Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl

Also known as: incline dumbbell hammer curl

Advanced

Biceps

Dumbbell

Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl trades complexity for control through the whole range, and it fits late in an arms workout.

How to do Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl

Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your torso and arms fully extended.
Keep your back against the bench and your feet flat on the floor.
While keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl Sets and Reps by Goal

Strength

5 sets of 2-4 reps with 3-5 minutes of rest. Add reps on the smaller bell before you size up.

Hypertrophy

4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Size up only when both sides finish equally strong.

Endurance

3-4 sets of 18-25 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Start each set with the weaker arm and match it.

Common Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl Mistakes

Letting the bells drift off the working path

Keep both dumbbells travelling the same line on every rep.

Letting a nearby joint take over as the set gets hard

Stop the set as soon as the working joint stops leading the movement.

Grinding heavy singles when the plan called for quality reps

Hold the prescribed effort so the rest of the week stays trainable.

Easier and Harder Than Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl

Easier progression

Barbell Drag Curl

Swap Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl For

Cable Seated Overhead Curl

Barbell Standing Wide-grip Curl

Kettlebell Bottoms Up Clean From The Hang Position

Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl?

Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your torso and arms fully extended. Keep your back against the bench and your feet flat on the floor. While keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps. Use dumbbells and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.

What muscles does the Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl work?

The Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl primarily targets the biceps. It is classified as a arms exercise and is performed with dumbbells.

How many sets and reps of the Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl should I do?

For muscle growth: 4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Size up only when both sides finish equally strong. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.

Is the Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl good for beginners?

Not usually. The Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl is an advanced movement that assumes existing strength and joint control. Build up through easier arms progressions first, then add this once the basics feel comfortable.

What can I do instead of the Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl?

Try the Cable Seated Overhead Curl, Barbell Standing Wide-grip Curl or the Kettlebell Bottoms Up Clean From The Hang Position. Each trains the biceps with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.

Is the Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl the same as the incline dumbbell hammer curl?

Yes. The Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl is also commonly called the incline dumbbell hammer curl. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "incline dumbbell hammer curl" refer to this same movement.