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Cable Rope Hammer Curl

Equipment

Gym Equipment Needed

Muscle Group

Bicep

Setup

Attach a rope handle to a low pulley. Select a weight you can curl smoothly without rocking your body. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and step back slightly so there’s constant tension on the cable.

Starting Position

Hold the rope with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and arms fully extended in front of your thighs. Keep your elbows close to your sides, shoulders down and back, and core braced. Wrists stay neutral and stacked over your forearms.

Execution

Inhale and brace. Curl the rope up by bending at the elbows while keeping your upper arms mostly still. As you lift, keep the rope ends close and maintain the neutral grip to emphasize the brachialis and forearms. Curl until your hands reach around mid-chest height, then pause briefly and squeeze. Exhale and lower the rope under control back to full extension, maintaining tension the entire time. Repeat for the desired reps.

Tips on doing this exercise

Keep your elbows pinned to your sides—only the forearms move.

Control the lowering phase (2–3 seconds down) to load the brachialis and forearms.

Stay tall: core tight, ribs down, no leaning back.

Squeeze hard at the top without letting shoulders roll forward.

If grip becomes the limiter, lower the weight slightly and keep reps clean.

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Common Mistakes

Swinging the torso or using momentum to move the weight

Letting elbows drift forward (turns it into more of a front-delt movement)

Bending wrists back or letting the rope pull your wrists out of position

Cutting the range short or dropping too fast on the way down

Shrugging shoulders up instead of keeping them set down and stable

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Recommended Ranges

Hypertrophy focus: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps

Accessory/pump work: 2–4 sets of 12–15 reps

Strength emphasis: 3–5 sets of 6–10 reps (strict form)
Rest 60–90 seconds between sets.

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