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Exercise details
- Target muscle: Brachioradialis
- Synergists: Biceps Brachii, Brachialis
- Mechanics: Isolation
- Force: Pull
Starting position
- Holding a pair of dumbbells, sit on the preacher bench.
- Keeping your elbows flexed and your palms facing each other (neutral or hammer grip), place the backs of your upper arms flat on the arm rest.
Execution
- Inhale as you lower the dumbbells until your elbows are almost fully extended.
- Exhale as you curl the dumbbells back up toward your shoulders.
- Hold for a count of two at the top of the movement and squeeze your biceps.
- Repeat.
Comments and tips
- Only your forearms should move.
- Adjust the seat so that you can position the whole of the backs of your upper arms flat on the arm rest, from your armpits to your elbows.
- You can perform the dumbbell hammer preacher curl with one arm at a time or, as described, with both arms simultaneously. Alternate to add variation and get the benefits of both variations.
- Your brachioradialis is the target and not your biceps brachii because the brachioradialis is the primary elbow flexor when you use a neutral grip. What’s more, when your elbow is positioned in front of your body, your biceps (especially the inner or short head) is put into a state of mechanical disadvantage (active insufficiency).
