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Incline Hammer Curls – A Neglected Mass Builder For The Biceps

The Common Approach To Building Big Biceps
arnold-schwarzenegger-dumbbell-curls

When it comes to building big biceps no gym-goer needs an introduction to the bicep curl.
Most guys alternate between the three version they're most familiar with - the regular dumbbell curl, the barbell curl and the over the knee concentration curl.

There's no doubt that provided you're hitting your biceps with progressive overload by increasing the weight, reps or time under tension for each set they'll grow.

BUT...

If you want to build monumental biceps, if you want to avoid the plateaus that often come as a result of sticking to one or two versions of the regular bicep curl you need to work on the hammer curl.

The Hammer Curl

The hammer curl is a very similar movement to the regular bicep curl, however the weight is continually held in a neutral grip, without the typical twist performed when curling a dumbbell up.

"If hammer curls are so great why do we need to do them on an incline bench, SJ?"

The dumbbell hammer curl is often performed as an ego lift, as the majority of gym-goers will be able to lift a substantial bit more weight when they're utilizing the netural grip of the hammer curl... with excessive increases in weight our form ever so quickly goes out the window, along with the tension placed on the muscle and the growth of the biceps.

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Laying on an incline bench eliminates the swing, you can't calf raise the weights up as if you were performing a standing set of heavy hammer curls.

Incline Hammer Curls

  • In order to perform the incline hammer curl set up a bench at a 45 degree angle with the bottom pad angled slightly, as if you were going to perform an incline dumbbell press.
  • Lay down on the bench with your arms fully extended gripping a pair of dumbbells, the dumbbell should be slightly off the ground upon full extension.
  • While laying back keep your elbows locked in place, curl only your upper arm until fully contracted.
  • Squeeze at the top for 1 second.
  • Slowly lower the dumbbell back down until its returned to your side in the fully extended position.
  • Proceed with your other arm

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Adding Incline Hammer Curls To Your Routine

I recommend performing the seated incline hammer curls one arm at a time as when curling two dumbells at a time jerking, favoring a side and the use of momentum is often utilized to get the weight up, taking away from the exact benefits of performing this curl on an incline bench (eliminate any momentum and locking your form in).

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Add 4 sets of 6 reps to your arm day and watch the mass and strength gains you experience in your biceps and forearms!

Here's a sample bicep workout that I often perform, perform this consistently and both size and strength gains will come your way provided your diet and recovery are in check.

  • Barbell Bicep Curls - 4 sets of 6 reps
  • Incline Hammer Curls - 4 sets of 6 reps
  • Weighted Chin-ups - 4 sets of 6 reps

If you're unable to utilize an incline bench for your hammer curls the next best option to eliminate the poor form often associated with hammer curls is to use an arm blaster.
The arm blaster is an old school piece of training equipment often used by Arnold during the golden era of bodybuilding.

Check out my full review on bicep blasters here.

What's Your Take On Incline Hammer Curls? Let Me Know In The Comments Below!

Scott J.
Scott J.https://ignorelimits.com
I’m SJ. I’m a fitness enthusiast and published author. I transformed my body from a skinny fat 135lbs with 18% body fat to a solid 192lbs at 8% body fat. I became qualified in a field I was passionate about. I founded several online businesses that allow me to pursue ideas and projects in my life that I am passionate about without having to constantly worry about money. I published several eBooks explaining the training and dieting techniques I used to achieve the body I have today. I learnt a plethora of new information on dieting and fitness by reading and applying what I read, to find out what does work and what doesn’t work, because as I’m sure you’ve noticed the health and fitness industry is full of non-sense claims and BS. I found out what was true and what worked for me and applied that knowledge. And you bet I had fun during the whole process.

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