Your biceps are a fairly small muscle group, yet one of the most important to work out in the gym if you’re looking to bulk up your arms. As a small muscle group, biceps tend to recover quickly after a workout — allowing you to work them out at least twice a week. Hitting biceps twice a week in the gym is awesome, yet frankly, it can get boring.
Those of us who are already well-acquainted with basic gym exercises such as hammer curls and dumbbell bicep curls know that bicep routines in the gym can get repetitive. If you’re looking for something new to change up your bicep routine, look to a new variation of your favorite exercise — a rope hammer curl.
What are rope hammer curls?
Rope hammer curls are a variation of a classic hammer curl, however, they use the cable machine with a rope attachment instead of dumbbells. This alternative exercise is perfect for changing things up and keeping your mind and body engaged when hitting the gym. Rope hammer curls are also a great option for when the gym is busy and you can’t find a bench or can’t grab a pair of dumbbells at your desired weight. This exercise uses the classic double-sided rope attachment, which most people typically use for abdominal exercises and tricep cable pushdowns.
Benefits of hammer curls
Hammer curls, in general, are an excellent go-to bicep exercise to help you increase bicep size and strength. Hammer curls are a variation of a traditional bicep curl that targets the longest head of the bicep, known as the brachialis, and is one of the key forearm muscles known as the brachioradialis. Just as you would do a drop set with hammer curls done with dumbbells, you can also use the drop set technique when doing rope hammer curls. To do this method, start with the maximum possible weight you can complete and drop down the weight gradually to fully exhaust your muscles.
Why add rope hammer curls to your arm day
There are several reasons why it’s worthwhile to add rope hammer curls to your arm-day routine. First and foremost, this comprehensive exercise works the biceps, forearms, brachialis, and brachioradialis muscles. This means that you’re targeting several muscle groups within your arms all in one exercise. Additionally, the neutral grip of this exercise may be helpful for those who find traditional hammer curls to place too much pressure on the wrists and elbows. Using a cable for hammer curls allows for continuous tension throughout each rep, hitting your biceps differently.
Frequently changing up the exercises in your arm routine can help ensure your biceps are hit from multiple angles and continually challenge yourself. If you find yourself simply “going through the motions” while hitting your arms, adding in a new exercise or two may help you regain your mojo. Long-term gymgoers often know that feeling well requires new stimuli to continue building muscle without getting too bored.
How to do rope hammer curls
Rope hammer curls are a fairly simple bicep exercise to master, regardless of your fitness level. To perform this exercise, start by:
- Attaching the double-sided rope attachment to a cable pulley. Set the cable pulley to the lowest possible setting.
- Stand facing the cable machine (about one foot away from it).
- Begin with your below side by side. Your elbow should remain stationary during the entire movement. This means that only your forearms will move and your upper arms will not move.
- Using your biceps, pull your arms up while exhaling. Stop when your biceps touch your forearms. Keep elbows in and your upper arms stationary throughout the entire exercise.
- Contract for a few seconds by squeezing your biceps, then slowly bring the weight back to the beginning position. The weight you use should be challenging enough to feel the burn but doable enough to complete a full set (8 to 12 repetitions).
- Repeat for several sets (usually three to five, depending on what other bicep exercises are being performed as part of the total workout).
Other exercises to crush your biceps
Ready to give rope hammer curls a shot? During your next arm day, you can also pair rope hammer curls with other bicep exercises that target other muscles within your arms. For example, exercises such as concentration curls are great for targeting the short head of the bicep, unlike hammer curls, which focus on the long head. Diversifying bicep exercises weekly or monthly helps ensure you hit every part of the muscle for ultimate strength and muscle gains.
