- EquipmentDumbbell
- PatternIsolation
- Reps10 to 15 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
- One side at a time
Sit on a bench with your feet wide. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and rest the back of that upper arm against your inner thigh.
First cueKeep the upper arm braced on the thigh.
How to do the Concentration Curl
Set up. Sit on a bench with your feet wide. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and rest the back of that upper arm against your inner thigh.
- Curl the dumbbell toward your shoulder.
- Squeeze at the top.
- Lower slowly to a straight arm.
- Switch sides after the set.
Form cues
- Keep the upper arm braced on the thigh.
- Move only at the elbow.
- Go slowly.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the elbow off the thigh.
- Twisting the torso to lift.
Muscles worked
Main target: Biceps. The biceps runs down the front of the upper arm. It bends the elbow and turns the palm up, and it helps in every pull.
On the way: Forearms.
Its other side: Triceps, in the arms pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Concentration Curl, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Dumbbell Overhead Extension Superset partner: it trains the other side of the arms pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row Same pull session: it trains the upper back.
- Pull-Up Same pull session: it trains the lats.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Concentration Curl first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Concentration Curl 3 × 10 to 15 reps
- Dumbbell Overhead Extension 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Pull-Up 3 × 3 to 15 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Gym or cable swap
Behind-the-Body Cable Curl
Cable
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Dumbbell Curl.
Other variations of the Dumbbell Curl: Incline Dumbbell Curl and Zottman Curl.
Do before it: Wrist Mobilisation (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Concentration Curl is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Concentration Curl?
Set up: Sit on a bench with your feet wide. Hold a dumbbell in one hand and rest the back of that upper arm against your inner thigh. Steps: 1. Curl the dumbbell toward your shoulder. 2. Squeeze at the top. 3. Lower slowly to a straight arm. 4. Switch sides after the set. Form cues: Keep the upper arm braced on the thigh. Move only at the elbow. Go slowly. Common mistakes: Lifting the elbow off the thigh. Twisting the torso to lift.
What muscles does the Concentration Curl work?
It trains the biceps as its main target and works the forearms on the way.
What can I do instead of the Concentration Curl?
In a gym: Behind-the-Body Cable Curl. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Concentration Curl with?
Good partners in the same workout are Dumbbell Overhead Extension, Single-Arm Dumbbell Row and Pull-Up.
How heavy should the Concentration Curl be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.