Seated Hammer Curls, a variation of hammer curls, is a famous biceps isolation workout that defines and tones the upper arm muscle effectively.
For a bigger bolder biceps muscles, the exercise works to develop muscle mass and arm strength.
One of the advantages is that the workout does not require a lot of momentum and muscle in order to accomplish it. You can perform the workout just about anywhere.
HOW TO DO SEATED HAMMER CURLS PROPERLY
You will require a workout bench with a backrest if possible and two equally weighed dumbbells.
How to do it:
- Hold each dumbbell on one hand and sit on a workout bench. Plant feet firmly on the floor in front of you and close together.
- Hold the dumbbells by your side in a neutral grip and have a slight elbow bend to take up tension in your biceps. Rest your straightened back on the backrest.
- If the bench does not have a backrest, straighten your back and tighten your torso. This is your starting position.
- Exhale as you slowly curl up the dumbbells up to your shoulders. Your upper arms should be stationary and elbows tucked in by your side.
- Hold the position while feeling the contraction in the biceps.
- Inhale as you lower the dumbbells back to your starting position.
- Do the movements in a slow and controlled motion.
- Do 2 sets of 8-10 reps.
WHAT MUSCLES DO SEATED HAMMER CURLS WORK
BICEPS
Biceps are the most popular arm muscles that many a people love to work out and develop because they give the upper arm a strong and defined look. The biceps are the primary movers when curling up the dumbbells to your shoulder, which helps contract and activate the muscle effectively.
Seated Hammer Curls is a curls variation that requires less back and core stabilization that way more concentration is towards working the biceps than on form and technique, which is still a priority in the workout.
FOREARM EXTENSORS AND FLEXORES
Being the secondary muscles being targeted by the workout, the forearm muscles helps with the flexing and extending of the arms when doing the workout.
Developing the forearm extensors and flexors helps with full arm strength and strengthening of the wrists.
SEATED HAMMER CURLS BENEFITS
BICEPS HYPERTROPHY AND STRENGTHENING
For aesthetic purposes, the biceps win the title as the showcase muscles compared to other upper arm muscles.
Increase in mass creates this strong and powerful look of the upper arm and increases that credibility that you can knock out anyone.
Strong biceps helps in heavy weight workouts and in our day-to-day activities.
INCREASE OVERALL ARM STRENGTH
Ripped arms are almost every workout enthusiasts’ wish. Big strong arms almost never disappoint when it comes to doing extreme workouts or extreme outdoor activities.
Increase in protection against injuries especially if you are an athlete and reduces the chances of muscle tear or joint dislocation.
ALTERNATIVES TO SEATED HAMMER CURLS
CHIN UP
Chin up works and strengthens your biceps and your back muscles using your body weight. It is not an easy nor challenging workout but it is still necessary.
How to do it:
- Grab a pull up bar attachment in an underhand grip and hang freely with your arms extended. Tighten your core; this is your starting position.
- Exhale as you pull your body up until your chin is over the bar and elbows are by your side.
- Inhale as you lower your body back to your starting position and repeat.
- Do 2 sets of 4-6 reps.
REVERSE GRIP BENT OVER ROW
The grip in reverse grip bent over row engages the biceps greatly and build up biceps and back muscles effectively.
The exercise increases you range of workouts that require weights.
How to do it:
- Grab a barbell with weights attached to it in an underhand grip. Make sure your hands are shoulder width apart same as the feet.
- Hinge at the hips with your back straight and chest up. In that bent over position, make sure you are holding the barbell with your elbows slightly bent. This is your starting position.
- Row the barbell towards your abs and make sure your back is straight and biceps contracting.
- Lower the barbell back in a slow and controlled motion to your starting position.
- Do 2 sets of 6-10 reps.
HIGH CABLE CURL
High cable curl is that workout that you do not want to miss. As an isolation exercise for the biceps, it works best for biceps strengthening and hypertrophy.
How to do it:
- Grasp the dual high pulleys and stand with feet shoulder width apart. Move forward to create cable tension but still make sure you are in the middle of the two pulleys. This is your starting position.
- Inhale and curl up the handles by bending at the elbows and bring your hands to your ears. Tighten the biceps muscles.
- Hold the position and then exhale as you extend your arms back to your starting position.
- At all times, make sure you upper body is straight and stationary.
- Do 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
SEATED HAMMER CURLS MISTAKES TO AVOID
ROCKING OR SWAYING
If your back is not supported on the backrest of a bench, your back and torso are your main stabilizers. Rocking back and forth means that you are probably using heavy weights that are hard to curl up in one swift move.
Use dumbbells with a lightweight that will allow you to focus on your muscle contraction rather than how to curl up the dumbbells without hurting yourself.
FLARING ELBOWS OUT
Flaring your elbows out may be tempting to release the tension and pain but without pain, there is no gain while working out.
Tuck those elbows in and work it out until you finish the set.
CONCLUSION
Seated Hammer Curls is an easy workout to master especially with the step-by-step instructions above. With many variations at your options table, it is best to start with this bicep workout then progress to others.
It is an easy workout and if you love working out at home, then this workout should definitely be in your workout program.
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