Incline Hammer Curl
Arms hang behind the body, loading the biceps in a stretched position most curls never reach.
Setup
- Lie back on an incline bench, arms hanging straight down, neutral grip.
- Shoulders back against the pad.
How To Do It
- Curl both bells up keeping the palms facing each other.
- Do not let the elbows swing forward — the incline is what makes this hard.
- Lower to a dead-straight arm.
Breathing
Exhale on the curl.
Common Mistakes
- Letting the upper arm drift forward to shorten the range.
- Setting the bench too upright and losing the stretch.
Programming It
Three sets of 8-12.
Why This Exercise Works
The incline stretches the arm and the neutral grip loads the brachialis, so this hits a muscle that is already hard to reach in the one position where it is fully lengthened. Expect much less weight than a standing hammer curl.
Where You Should Feel It
The brachialis in a fully lengthened position — a combination that is otherwise hard to reach. It will feel much harder than a standing hammer curl at the same weight.
Where It Fits in a Program
Arms hang behind the body, loading the biceps in a stretched position most curls never reach. Put it late. Nothing here needs you fresh, and the reps are cheap to recover from.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the incline hammer curl: add a small increment, or lower the bench angle. To regress it: raise the bench, or curl standing until the stretch is comfortable.
Who It's For
Anyone who wants arm thickness and has plateaued on standard curls. Go light; the stretched position is not the place for ego.
Equipment and Substitutions
As written here it uses an incline bench and dumbbells. No dumbbells? A kettlebell of similar weight works for almost all of this, and the cable and machine versions below cover the rest.
Related Exercises
- Rope Hammer Curl — Biceps, Brachialis, Forearms
- Hammer Curl — Biceps, Forearms
- Preacher Hammer Curl — Brachialis, Biceps, Forearms
- Incline Dumbbell Curl — Biceps
- Scott Curl — Biceps
- Concentration Curl — Biceps
- Drag Curl — Biceps
- Spider Curl — Biceps
Common Questions
What muscles does the incline hammer curl work?
The incline hammer curl primarily trains the biceps, brachialis.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three sets of 8-12.
What are the most common incline hammer curl mistakes?
Most often: letting the upper arm drift forward to shorten the range; setting the bench too upright and losing the stretch.
Do I need an incline bench and dumbbells to do this?
This version uses an incline bench and dumbbells, and it trains the biceps, brachialis. Kettlebells substitute directly here. So does a cable, if you would rather have constant tension than a free weight.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
Elbows and wrists take the brunt of the incline hammer curl, and both are slow to settle once irritated. If the ache lingers into the next day, reduce the load or change the grip angle before you train it again. Not medical advice.