10 Best Dumbbell Hammer Curl Alternatives for Biceps Strength

The Dumbbell Hammer Curl stands you up with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your torso, and curls the weights to shoulder level while your upper arms stay still. The Dumbbell Cross Body Hammer Curl is the closest swap because it keeps the same palms-in grip and only angles each dumbbell across your body toward the opposite shoulder. For a palm-down curl on one arm, the Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Spider Curl curls a single dumbbell from a fully extended arm.

Original Exercise: Dumbbell Hammer Curl

Dumbbell Hammer Curl
Primary Muscle
Biceps
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Forearms
How to Perform Dumbbell Hammer Curl
  1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your torso.
  2. Keep your elbows close to your torso and rotate the palms of your hands until they are facing forward.
  3. This will be your starting position.
  4. Now, keeping the upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
  5. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
  6. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
  7. Then, inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
  8. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Ranked Dumbbell Hammer Curl Alternatives

Best Match
Dumbbell Cross Body Hammer Curl

1. Dumbbell Cross Body Hammer Curl

95% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body.
  2. Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary.
  3. Exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps, bringing the dumbbells across your body towards your opposite shoulder.
  4. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
  5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
Dumbbell One Arm Standing Hammer Curl

2. Dumbbell One Arm Standing Hammer Curl

93.7% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your torso.
  2. Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary.
  3. Exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
  4. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
  5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
Dumbbell Waiter Biceps Curl

3. Dumbbell Waiter Biceps Curl

90.4% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
  2. Keep your upper arms close to your body and your elbows tucked in.
  3. Slowly curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders, keeping your wrists straight.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Standing Concentration Curl

4. Dumbbell Standing Concentration Curl

90.2% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in one hand, with your arm fully extended and palm facing inwards.
  2. Place your opposite hand on your thigh for support.
  3. Keeping your upper arm stationary, exhale and curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder by contracting your biceps.
  4. Continue to raise the dumbbell until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbell is at shoulder level.
  5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
Dumbbell Standing One Arm Concentration Curl

5. Dumbbell Standing One Arm Concentration Curl

90.2% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in one hand, palm facing up.
  2. Place your free hand on your thigh for support.
  3. Keeping your upper arm stationary, exhale and curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder by contracting your biceps.
  4. Continue to raise the dumbbell until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbell is at shoulder level.
  5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
Dumbbell Standing One Arm Curl (over Incline Bench)

6. Dumbbell Standing One Arm Curl (over Incline Bench)

90.2% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing forward.
  2. Place your other hand on an incline bench for support.
  3. Keeping your upper arm stationary, exhale and curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder by contracting your biceps.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.
Dumbbell Standing One Arm Reverse Curl

7. Dumbbell Standing One Arm Reverse Curl

90.2% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in one hand with an overhand grip.
  2. Keep your arm fully extended and close to your body, with your palm facing down.
  3. Slowly curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulder, keeping your upper arm stationary.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch to the other arm.
Dumbbell Standing Preacher Curl

8. Dumbbell Standing Preacher Curl

90.2% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
  2. Rest the back of your upper arms against the preacher bench or an incline bench, with your elbows slightly bent.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
  4. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
  5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
Dumbbell One Arm Standing Curl

9. Dumbbell One Arm Standing Curl

89.7% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in one hand, palm facing forward and arm fully extended.
  2. Keeping your upper arm stationary, exhale and curl the weight upward while contracting your biceps.
  3. Continue to raise the dumbbell until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbell is at shoulder level.
  4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
  5. Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Spider Curl

10. Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Spider Curl

89.1% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in one hand, palm facing down and arm fully extended.
  2. Keeping your upper arm stationary, curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder by flexing your elbow.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Hammer Curl Alternative

You reach for a swap when both dumbbells are busy, when the pair you need is taken and the next size up is too heavy for a burnout set, or when you want to curl one arm at a time instead of both together. Every alternative here still stands you up and curls the weight to shoulder height for your biceps; what changes is the grip, the path, or how many arms are working. Two keep the palms-in grip and change only the path or how much you move, most of the rest turn your palm up or forward for a standard curl grip, and the Dumbbell Standing One Arm Reverse Curl and Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Spider Curl turn your palm down on one arm at a time.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Start with the Dumbbell Cross Body Hammer Curl if you want the smallest change from the Dumbbell Hammer Curl: same neutral grip, same standing curl, just an angled path across your body toward the opposite shoulder. The Dumbbell One Arm Standing Hammer Curl keeps the same neutral grip and curl to shoulder height, barely changing the lift. If your wrist prefers an underhand grip, the Dumbbell Waiter Biceps Curl keeps the dumbbell but turns your palm up. If you want to work one arm at a time, the Dumbbell Standing One Arm Curl (Over Incline Bench) has you brace one hand on the bench and curl the other alone. For an overhand grip, the Dumbbell One Arm Reverse Spider Curl keeps your upper arm still while you curl one dumbbell palm-down toward your shoulder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which alternative lets me steady myself with my free hand?

The Dumbbell Standing Concentration Curl. You hold one dumbbell with your palm facing in, rest your other hand on your thigh, and curl toward your shoulder before switching arms, so the Dumbbell Hammer Curl grip stays while your body stays braced.

Can I train one arm at a time instead of both together?

Yes. The Dumbbell Standing One Arm Curl (Over Incline Bench) has you hold one dumbbell, brace your other hand on an incline bench, and curl that arm alone before switching sides. It is a useful pick when one arm noticeably outpaces the other and you want to even them out.

Which alternative uses an underhand grip instead of neutral?

The Dumbbell Waiter Biceps Curl. You hold the same dumbbell and do the same standing curl as the Dumbbell Hammer Curl, but your palm turns up instead of facing your torso, keeping your wrist straight through the same range of motion.

What is different about the Dumbbell Cross Body Hammer Curl?

It keeps the same neutral grip as the Dumbbell Hammer Curl, but instead of curling straight up, you bring the dumbbell across your body toward the opposite shoulder. That angled path changes where the dumbbell travels while your biceps still do the lifting.

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