10 Best Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl Alternatives for Home & Gym

Original Exercise: Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl

Primary Muscle

Biceps

Equipment

Dumbbell

Difficulty

Beginner

Type

Isolation

Secondary Muscles: Forearms

How to Perform Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl

1. Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your torso and arms fully extended.
2. Keep your back against the bench and your feet flat on the floor.
3. While keeping your upper arms stationary, 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.
6. Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Best Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl Alternatives

Best Match

1. Dumbbell Incline Inner Biceps Curl

96% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
2. Rest your upper arms on the bench, allowing your elbows to hang down and your palms to face forward.
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.

2. Dumbbell Lying Supine Biceps Curl

96% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Lie flat on a bench with your back and head supported, and your feet flat on the ground.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing up and your arms fully extended.
3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, 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.

3. Dumbbell Lying Wide Curl

96% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing up and arms fully extended.
2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
3. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
5. Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

4. Dumbbell Lying Supine Curl

96% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing up and arms fully extended.
2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
3. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
5. Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

5. Dumbbell Seated Hammer Curl

92% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your torso and arms extended straight down.
2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
3. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
5. Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

6. Dumbbell Seated Neutral Wrist Curl

92% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
2. Rest your forearms on your thighs, allowing the dumbbells to hang down.
3. Keeping your wrists in a neutral position, curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders.
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.

7. Dumbbell Prone Incline Hammer Curl

91.4% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Adjust the bench to a 45-degree incline.
2. Lie face down on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
3. Allow your arms to hang straight down towards the floor, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
4. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
5. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.

8. Dumbbell Incline Curl

91% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit on it with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
2. Rest your upper arms on the incline bench and let your elbows hang down, fully extending your arms.
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.

9. Dumbbell Incline Curl V. 2

91% Match

Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation

How to perform this exercise

1. Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward and arms fully extended.
2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
3. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
5. Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

10. Dumbbell Peacher Hammer Curl

90.7% 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 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.

Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Incline Hammer Curl Alternative

You might substitute the dumbbell incline hammer curl because you lack an adjustable incline bench, have wrist or shoulder pain, or need more load progression. Tendinopathy often requires reduced supination and shortened ROM, so choosing neutral-grip moves lowers supination torque and stress on the distal biceps. Substitutes also let you bias the brachialis or biceps long head by altering torso angle, grip, and elbow position. For example, a neutral-grip cable curl reduces peak shear while maintaining continuous tension; cue: keep your elbow pinned and wrists neutral to maximize brachialis activation.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on equipment, pain tolerance, and the muscle you want to emphasize. If you target the brachialis and forearm thickness, favor neutral-grip or hammer-style moves and focus on full elbow flexion with the wrist neutral. If you want biceps peak, pick supinated or incline variations that increase long-head stretch; cue: retract the scapula and resist shoulder extension to isolate the elbow flexors. Also consider unilateral options for asymmetries and cable or band tension to maintain continuous loading during the eccentric.

Frequently Asked Questions

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