Preacher Curl (Dumbbell, Hammer Grip)
A bicep isolation exercise performed on a preacher bench using a neutral grip to target the brachialis and forearms. This strict setup eliminates momentum, placing maximum tension on the elbow flexors.
AI coaching is particularly valuable for this isolation movement because it tracks volume load and recovery metrics to prevent common overuse injuries like elbow tendonitis. By analyzing your recent training intensity and subjective pain reports, the app can suggest this neutral-grip variation to reduce wrist strain while ensuring you maintain the correct RPE without cheating. Additionally, if your HRV indicates low recovery, the AI can auto-regulate the weight to focus on metabolic stress rather than heavy mechanical loading.
Form Cues
- Sit with your armpits resting snugly over the top edge of the pad
- Hold the dumbbells with palms facing each other in a neutral grip
- Keep your triceps firmly planted against the bench throughout the set
- Lower the weight slowly under full control
- Squeeze the biceps and forearms hard at the top of the movement
- Don't lift your elbows or triceps off the pad as you curl
- Don't fully lock out your elbows at the bottom to avoid hyperextension
- Don't use your body weight to rock the weight up
- Don't let your wrists curl inward or drop downward
Common Mistakes
- Lifting hips off the seat for leverage
- Hyperextending elbows at the bottom
- Rushing the lowering phase
- Using a weight too heavy to control
- Allowing wrists to rotate out of neutral position
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the brachialis (a muscle underneath the bicep) and the brachioradialis in the forearm due to the neutral hammer grip. It also works the biceps brachii, specifically emphasizing the long head, while the preacher bench setup eliminates shoulder assistance to ensure pure isolation.
Primary
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