How to Do a Hammer Curl

Performing a hammer curl effectively involves a few key steps to maximize muscle engagement and minimize injury risk.

Getting Started

Grip: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, ensuring your palms face each other. Maintain a neutral wrist position; avoid bending or flexing your wrists. As noted in the YouTube video "How To: Dumbbell Hammer Curl," gripping the dumbbells closer to the top can be beneficial for some individuals.
Stance: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent to maintain a stable posture and neutral spine. This is crucial for proper form, as emphasized in multiple sources.
Starting Position: Let your arms hang naturally at your sides, holding the dumbbells. Your upper arms should remain stationary throughout the exercise.

The Lift: Keeping your upper arms still, curl the dumbbells upwards by bending your elbows. Focus on squeezing your biceps and forearms as you lift. The dumbbells should move towards your shoulders. As described in Steel Supplements' guide, the goal is to bring your lower arms to meet your upper arms.
The Squeeze: At the top of the movement, briefly pause and squeeze your biceps and forearms. This maximizes muscle activation.
The Lowering: Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, controlling the movement. Avoid letting the weights drop. Maintain the neutral wrist position throughout.

Weight Selection: Choose a weight that allows you to maintain good form throughout the entire range of motion. It's better to use lighter weights with perfect form than heavier weights with poor form.
Muscle Focus: Hammer curls primarily target the biceps brachii, brachialis (a muscle under the biceps), and brachioradialis (forearm muscle). As highlighted on Reddit (r/naturalbodybuilding), this makes them a valuable addition to a balanced arm workout.
Variations: You can perform hammer curls using a variety of equipment, including dumbbells, barbells, and resistance bands. Many resources (https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-hammer-curls-techniques-benefits-variations-4788329) offer different variations to target specific muscle groups.

Remember to focus on proper form to avoid injuries and maximize results. Start with lighter weights and gradually increase the weight as you get stronger. Numerous YouTube tutorials (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwD-YGVP4Bk, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWWKFb0q0Uc, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDKOkTT9OnQ) offer visual demonstrations to aid your understanding.