The Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl is a beginner-friendly dumbbell strength exercise that targets the biceps. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesBiceps
Secondary muscles—
EquipmentDumbbell
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl
Set a bench to about a 60 degree incline and sit back with a dumbbell hanging from each hand.
Let the arms fully extend straight down, palms facing each other, with the shoulder blades pinned to the bench.
Keep the elbows pinned 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 the neutral hammer position.
Stop the curl just before the elbows travel forward, squeezing hard for a brief pause at the top.
Lower the dumbbells under control over 2 to 3 seconds back to the fully stretched start position.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds upper-arm thickness through the brachialis under deep stretch.
Develops forearm size and grip strength through the neutral grip.
Removes momentum cheating through the seated, anchored position.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Letting the elbows drift forward at the top, which removes the brachialis stretch the lift is designed for.
Rolling the shoulders forward off the bench, swapping arm work for front-shoulder strain.
Rushing the lower portion and dropping out of the stretched bottom where the growth happens.
Loading too heavy, which forces a swinging cheat rep and ruins the isolation.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
