5 Olympic Barbell Hammer Curl Alternatives for Barbell-Free Training
If you can't do the Olympic Barbell Hammer Curl, use exercises that keep a neutral grip and stress the brachialis and brachioradialis. Try dumbbell hammer curls, rope hammer curls on a cable, neutral-grip chin-ups, single-arm dumbbell hammer curls, or resistance-band hammer curls. Cue: keep the elbow pinned and wrist neutral to load the target muscles.
Original Exercise: Olympic Barbell Hammer Curl
How to Perform Olympic Barbell Hammer Curl
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold an Olympic barbell with an overhand grip.
- Let the barbell hang at arm's length in front of your thighs, with your palms facing your body.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
- Continue to raise the barbell until your biceps are fully contracted and the barbell is at shoulder level.
- Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
- Inhale and slowly begin to lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Olympic Barbell Hammer Curl Alternatives
1. Ez-barbell Standing Wide Grip Biceps Curl
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, hands wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary throughout the movement.
- Curl the barbell up towards your shoulders by contracting your biceps.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Barbell Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
- Place your upper arms against the arm blaster, keeping your elbows close to your torso.
- Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
- Continue to raise the barbell until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level.
- Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
3. Ez-bar Biceps Curl (with Arm Blaster)
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
- Place your upper arms against the arm blaster, keeping them stationary throughout the exercise.
- Keeping your elbows close to your body, exhale and curl the barbell up towards your shoulders.
- Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your biceps.
- Inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
4. Ez Barbell Close-grip Curl
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary throughout the movement.
- Curl the barbell up towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Ez Barbell Curl
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
- Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary throughout the movement.
- Exhale as you curl the barbell up towards your shoulders, contracting your biceps.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale as you slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
6. Barbell Standing Wide Grip Biceps Curl
95.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip, hands wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your back straight and your elbows close to your torso.
- Exhale and curl the barbell up towards your shoulders, keeping your upper arms stationary.
- Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your biceps.
- Inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
7. EZ-Bar Curl
95.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight while holding an EZ curl bar at the wide outer handle. The palms of your hands should be facing forward and slightly tilted inward due to the shape of the bar. Keep your elbows close to your torso. This will be your starting position.
- Now, while keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights forward while contracting the biceps. Focus on only moving your forearms.
- Continue to raise the weight until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level. Hold the top contracted position for a moment and squeeze the biceps.
- Then inhale and slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
8. Ez Barbell Reverse Grip Curl
95.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip.
- Keep your elbows close to your torso and your upper arms stationary throughout the exercise.
- Curl the barbell upwards by contracting your biceps, while exhaling.
- Continue to raise the barbell until your biceps are fully contracted and the barbell is at shoulder level.
- Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
9. Close-Grip Standing Barbell Curl
95.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Hold a barbell with both hands, palms up and a few inches apart.
- Stand with your torso straight and your head up. Your feet should be about shoulder width and your elbows close to your torso. This will be your starting position. Tip: You will keep your upper arms and elbows stationary throughout the movement.
- Curl the bar up in a semicircular motion until the forearms touch your biceps. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement and contract your biceps hard for a second at the top. Tip: Avoid bending the back or using swinging motions as you lift the weight. Only the forearms should move.
- Slowly go back down to the starting position as you inhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
10. Drag Curl
95.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Grab a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing forward) and get your elbows close to your torso and back. This will be your starting position.
- As you exhale, curl the bar up while keeping the elbows to the back as you "Drag" the bar up by keeping it in contact with your torso. Tip: As you can see, you will not be keeping the elbows pinned to your sides, but instead you will be bringing them back. Also, do not lift your shoulders.
- Slowly go back to the starting position as you keep the bar in contact with the torso at all times.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Olympic Barbell Hammer Curl Alternative
You may substitute the Olympic Barbell Hammer Curl due to lack of an Olympic bar, wrist or elbow pain from a fixed bar path, or a need for unilateral work to fix strength imbalances. Alternatives let you vary grip orientation, adjust resistance curve, and reduce joint torque by using neutral handles or cables. For example, switching to dumbbell hammer curls reduces pronation torque and lets you keep a neutral wrist, preserving brachialis activation while lowering elbow stress. If coaches prescribe rehab, use light-resistance band hammer curls and focus on slow eccentrics with the elbow tucked.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Pick a substitute based on the equipment you have, the muscle emphasis you need, and any joint limitations. If you want identical neutral-grip activation, choose dumbbell hammer curls or a rope cable curl and cue a neutral wrist with elbows pinned. For unilateral work, choose single-arm dumbbell hammer curls to reveal asymmetries. If you have wrist or elbow irritation, use resistance bands or a neutral-grip handle to reduce compressive forces. Prioritize exercises that allow progressive loading, consistent tempo (2–3 sec eccentric), and minimal shoulder involvement—avoid swinging the torso to keep the biceps and brachialis doing the work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Olympic Barbell Hammer Curl work?
The movement targets the biceps brachii and places heavy emphasis on the brachialis and brachioradialis via the neutral (hammer) grip. Keep the elbow fixed at your side and the wrist neutral to maximize brachialis activation and reduce shoulder contribution.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Olympic Barbell Hammer Curl?
A neutral-grip chin-up or ring chin-up is the best bodyweight option because it uses a palms-facing grip that engages biceps and brachialis. Cue a controlled descent and avoid kipping to keep tension on the elbow flexors throughout the range.
Can I build muscle without doing Olympic Barbell Hammer Curl?
Yes. You can grow the same muscles with dumbbell hammer curls, rope cable hammer curls, neutral-grip chin-ups, single-arm variations, or band curls. Focus on progressive overload, full range of motion, and controlled eccentrics to stimulate hypertrophy without that specific barbell variation.
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