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Exercise guide

Alternate Hammer Curl

How to do the Alternate Hammer Curl with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

IsolationDumbbellBeginnerPull
Primary muscles

Biceps

Secondary

Forearms

Equipment

Dumbbell

Step by step

How to do the Alternate Hammer Curl

  1. 1

    Stand up with your torso upright and a dumbbell in each hand being held at arms length. The elbows should be close to the torso.

  2. 2

    The palms of the hands should be facing your torso. This will be your starting position.

  3. 3

    While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the right weight forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Continue the movement until your biceps is fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps. Tip: Only the forearms should move.

  4. 4

    Slowly begin to bring the dumbbells back to starting position as your breathe in.

  5. 5

    Repeat the movement with the left hand. This equals one repetition.

  6. 6

    Continue alternating in this manner for the recommended amount of repetitions.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Alternate Hammer Curl set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap — so your biceps volume is visible at a glance — and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Related

More biceps exercises

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