Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl
A neutral-grip curl seated on an incline bench — pairs the hammer grip with a deep biceps stretch for arm thickness.
How to do it
- Set a bench to about 60 degrees and sit back against it with a dumbbell hanging from each hand.
- Let your arms hang fully straight, palms facing each other, shoulder blades pinned to the bench.
- Keep your elbows tucked at your sides and resist any urge to swing them forward as you curl.
- Curl both dumbbells up by bending only at the elbow, palms staying in a neutral hammer position.
- Stop the curl just before your elbows drift forward, squeezing hard with a brief pause at the top.
- Lower the dumbbells under control over 2-3 seconds back to the fully stretched start position.
Key technique cue
Shoulder blades pinned, elbows at your sides, palms facing in.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Letting the elbows drift forward at the top, which removes the brachialis stretch that is the whole point of the exercise.
- ✕ Rolling the shoulders forward off the bench, swapping arm work for front-shoulder tension.
- ✕ Rushing the negative and dropping out of the stretched bottom, where the growth happens.
- ✕ Going too heavy, which forces a swinging cheat rep and ruins the isolation.
Benefits
- ✓ Builds upper-arm thickness through the brachialis under a deep stretch.
- ✓ Develops forearm size and grip strength through the neutral grip.
- ✓ Removes momentum cheating thanks to the seated, locked-in position.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 -
Step 2 You are here - Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl
- Dumbbell Hammer Preacher Curl
About the exercise
The Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl is a hammer curl performed seated on an incline bench with the arms hanging behind the body. The neutral grip shifts the load onto the brachialis and forearm, while the incline position pre-stretches the working muscles before every rep. The result is a curl that builds visible upper-arm thickness from a stretched start. It is a specialist accessory for hypertrophy-focused arm programs. It fits pull days, arm days, and training that wants both peak development and arm thickness. It is also a wrist-friendly alternative to the standard incline curl, making it an easy swap in beginner-to-intermediate programs.
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