Standing Hammer Curl

The standing hammer curl holds the dumbbells with the palms facing your body and keeps them there for the whole repetition, which changes which muscles do the work. A supinated curl favours the biceps; a neutral grip brings in the brachialis, the muscle that sits underneath the biceps and pushes it upward, and the brachioradialis along the top of the forearm. Both add thickness to an arm that a curl alone will not produce. Most people also handle more weight with a hammer grip than with a supinated one, simply because the neutral wrist is a stronger position. Alternating arms rather than curling both at once lets you give each repetition full attention. Keep the elbows pinned to your sides, since letting them drift forward turns the movement into a front raise and hands the work to the shoulder.