Olympic Barbell Hammer Curl

Setup

1. 01Wedge one end of an Olympic bar into a landmine base or a padded corner.
2. 02Stand facing the free end and grip the very end of the sleeve with one or both hands in a neutral grip.
3. 03Set a staggered or shoulder-width stance and brace the trunk.
4. 04Start with the arm extended and the bar end hanging at hip height.

Execution

1. 01Curl the bar end up in an arc by bending the elbow, keeping the palm facing inward.
2. 02Keep the upper arm pinned to the side; the elbow is the only moving joint.
3. 03Squeeze at the top when the forearm passes parallel.
4. 04Lower under control back to a fully extended elbow.

Checkpoints

• -Grip stays neutral, thumbs up, through the whole rep.
• -Upper arm stays vertical and still against the torso.
• -Torso does not lean back to swing the bar up.
• -The bar sleeve does not tip sideways out of the hand.

Common mistakes

• -Standing too close so the bar arc jams into the body.
• -Letting the wrist rotate under the offset load.
• -Using body English instead of strict elbow flexion.
• -Gripping mid-sleeve, which makes the thick end unstable.