i can do 4x12 25lb regular but have trouble with 15lbs hammer curls. Hammer Curls Vs. Hammer curl is better for developing the brachialis muscle which sits below the bicep. Muscles Worked Currently on the Reddit PPL and for curls it suggests 4x8-12 of both the bicep and hammer curl. Make no mistake, the bicep and hammer curl work the same muscles since both are necessary for elbow flexion. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Discussion of physical fitness/exercise goals and how they can be achieved, Press J to jump to the feed. Hammer curls are a bicep exercise performed by holding dumbbells at your sides and curling while remaining that grip and not supinating it. Basically stretch your ring finger for elbow pain. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Also bicep curl adds depth, hammer adds width. After doing EZ bar curls i felt it a lot more in my biceps. First main difference between bicep curls vs hammer curls would be the grip and position of your hands holding the weights. Anyone ever have this pain? I use the same weight for both at the moment, though I do the normal curls with a curl bar first, so I'd say my hammer curls are likely to be stronger, as I completed all the sets with those the other day having already completed 4 sets of normal curls. Bicep Curls work one of the bicep heads primarily. In this video we cover the major differences between the dumbbell bicep curl and the dumbbell hammer curl. Hammer Curls work the brachalias or the elbow flexor (apologies if my terminology is all wrong). A biceps curl targets the biceps, while a hammer curl targets he brachialis and the brachioradialis. However, there are some differences you should know about… They work the same muscles but have different muscles as the main driver. when doing them don’t they feel different to you? And both the barbell curl and EZ bar were found to be superior to the dumbbell curl for activating these two muscles.. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Speaking of hammer curls vs. bicep curls, both movements target the same muscles — the biceps and the brachioradialis. Hammer curls are more dependent on the brachioradialis than on the biceps. you're probably having a hard with with Hammer curls because your bicep is blasted from 4x12 curls with 25's. Hammer curls and bicep curls both work the bicep. As the name suggests, you are moving the dumbbells in a “hammering” motion. and that’s why it’s important to train them directly so they can assist effectively. Hammer curls work the brachioradialis more, not the brachialis, which is more readily activated during isometric elbow flexion. This doesn't make a lot of sense. So I started cranking out set after set of curls, lifting dumbbells and barbells without much planning. But I get bored easily and tend to super set just to keep my mind interested... or if good scenery is around and I'd rather put down some roots for a bit. Here’s a quick biomechanics lesson: I use the same weight for both at the moment, though I do the normal curls with a curl bar first, so I'd say my hammer curls are likely to be stronger, as I completed all the sets with those the other day having already completed 4 sets of normal curls. Hammer curls work the brachioradialis more, not the brachialis, which is more readily activated during isometric elbow flexion. I can't do reverse curls or hammer curls. A weighted barbell is used for barbell curls. Usually I'll split them up into two days (if you're focusing on circuits) or I'll end up with a super set of standard dumbbell curls, EZ-Bar Reverse Curl, Dumbbell Hammer Curl into Overhead Push Press. Also make sure to grunt loudly while doing them, as studies have shown that the louder you grunt, the more curls you can do. 1. It'll gradually give you an increased performance when doing other compound exercises. i recently started doing the beginner ppl routine, and noticed that hammer curls were significantly harder than regular curls. Share. Or is it better to switch one out for say a preacher curl or concentration curl? hammer vs regular curls. Share 5. January 9, 2020 By James Gross. Seated Hammer Curls: Doing seated curls will ensure you do not swing or use momentum, allowing you to increase your mind-to-muscle connection. Yea, I stopped doing normal and EZ bar curls. Hammer curls apparently do not stress that tendon (if your right hand is on the computer mouse it faces to the right, goes along the bone). The most popular bodybuilding message boards! Exercising the biceps can be frustrating, because many of the exercises revolve around the same basic motion: the curl. Then you have the brachialis which sits below the biceps and can be seen from the side, and the brachioradialis, which is a large muscle in the forearm. Biceps curls with free weights are super effective at building up your guns, which is why we use them as staple exercises in our arm building programs. The Benefits of Hammer Dumbbell Curls. Check one of the latest athleanx videos. Hammer Curls: 3x15. With curls I'd suggest trying out different kinds and finding your favorites. Share. I have just never done them standing because I don't like how it feels. The most popular bodybuilding message boards! Hammer curls are much healthier for your elbow tendons (I have tendonitis and can't do normal curls). So if you are developing tendonitis in your forearm, for the love of god try and switch to hammers (or to regular dumbbell curls if hammer curls … Since hammer curls use a completely different grip, they target more than just biceps. All 3 or those muscles are used to flex the arm. Plus, for more versatility and progress, I’d suggest doing both types of curls during your arm routine. If you opt to perform Alternating Hammer Curls, remember to do 15 reps for each arm every set. Hammer curls, as I said earlier, work the brachialis or the muscle on the outside of your biceps. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, Discussion of physical fitness/exercise goals and how they can be achieved, Press J to jump to the feed. Hammer Curls are a great way to add size and strength to your upper-arms. The standard regular bicep curl uses a Supinated (Underhand-Grip) while the hammer curl uses a “hammer” grip, when the palms are … I have tendonitis in my right elbow that hurts like a mother fucker doing any of the curls other than hammer curls so I tend to just stick with those. I prefer hammer curls because they seem easier on my wrists with heavy weight. I use a tricep bar and a curl bar to do both my curl exercises. However, one Ace-sponsored study tested several exercises using 16 participants to find out which ones were the best for activating the biceps through EMG activity. Incline curls 3 sets x 8-10 reps; Hammer curls 3 sets x 10-12 reps; Mechanical drop set. Menu. EZ bar curl. Developing the brachialis makes your upper arm more defined. -- although other barbells can be a different weight -- and then you can increase the intensity by adding weighted plates. Preacher Curl Machine. Doing regular curls is fine but going lighter weight so as to not hurt my bicep anymore. Some differences exist, though. I'm not trying to go heavy per se anyway since I am currently training for an Ironman but I love to lift. Back when I was a gym and exercise novice, one of my goals was to get toned, bulging biceps. I find performing curls followed by hammer curls to be boring to me. I find it's best to do both. I thought it was really easy too until my friend pointed out that I wasn't actually using my arms to lift it. I'm on PPL too and do incline hammer curls, incline curl, and wide/narrow EZ bar curl (only 2 at a time though obviously). Te bicep actually being made up of two muscles. One makes your arm bigger by engaging most of the flexors, the other foçuses on the supinator/flexor. Or worse...don't arm wrestle. For some reason hammer curls fuck my elbow up while normal curls feel fine. I can use 10lb heavier dumbells on my hammer curls. The biceps, brachialis and brachioradialis are all elbow flexors, so your terminology is a little off. Preacher Curl vs Bicep Curl: Doing Both Types of Curls. Like those in the know, you should also do both types of curls. Back when I was a gym and exercise novice, one of my goals was to get toned, bulging biceps. Hammar curls put less pressure on the wrists. Hammer curls involve holding the dumbbells at your sides with a neutral grip so that the palms are facing each other. Pin 554. January 9, 2020 By James Gross. I use a tricep bar and a curl bar to do both my curl exercises. Just Google it. 560 Shares. If you opt to perform Alternating Hammer Curls, remember to do 15 reps for each arm every set. Regular curls feel more natural to me, is there a simmiliar exercise which targets the same muscles as hammer curls? Brachs are weaker in most people. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Your bicep is actually 2 muscle groups overlapping to create your bicep (bi meaning 2). Hammer Curls also place less stress on your wrist than traditional Bicep Curls or Reverse Curls, making it a smart choice if you're looking to avoid stress in that area. Everyone knows what I bicep is so I won’t explain that. Hammer Curls work the brachalias or the elbow flexor (apologies if my terminology is all wrong) and helps to push up the bicep head and make it appear bigger. I use hammer curls, one arm concentration curls (with and without a twist movement at the end), two arm concentration curls, straight bar and ez-bar curls, and cheat curls when directly working out biceps. FLEX. Then you can include a movement where the contracted state has maximum tension (where the movement arm and the resistance force form a 90 degree angle is peak tension) . and do they wori different muscles? Which biceps head is worked more depends on the position of the arm, not so much whether it's a regular dumbbell curl or a hammer curl. I normally do 3x8 curls then 3x8 hammer curls with the same weight with out issue. I want to substitute them, I don't like them at all. In fact, the hammer curl is a variation of the regular bicep curl. If you want to hit your biceps in a unique way, while simultaneously demolishing your forearms so they grow, then these are the curls for you. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Yes that’s exactly my problem. Hammer Curls vs Regular Curls: 3 Reasons Hammer Curls are Awesome 1) They Aren’t Limited in Targeting Only the Bicep. You should consider adding in a spider curl or a high cable curl (top peg to the sides or mid peg and step back). Do both kinda with the full sets, you'll not regret it. Weights Used for Hammer Curls vs. Barbell Curls. Is it optimal to do both? Weak forearms are like the calves of … Hammer curls work the brachialis muscle, which is the smaller outer muscle truly only gets worked through this exercise. However, hammer curls are often discredited because of the amount of momentum and swinging motions people use in the hammer curl … Contrary to popular belief, they are not completely distinct exercises. However, there’s one disadvantage all free weight and cable biceps curl variations have that a machine doesn’t – gravity! is there a reason why hammer is so much harder? 1. Concentration curls don't build "peak" anymore than regular curls do.