Upper arms
Concentration Curl
Seated with your elbow braced on your thigh: the biceps work alone with no way to cheat.
Also known as: seated concentration curl
- Level
- Beginner
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Type
- Isolation
How to do it
- Sit on a bench with your legs apart and rest the back of your upper arm against your inner thigh.
- Let the dumbbell hang with your arm straight.
- Curl the dumbbell toward your shoulder, turning your palm toward you.
- Squeeze at the top and lower slowly.
Form cues
- Only your forearm moves.
- Your torso doesn't lean back.
- Pause for a second at the top.
Common mistakes
- Moving your shoulder to lift: your elbow stays braced.
- Leaning back with your torso: that's cheating.
- Not straightening at the bottom: use the full range.
Sets and reps
2-3 sets of 10-15 reps per arm with 60 seconds of rest.
Variations
Same movement, different equipment. Pick based on what you have and what you want from the concentration curl.
Kettlebell concentration curl
The weight hangs from the handle and changes the feel.
How to do it
- Sit on a bench with your feet wide, holding a kettlebell in one hand.
- Brace the back of your upper arm against the inside of your thigh, letting the kettlebell hang.
- Curl the kettlebell up toward your shoulder, keeping the elbow pinned against your leg.
- Squeeze the bicep at the top, then lower slowly under control.
- Finish all reps on one side, then switch arms.
- Primary
- Biceps
- Secondary
- Brachialis
FAQ
Does the concentration curl build a biceps peak?
Peak shape is mostly genetic. This exercise grows the biceps but doesn't change its shape.
Is it better than standing curls?
It isolates better but allows less weight. A good finisher.
How heavy should I go?
Light: one you can control for 10-15 slow, full reps.
What muscles do the concentration curl work?
They mainly work the biceps, with help from the brachialis.
Train with Nuvana
Add the concentration curl to your next workout
Log your sets and weights, and see how each muscle progresses in the app.
