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Exercise guide

Cross Body Hammer Curl

How to do the Cross Body 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 Cross Body Hammer Curl

  1. 1

    Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand. Your hands should be down at your side with your palms facing in.

  2. 2

    While keeping your palms facing in and without twisting your arm, curl the dumbbell of the right arm up towards your left shoulder as you exhale. Touch the top of the dumbbell to your shoulder and hold the contraction for a second.

  3. 3

    Slowly lower the dumbbell along the same path as you inhale and then repeat the same movement for the left arm.

  4. 4

    Continue alternating in this fashion until the recommended amount of repetitions is performed for each arm.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Cross Body 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

FAQ

Cross Body Hammer Curl: common questions

What muscles does the Cross Body Hammer Curl work?

The Cross Body Hammer Curl primarily works the Biceps. It also recruits the Forearms as supporting muscles.

Is the Cross Body Hammer Curl suitable for beginners?

Yes. The Cross Body Hammer Curl is a beginner-level exercise, so it's a solid choice if you're new to training. Start light and focus on the movement pattern before adding load.

What equipment do I need for the Cross Body Hammer Curl?

To do the Cross Body Hammer Curl you'll need a dumbbell.

Is the Cross Body Hammer Curl a compound or isolation exercise?

The Cross Body Hammer Curl is an isolation exercise, it targets the biceps through a single joint, which makes it useful for focused, targeted work.

How do I do the Cross Body Hammer Curl with correct form?

Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand. Your hands should be down at your side with your palms facing in. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.

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