Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeStrength
- Equipment RequiredDumbbell
- MechanicsIsolation
- Force TypePull
- Experience LevelBeginner
- Secondary Muscles
Forearms
Target Muscle Group
Biceps

Cross Body Hammer Curl (Pinwheel Curls) Instructions
- Set up for the cross body hammer curl by grasping a pair of dumbbells and holding them at your sides.
- You should be using a neutral grip (palms facing the body) and have a slight bend in your arms. This is the starting position for the exercise.
- Beginning with one arm, slowly curl the dumbbell up across the front of your body as shown in the video demonstration.
- Squeeze the bicep at the top of the movement, and then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.
- Repeat this movement for your other arm.
- This is one rep. Now repeat to complete your set.
Cross Body Hammer Curl (Pinwheel Curls) Tips
- The dumbbells should not touch the body at any point during the exercise.
- Keep the rep timing slow and controlled.
- Keep the tension on both of your biceps throughout the whole set.
13 Comments
Hey, while doing this exercise I feel sore in my forearm instead and feels like my biceps don’t work that much. Is there a solution for this? Thank you!
Actually, that is what this exercise is for. If you want to activate the biceps more, slightly turn the pinky up at the top of the range of motion. Other than that, it does primarily work the forearms.
Do we have to do 8 on each arm right?
Hey Pedro - correct
Plss suggest me how to long biceps lenth
Between bicepss & albow
You stretch the muscle before during and after the exercise
Doing dumbell curls on a bench with about 30degs of incline is great for working the part of the bicep closest to the elbow. Adding some more definition to that part will add a visible amount of length.
what in the world are you trying to say. stop the gym hit the books.
Is this movement the best thing looks bad for the shoulders
Is their an alternative for this pinwheel curl? Although I like it, I noticed it was causing some definite pain in my right shoulder due to a previous injury.
Try the concentration curl
i was having the same issue. try lowering the weight.
Hammer curls are very similar but do not involve the twisting motion. It is likely that the twisting is placing extra tension on your bicep head where it insterts into the shoulder cuff, which is irritating and inflaming the site of your injury. Ice your shoulder after exercise as well.