumbbell in each hand and then laying face down on an incline bench, making sure that your shoulders are close to the very top of the incline.
• Rest your knees on the seat for support and let both of your arms hang down in front of you, with both of your palms facing each other.
• Keeping your palms facing one another, make sure your elbow is as close to your side as possible, slowly raise the dumbbells upwards until your biceps are both fully contracted and you can’t bring your arms up any more.
• Hold and squeeze for a second before lowering both dumbbells back down to the starting position.
• Repeat for as many reps as required.

Standing hammer curls

Last on the list we have the most simple of all hammer curl variations, but one which is still incredibly effective.

• Begin by standing upright, holding a dumbbell in each hand at arm’s length, with your elbows as close to your body as possible.
• Keeping your upper body still and your palms facing each other, slowly curl the dumbbells upwards until the dumbbells are roughly level with your shoulders.
• Hold and squeeze the biceps for a second and then slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position and repeat for as many reps as required.