Cross Body Hammer Curl (Dumbbell)
The Cross Body Hammer Curl is a dumbbell isolation exercise where you curl the weight across your torso toward the opposite shoulder. This variation emphasizes the brachialis and forearm muscles to add thickness and width to the upper arm.
Since the brachialis and forearms are smaller muscle groups often fatigued by heavy back training, our AI analyzes your recent pulling volume to adjust your target weight and reps for optimal recovery. By tracking your RPE on every set, the app ensures you maintain sufficient intensity to stimulate hypertrophy without relying on momentum. Additionally, if wrist strain is detected in your history, the AI can prioritize this neutral-grip variation over supinated curls to reduce joint stress.
Form Cues
- Stand tall with a neutral grip, palms facing your thighs.
- Curl the dumbbell across your torso toward your opposite pectoral.
- Squeeze the forearm and bicep hard at the peak of the contraction.
- Lower the weight slowly under full control to the starting position.
- Keep your elbows pinned near your ribs throughout the lift.
- Don't use momentum or swing your hips to initiate the curl.
- Don't let your elbow drift forward or lift high away from your torso.
- Don't rush the lowering phase; fight gravity on the way down.
- Don't rotate your wrist; keep the palm facing inward the entire time.
Common Mistakes
- Using excessive momentum to swing the weight up
- Flaring the elbows out too far from the body
- Shortening the range of motion by not fully extending the arm
- Lifting the shoulder (shrugging) to help move the weight
Muscles Worked
This exercise specifically targets the brachialis, a muscle sitting underneath the biceps, and the brachioradialis in the forearm due to the neutral grip. Developing the brachialis pushes the bicep peak up, making the arm appear thicker, while the cross-body angle places unique tension on the long head of the biceps.
Primary
Secondary
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