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Concentration Curl is an isolation exercise for the biceps: one joint works, so it comes after the compound lifts to finish the target muscle. Secondary muscles: forearms. Equipment: dumbbell. Difficulty: beginner, suitable for beginners. It takes 5 steps; the most common mistake is covered in the tip below.
Step-by-step
- Sit on a bench, spread your legs, and lean your torso slightly forward.
- Rest the elbow of your working arm against the inner side of the same-side thigh.
- Extend your arm down, then curl the dumbbell up toward your shoulder by bending your forearm.
- Squeeze your biceps as hard as possible at the top and pause briefly.
- Lower the dumbbell under control to the starting position, then repeat with the other arm.
Coaching tip
Brace your elbow against your inner thigh; move only your forearm and get a peak contraction.
How to program it
Sets × reps and rest by goal; tempo and controlled reps matter most on isolation work. Start at the bottom of the range in week one; add 2.5–5% when you hit the top with clean form.
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 × 6-8 | 120 s |
| Muscle gain | 3 × 10-15 | 75 s |
| Fat loss / conditioning | 3 × 12-15 | 60 s |
FitCi applies this table to your age and goal automatically and writes weekly progression.
Alternatives
- Same muscle, different equipment: Barbell Biceps Curl, EZ-Bar Curl, Cable Biceps Curl
More biceps exercises
Add this exercise to your program
Build your own program in FitCi, pick an expert template, or photograph the plan your coach gave you; the app tracks sets, reps and weight.