Exercise Library
Dumbbell One Arm Standing Hammer Curl
A standing isolation arm exercise performed with a dumbbell using a neutral (hammer) grip, working one arm at a time. The movement involves curling the dumbbell upward by flexing the elbow while keeping the upper arm close to the torso and minimizing shoulder involvement. This standing variation allows for natural body stability demands while maintaining strict form, and it emphasizes controlled lifting followed by a slow eccentric phase to maintain constant tension through the arms and forearms across the full range of motion.
Primary muscle
Brachialis
Secondary muscles
Brachioradialis, Biceps Brachii, Forearms
Equipment
Dumbbell
Category
Biceps
How to Do the Dumbbell One Arm Standing Hammer Curl
- Stand tall holding a dumbbell in one hand with your palm facing your torso.
- Let your arm hang fully extended by your side with your elbow close to your ribs.
- Brace your core and keep your opposite hand resting on your hip or holding a support.
- Curl the dumbbell upward by bending only at the elbow, keeping your palm facing inward the whole time.
- Continue until the dumbbell reaches shoulder height, squeezing the forearm and bicep at the top.
- Lower the dumbbell slowly back to full arm extension without letting the elbow drift forward.
- Complete all reps on one arm before switching sides.
Common Mistakes
- Swinging the torso: Rocking the body to help lift the weight turns this into a momentum exercise. Keep your torso still and let the arm do the work.
- Letting the elbow travel forward: Drifting the elbow away from the ribs shifts tension to the shoulder. Keep the upper arm pinned to your side.
- Rotating the wrist during the curl: Twisting the palm changes this into a different curl variation. Keep the neutral hammer grip locked throughout.
- Rushing the lowering phase: Dropping the weight quickly skips the eccentric contraction that builds strength. Lower over two to three seconds every rep.
Track This Exercise in the App
Log your dumbbell one arm standing hammer curl sets in 1RM.fit and watch your estimated 1RM update automatically as you get stronger.