# FITNESS and NUTRITION FORUM > WORKOUT AND TRAINING >  anyone else think hammer curls are a waste of time?

## danimal79

i've been lifting for many years, and have always done hammer curls. i'm a big believer in grip-variation in general, so they just made sense. but honestly...i have never gotten a great pump from hammer curls. they seem to give my joints a better workout than anything (same with reverse grip curls).

i think biceps are best worked with an underhand grip, or thereabouts. otherwise you can't squeeze the muscle properly. at least for me anyway. i get the best possible pump with dumbbell curls while turning my wrists just past the standard underhand grip position (at the top). 

in the past couple months, i started focusing more on underhand grip exercises and slowly started dropping hammercurls alltogether. since then, my peaks are looking much better, and i'm happier with the overall look of my biceps. thoughts?

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## Dan111

I'm curious about this too. I see a lot of people on here saying hammer curls help build up mass on the bicep, whereas if you want to build up the peak you should do regular DB or BB curls. But I never feel like I get anything good out of hammer curls to be honest...

(Sorry to not add anything constructive danimal, lol, but I'm kind of in the same boat you are)

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## terraj

Hammers are for big arms!

They thicken the arm.

I always end with a couple sets to failure of 80-85s on hammers curls for the bis/forearms workout.

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## danimal79

dan: lol it's all good! just making sure i wasn't the only one lol. 

terraj: yea? man i don't know. i just barely feel a pump when i do hammer curls. i've tried everything i can think of to give 'em their proper due. even just flexing and making a muscle in a hammercurl position WITHOUT a weight in my hand, the minute i twist my wrist to an underhand position, it feels SO much tighter.

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## Vitruvian-Man

incline dumbell curls is my favorite exercise, and most productive for bicep growth IMO.

-VM

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## Noles12

If an exercise doesnt work for me i dont do it. It may work for others but im not gonna waste my time if i dont feel it.

That being said i have put on good mass in my bis doing them. I am now trying to go more for the peaks so i cut them out

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## terraj

Cool man, each to their own.

With hammers you are hitting the brachialis, an upper arm muscle that runs under the biceps/brachioradialis, that is why you feel it differently then standard curls. The brachialiss really only visible when looking at the arms from the side, but will make your arms appear much larger when viewed this way. Most people focus on biceps training, if you want really big arms then you need to work your brachialis just as hard.


A little something from BB.coms articals section.

_The hammer curl, although not strictly a biceps exercise, will develop the brachialis, lending a greater degree of overall size to the biceps area. The brachialis, the strongest flexor of the elbow, runs along the side of the upper arm and comprises much of the lower biceps area._ 
_It conveys the impression, in those with full development, of a tennis ball stuck under the skin between the biceps and triceps. Developing it to its fullest will help to push the biceps up therefore creating the illusion of a peak, and fill out the lower portion of the biceps, providing overall thickness in this area._

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## danimal79

> Cool man, each to their own.
> 
> With hammers you are hitting the brachialis, an upper arm muscle that runs under the biceps/brachioradialis, that is why you feel it differently then standard curls. The brachialiss really only visible when looking at the arms from the side, but will make your arms appear much larger when viewed this way. Most people focus on biceps training, if you want really big arms then you need to work your brachialis just as hard.
> 
> 
> A little something from BB.coms articals section.
> 
> _The hammer curl, although not strictly a biceps exercise, will develop the brachialis, lending a greater degree of overall size to the biceps area. The brachialis, the strongest flexor of the elbow, runs along the side of the upper arm and comprises much of the lower biceps area._ 
> _It conveys the impression, in those with full development, of a tennis ball stuck under the skin between the biceps and triceps. Developing it to its fullest will help to push the biceps up therefore creating the illusion of a peak, and fill out the lower portion of the biceps, providing overall thickness in this area._


hmmmmmm...that makes a lot of sense. those ARE pretty well developed on my arms. like i said...i've been doing hammercurls for many years, just never felt a great pump in the biceps. but your post explains exactly why that is. shit...you learn something every day! so i guess i'm half right? lol...thanks man!

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## Nicotine

when i see people doing them - they only go part way down, then only up half way...

just like any exercise - TOO heavy kills form, and form is VERY important... i see guys trying to hammercurl 80s, and they twist their back, use momentum, etc etc.

i stand solid, arm fully extended, then curl up to the shoulder - but flex/squeeze at the top, and then control the extension of the arm the whole way down. control up, control down.

just like anything, if your form/control is poor, if you use momentum - it's not going to work.....

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## khorask

I usually do hammers last, and find I only get a good pump when I do them seated with super strict form.. but it tends to be a really deep and extra tight feeling

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## lovbyts

I think they are all good. It helps change things up. Every different angle works the body part different. That's why for tricep we do palm down, palm up and rope to hit the different parts. 

Same with curls, Dumbbell, straight bar, preacher, curl bar close grip, wide grip and hammer to hit the muscle a little different.

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## Kaytime

> If an exercise doesnt work for me i dont do it. It may work for others but im not gonna waste my time if i dont feel it.
> 
> That being said i have put on good mass in my bis doing them. I am now trying to go more for the peaks so i cut them out



I agree

i prefer to do exercises where it works for me. if i dont feel it and it doesnt work i will stay away from it or throw it in once a month....

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## gbrice75

I love hammers just for the forearm workout they provide.

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## jypoll

I only do reverse preacher curls with the EZ bar for a couple months now and Im seeing good results. Reverse preacher and rows seem to be quite sufficient for my biceps

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## Cousinbutch

Not getting a pump doesn't mean you're not going to grow from the work. A pump is like a bonus IMO. I figure a good workout is like a high paying job, you see the reward a couple weeks later in your pay check, getting a pump is like getting a handjob while you're actually at work - Its the bonus.

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## MBMETC

I find i can curl more w the hammer curl..but i also find it puts more strain on my tendens which could lead to injury. I dunno maybe it's just me. I like hanging single arm dumbell curl great pump gets he veins lifted nicely

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## MuscleScience

Hammer Curls are not really for the biceps brachii muscle, though it is activated of course. The Brachioradialis muscle is a powerful flexor of the forarm especially when the arm is halfway between palms up and palms down (supination, pronation). This puts the biceps brachii in a posistion that gives it less of a mechanical advantage.

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## Rhinos

> i've been lifting for many years, and have always done hammer curls. i'm a big believer in grip-variation in general, so they just made sense. but honestly...i have never gotten a great pump from hammer curls. they seem to give my joints a better workout than anything (same with reverse grip curls).
> 
> i think biceps are best worked with an underhand grip, or thereabouts. otherwise you can't squeeze the muscle properly. at least for me anyway. i get the best possible pump with dumbbell curls while turning my wrists just past the standard underhand grip position (at the top). 
> 
> in the past couple months, i started focusing more on underhand grip exercises and slowly started dropping hammercurls alltogether. since then, my peaks are looking much better, and i'm happier with the overall look of my biceps. thoughts?



hammer curls primary muscles worked is the brachioradialis (Forearm - upper, outer). if you wanna isolate biceps do bicep curls simple. on a secondary note hammers do hit the lower bicep quite nicely for me.

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## spiketannin

i have been working out for a long time now about 6 or 7 years and never did hammer curls tell about 4 months ago. they def are working up my forearms ive noticed a bigger bulge and veins screamin thru as soon as i get done.

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## ChunkDiesel

> Not getting a pump doesn't mean you're not going to grow from the work. A pump is like a bonus IMO. I figure a good workout is like a high paying job, you see the reward a couple weeks later in your pay check, getting a pump is like getting a handjob while you're actually at work - Its the bonus.


ROFL, great analogy.

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## BgMc31

Powerlifters/strongmen/oly lifters don't do much direct bicep work, but when we do, it usually hammer curls. They're great for forearm strength and bicep prehab/rehab that carries over into our other lifts. Love them lots. Form isn't that important to us, so we use quite a bit of momentum.

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## mario_ps2

> Powerlifters/strongmen/oly lifters don't do much direct bicep work, but when we do, it usually hammer curls. They're great for forearm strength and bicep prehab/rehab that carries over into our other lifts. Love them lots. Form isn't that important to us, so we use quite a bit of momentum.


It's also a good alternative exercise when your wrists hurt during cycle... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## growing1

Hammers always worked well for me. The owner of my previous gym gave me some advice on them though. He told me that if I wanted them to help thicken the arm that i needed to focus on the squeeze at the top and as I'm doing it rotate the thumb away from the body and you'll be golden. Its like trying to make your pinky finger rotate over to where the thumb is. It also causes the arm to rotate slightly away from the body at the elbow and forces the weight on the outer bi. At least it does for me.

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## tyciol

I think OP's right about supine grip targetting biceps better, but hammer curls were never for biceps... they're for brachialis and brachioradialis I think. That and giving your wrist flexors a rest (wrist abductors / radial deviators do the isometric wrist stabilization work here).

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## auswest

Reverse grip bar curls feel the best for me and give a great pump

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## Dytum

i do them all, but i feel hammercurls work the forearm as well so ill keep to it. but i do over, under and hammer

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## AllAmerican-PCS

I always do hammer curls to hit the "Brach" muscle in the bycep, I believe that strong By's play a necessarily important role in keeping that muscle attached to your arm in the dead lift. IMO

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## JohnnyClutch

old ass thread but heres my .2 cents anyway...

if you dont feel hammer curls, either with DBs or ROPE, then check your form...
also, you shouldnt always leave them for last in your biceps workout...switch it up everytime
you should feel it a lot on your "forearm" which by the way is still your bicep (brachioradialis) and yes, if done correctly they will thicken your upper arms.

what works really well for me is using the rope attachment at a station, and i stand about 3 feet away from the stack... holding the rope, i fully extend my arms 
(at this point theyre almost at a 45 degree angle) and keeping my elbows fixed, i curl bringing my wrists to my face...
again, this wont really increase the peak of your bis but will greatly affect their width or thickness 
 :Wink/Grin:

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## Armykid93

> old ass thread but heres my .2 cents anyway...
> 
> if you dont feel hammer curls, either with DBs or ROPE, then check your form...
> also, you shouldnt always leave them for last in your biceps workout...switch it up everytime
> you should feel it a lot on your "forearm" which by the way is still your bicep (brachioradialis) and yes, if done correctly they will thicken your upper arms.
> 
> what works really well for me is using the rope attachment at a station, and i stand about 3 feet away from the stack... holding the rope, i fully extend my arms
> (at this point theyre almost at a 45 degree angle) and keeping my elbows fixed, i curl bringing my wrists to my face...
> again, this wont really increase the peak of your bis but will greatly affect their width or thickness


I love hammer curls and how in gods name does someone screw them up so bad they can't feel them?

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## ajordana

i like hammers. i used to always do them, then i stopped doing them for like a year, and just started doing them again a week or so ago, biceps are finally getting sore from workouts again. i do a couple sets at the end of my workout

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## tcw

I like this technique too.

I get a hell of a pump in my forearms and lower bi's using the rope. I do hammers this way...last 3 sets of a 10 set workout for bi's. I try to go as heavy as i can for 6-8 reps.




> old ass thread but heres my .2 cents anyway...
> 
> if you dont feel hammer curls, either with DBs or ROPE, then check your form...
> also, you shouldnt always leave them for last in your biceps workout...switch it up everytime
> you should feel it a lot on your "forearm" which by the way is still your bicep (brachioradialis) and yes, if done correctly they will thicken your upper arms.
> 
> what works really well for me is using the rope attachment at a station, and i stand about 3 feet away from the stack... holding the rope, i fully extend my arms 
> (at this point theyre almost at a 45 degree angle) and keeping my elbows fixed, i curl bringing my wrists to my face...
> again, this wont really increase the peak of your bis but will greatly affect their width or thickness

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## Conrad0032

When I hit hammer DB Curls I usually real it in my peaks and my forearms. Although my forearms give up faster than my biceps causing my hand to slide to one end of the grip of the dumbbell. Kind of obnoxious haha. But whatever, everything has a place in lifting I suppose.

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## Ishallnocheatmyself

destroys them forearms ahaha

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## cessnockman

i never use to get much from them but i wanted bigger brachialis so i decided to make them work for me. i played around a bit and found single arm cross body hammers with a cable, top end partials with dumbells and dumbell hammer preacher curls worked best for getting a good contraction. i also found if i did my brachialis work first i could get better contractions and pump it up then it would stay pumped for my underhand bicep work, but if i did my normal bicep work first then tried to do brachi work just couldnt feel it thru the pump in my peak

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## Kenlie

Yeah, I also do hammer curls just to focus on brachialis. It gives a very nice look.

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## Armykid93

I love hammer curls. But I feel like they give me a lot

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## JAB1

I do them and like them. I do them seated and strict.. My bicep seems to conect high up on my arm, and i like that doing in hammer position the bicep goes al the way to the elbow, as Id like them to be lower. Not sure if that makes sense but thats why I always do them is to develop longer bicep hopefully.

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## castiron

hammers concentrate on the brachialis, the upper part of your forearm. they work for thick arms!

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