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Liftworthy

Every exercise ranked by research, by lifters and by results. Find what’s S-tier for your goal, then train it.

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Explore/Biceps/Compare

For biceps growth

Cross-Body Hammer Curl vs Incline Dumbbell Curl

For biceps growth, incline dumbbell curl rates well ahead on our research criteria: more stretch, more of the work on the biceps.

Cross-body hammer curl is easier on the joints.

Both are good choices that train the biceps the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

B
#12
of 19
Cross-Body Hammer Curl
Dumbbell
S
#3
of 19
Incline Dumbbell Curl
Dumbbell
Research score
69
85
Target tension
Strong
Excellent
Loaded stretch
Good
Excellent
Progression
Good
Good
Low cost
Excellent
Strong
See the full biceps ranking
What these mean
Target tension.
Whether the muscle you’re training is what gives out first, not your grip, balance or other muscles.
Loaded stretch.
How hard the muscle works while stretched. Training it there is linked to more growth.
Progression.
How easily you can keep adding weight in small steps over months and years.
Low cost.
How easy it is on your joints and recovery, and how quickly you can learn it.

The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work

When each one fits

Good reasons to choose cross-body hammer curl

  • You want something easier on your joints
  • One side is weaker than the other

Good reasons to choose incline dumbbell curl

  • You want more load on the biceps while they’re stretched
  • You want the biceps to do the work, not other muscles
Cross-Body Hammer Curl
Incline Dumbbell Curl
You need
Dumbbells
Dumbbells, bench
Skill
Easy to learn
Easy to learn
Type
Isolation
Isolation
One side at a time
Yes
No
Why they rank where they do

Incline Dumbbell Curl. The incline stretches the long head at the bottom of every rep.

Questions

Which is better for biceps growth, cross-body hammer curl or incline dumbbell curl?

For biceps growth, incline dumbbell curl rates well ahead on our research criteria: more stretch, more of the work on the biceps. Cross-body hammer curl is easier on the joints. Both are good choices that train the biceps the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

Is cross-body hammer curl or incline dumbbell curl easier to learn?

About the same: both are easy to learn.

Can you do cross-body hammer curl or incline dumbbell curl at home?

Cross-body hammer curl needs dumbbells, so a home gym covers it. Incline dumbbell curl needs dumbbells and a bench, so a home gym covers it.

Which is easier on the joints, cross-body hammer curl or incline dumbbell curl?

Cross-body hammer curl: it rates Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Strong for incline dumbbell curl.

More comparisons

  • Concentration Curl vs Cross-Body Hammer Curl
  • Barbell Curl vs Cross-Body Hammer Curl
  • Cross-Body Hammer Curl vs Spider Curl
  • Cable Curl vs Incline Dumbbell Curl
  • EZ-Bar Curl vs Incline Dumbbell Curl
  • Dumbbell Curl vs Incline Dumbbell Curl
Cross-Body Hammer CurlIncline Dumbbell CurlAll biceps exercises