Hammer Curls

[bstregs]

My biceps look like they're leaning in towards my body, and I'm looking for a way to balance them. I've always been told that hammer curls will work the outer part of the bicep, but I've never really done them for a long enough period to see results.
Anyone here have ideas? comments?

[HawkLifter55]

If i get what your saying...here, watch this video from milos sarcev..if will tell you all you need to know about bicep and what exercises work which part...

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fitshow32.htm

[stacked2]

hammer curls not only work the outside of your biceps, but they also work the brachialis which is the muscle that lies between the bicep and tricep. I will also set a bench to about 45 degrees and sit on it and do regular curls. That also seems to hit the outside part of the bicep. Hope this helps!

[stealth_swimmer]

Originally Posted by HawkLifter55

If i get what your saying...here, watch this video from milos sarcev..if will tell you all you need to know about bicep and what exercises work which part...

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fitshow32.htm

Yup, definately hits the outer head more, however I think an even better way to do them is how
Charles Glass has Gunter Schlierkamp do them.

[smallguyjoe]

I think you should do hammer curls or reverse grip barbell curls, but what I've done that I think has slightly improved my outer bicep is close grip barbell curls. I've heard that cloese grip will hit the outer head and the wide grip will hit the inner head.

If I can get arms in twice a week I'll do regular barbell curls, incline dumbell curls, and reverse grip curls on one day. Then 3-4 days later I'll do wide grip barbell curls, close grip barbell curls, and dumbbell curls or hammer curls.

If you're only gonna do biceps once a week you could try 3-4 exercises and do wide grip, close grip, and regular grip barbell curls, and dumbbell hammer curls. Do like 2-3 sets each. After 3-4 weeks change the order you do them and/or change what exercise you're doin... like instead of hammer curls do reverse grip barbell curls. And, instead of regular barbell curls do dumbbell curls. And, instead of doin wide grip curls do incline dumbbell curls. If you were doin close grips before wide grips flip flop the order as to give the other head priority for a few weeks.

Just some ideas for ya.

[FarEastBeast]

^^^This is true about close grip curls hitting the outer biceps. Hammers and reverse curls will as well, the only problem is the forearms take a lot of the work, so the outer bi's don't end up getting as much work as they could. If your forearms need work as well, a good strategy is to do both close grip curls and reverse or hammer curls. You could even split them up so that you're working (outer) biceps on one day, and forearms on another (and getting the outer biceps a second day in the process).

[dropshot001]

i prefer close grip curls for outer biceps. i don't go hands together though because of the strain that it puts on the wrist.

[Ex-Terminator]

Here's a tip that might help someone. When I do hammer curls, I use a very relaxed grip on the dumbbell. I barely even hold the dumbbell handle on the way up and back down; I just put all of the lift on the inner face of the DB with very little actual grip on the handle. Of course, you have to grip it close to and at the bottom so you don't drop it, but for most of the way up and back down, it's strictly against the inside face that I'm lifting. This keeps the forearms almost totally out of the picture.

[Defiant1]

Originally Posted by smallguyjoe

I think you should do hammer curls or reverse grip barbell curls, but what I've done that I think has slightly improved my outer bicep is close grip barbell curls. I've heard that cloese grip will hit the outer head and the wide grip will hit the inner head.

If I can get arms in twice a week I'll do regular barbell curls, incline dumbell curls, and reverse grip curls on one day. Then 3-4 days later I'll do wide grip barbell curls, close grip barbell curls, and dumbbell curls or hammer curls.

If you're only gonna do biceps once a week you could try 3-4 exercises and do wide grip, close grip, and regular grip barbell curls, and dumbbell hammer curls. Do like 2-3 sets each. After 3-4 weeks change the order you do them and/or change what exercise you're doin... like instead of hammer curls do reverse grip barbell curls. And, instead of regular barbell curls do dumbbell curls. And, instead of doin wide grip curls do incline dumbbell curls. If you were doin close grips before wide grips flip flop the order as to give the other head priority for a few weeks.

Just some ideas for ya.

Originally Posted by FarEastBeast

^^^This is true about close grip curls hitting the outer biceps. Hammers and reverse curls will as well, the only problem is the forearms take a lot of the work, so the outer bi's don't end up getting as much work as they could. If your forearms need work as well, a good strategy is to do both close grip curls and reverse or hammer curls. You could even split them up so that you're working (outer) biceps on one day, and forearms on another (and getting the outer biceps a second day in the process).

Very nice.

True about the forearms/outer biceps on hammers.

Close grip curls are great for the outer head.

[Tyciol]

Anything a hammer grip would emphasize I would think a reverse (pronated) grip curl would emphasize more.

It's just a nice intermittance between the two, and I guess helps you learn to keep your wrist straight (triceps kickbacks work that other direction of the wrist since you can't do it with a curl. Not talking flexion/extension here more side-side).

[swordsmanzenn]

so what would be best to make my long heads wider? this part of my bis are so small it's annoying.