Exercise guide
Dumbbell Standing Hammer Curl
- Intermediate
- Isolation
- Rep-based
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
The standing hammer curl utilizes a neutral grip to target the brachialis and brachioradialis, which helps build arm thickness and improves grip strength. This variation shifts the emphasis from the short head of the biceps to the deeper muscles of the upper arm and forearm.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees for a stable base.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms fully extended at your sides.
- Position your hands in a neutral grip, with your palms facing your torso.
- Pull your shoulders back and down, and engage your core to keep your torso upright.
How to do it
- Exhale and curl the weights toward your shoulders while keeping your palms facing each other throughout the movement.
- Keep your upper arms stationary and your elbows pinned to your ribcage to ensure isolation.
- Squeeze your biceps and forearms at the top of the movement for one second.
- Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position using a controlled 2-3 second tempo.
Form checklist
- Keep elbows locked at your sides; do not let them drift forward or flare out.
- Maintain a neutral wrist position; do not allow the wrists to flex or extend.
- Avoid swinging the weights or using momentum from the hips to lift.
- Ensure a full range of motion by fully extending the arms at the bottom of each rep.
- Keep your torso still and avoid leaning back as the weight moves upward.
Pro tips
- Grip the dumbbells as hard as possible throughout the set to increase neural drive and forearm activation.
- Focus on the mind-muscle connection with the brachialis, the muscle that sits underneath the bicep, to push the bicep 'peak' higher.
Make it harder
- Perform the eccentric (lowering) phase over 5 seconds to maximize time under tension.
- Add a 2-second isometric hold at the 90-degree point of the curl to eliminate all momentum.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the dumbbell standing hammer curl work?
- The dumbbell standing hammer curl primarily targets the biceps, and also works the forearms as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the dumbbell standing hammer curl?
- The dumbbell standing hammer curl uses dumbbell.
- Is the dumbbell standing hammer curl good for beginners?
- The dumbbell standing hammer curl is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.