cable-hammer-curl

How to Perform the Cable Hammer Curl

The cable hammer curl is a great exercise for building muscle and increasing your strength. This article will describe how to perform the cable hammer curl, as well as the muscle-building aspects of the exercise. We will also focus on the variations of the cable hammer curl and common mistakes people make when performing this exercise.

What muscles does the cable hammer curl work?

The cable hammer curl works two main muscle groups: the biceps and the forearms. The biceps are the primary muscle group worked during this exercise. The cable hammer curl also works the muscles in the forearms.

The biceps are made up of two muscles: the biceps brachii and the brachialis. The cable hammer curl works both of these muscles. The biceps brachii has two heads: the long head and the short head. The cable hammer curl primarily works the long head of the biceps brachii. The biceps are worked as they flex the elbow and supinate the forearm.

The cable hammer curl also works the forearms. The forearms are made up of the muscles on the inside and outside of the forearm. known as the pronators and supinators. The cable hammer curl works the supinators, which are located on the outside of the forearm. These muscles work to supinate the forearm, which is turning the palm from facing down to facing up.

Benefits of the Cable Hammer Curl

The cable hammer curl is a great exercise for building muscle and increasing your strength. The cable hammer curl also works the muscles in the forearms, which can often be neglected. This exercise is also great because it can be done with a variety of weights and resistance levels.

Now let’s look at how to properly perform the cable hammer curl.

Cues for Cable Hammer Curl

Some cues to keep in mind when performing the cable hammer curl:

  • Keep your elbows close to your sides and maintain this throughout the exercise

  • Do not swing the weight, use your muscles to control the movement

  • Breathe out as you curl the weight up

How to perform the Cable Hammer Curl

Here are the steps to properly perform the cable hammer curl:

Machine Set-Up:

  • To set up for the cable hammer curl, attach a handle to a low pulley cable.

How to Perform the Exercise:

  • Once the handle is attached, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.

  • Grab the handle with your palms facing your thighs.

  • Now, keeping your elbows close to your sides, curl the weight up towards your shoulders.

  • Be sure to exhale as you curl the weight up. Hold for a moment at the top of the curl and then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

  • Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Common mistakes

One common mistake people make when performing the cable hammer curl is swinging the weight. It is important to keep your elbows close to your sides and use your muscles, not momentum, to curl the weight up. The issue with this is that you will not get the full benefit of the exercise and you may also injure yourself.

Another common mistake is not using a full range of motion. When you curl the weight up, be sure to bring it all the way up to your shoulder before lowering it back down. This will ensure that you are getting the most out of the exercise.

Lastly, people often hold their breath when performing the cable hammer curl. It is important to breathe out as you curl the weight up and inhale as you lower it back down. This will help you maintain control of the weight and avoid getting dizzy.

Variations of the Cable Hammer Curl

There are a few variations of the cable hammer curl that you can try.

Variation #1: One-armed cable Hammer Curl

One-armed cable hammer curl allows to better isolate each arm.

Machine Set-Up:

To perform this variation, attach a handle to a low pulley cable and then stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

How to Perform the Exercise:

  • Grab the handle with your left hand and place your right hand behind your head.

  • Now, keeping your elbow close to your side, curl the weight up towards your shoulder.

  • Be sure to exhale as you curl the weight up. Hold for a moment at the top of the curl and then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

  • Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and then switch sides.

Variation #2: Alternating Cable Hammer Curl

The alternating cable hammer curl is a great way to work each arm individually.

Machine Set-Up:

  • To set up for this variation, attach a handle to a low pulley cable.

How to Perform the Exercise:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grab the handle with your right hand.

  • Now, keeping your elbow close to your side, curl the weight up towards your shoulder.

  • As you curl the weight up, switch hands so that your left hand is now holding the handle.

  • Be sure to exhale as you curl the weight up. Hold for a moment at the top of the curl and then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

  • Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, alternating sides each time.

Variation #3: Seated Cable Hammer Curl

The seated cable hammer curl is an effective variation to focus on contraction.

Machine Set-Up:

  • To set up for this variation, attach a handle to a low pulley cable and then sit on a bench with your back straight.

How to Perform the Exercise:

  • Grab the handle with your palms facing your thighs.

  • Now, keeping your elbows close to your sides, curl the weight up towards your shoulders.

  • Be sure to exhale as you curl the weight up. Hold for a moment at the top of the curl and then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

Alternative Cable Hammer Curl Exercises

If you’re looking for some alternative exercises to cable hammer curls, here are a few options:

Alternative #1: Dumbbell Hammer Curl

The dumbbell hammer curl is a great exercise to build strength in your arms.

How to Perform the Exercise:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand at arm’s length by your sides, with your palms facing your thighs.

  • Keeping your elbows close to your sides, slowly curl the weights up towards your shoulders.

  • Be sure to exhale as you curl the weight up. Hold for a moment at the top of the curl and then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

  • Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Alternative #2: Barbell Curl

The barbell curl is a way to add more weight to the curl and increase the challenge.

How to Perform the Exercise:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell in front of you with your palms facing up and your hands shoulder-width apart.

  • Keeping your elbows close to your sides, slowly curl the barbell up towards your shoulders.

  • Be sure to exhale as you curl the weight up. Hold for a moment at the top of the curl and then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.

  • Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Alternative #3: Preacher Curl

The preacher curl is an effective isolation exercise for targeting the biceps.

How to Perform the Exercise:

  • Adjust a preacher curl bench so that the arm pad is at a comfortable height and position yourself so that your armpit is level with the top of the pad.

  • Grab a dumbbell in each hand and hold them at arm’s length by your sides.

  • Now, keeping your elbows close to your sides, curl the weights up towards your shoulders.

  • Be sure to exhale as you curl the weight up. Hold for a moment at the top of the curl and then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

  • Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Alternative #4: Seated Dumbbell Hammer Curl

The seated dumbbell hammer curl is a fantastic way to concentrate on muscle contraction.

How to Perform the Exercise:

  • Sit on a bench with your back straight and grab a dumbbell in each hand.

  • Hold the dumbbells at arm’s length by your sides, with your palms facing your thighs.

  • Keeping your elbows close to your sides, slowly curl the weights up towards your shoulders.

  • Be sure to exhale as you curl the weight up. Hold for a moment at the top of the curl and then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

  • Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Summary

In conclusion, the cable hammer curl is an excellent exercise for building strength in your arms. There are many different variations of the exercise that you can try to keep things interesting. Be sure to focus on contraction and use a weight that challenging. Lastly, avoid common mistakes such as swinging the weights or using too much weight. Try out these variations of the cable hammer curl and see which ones work best for you.

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