Using the thigh to push the arm
Rest the arm on the thigh but do not drive it with the leg.
Isolation · Dumbbells
Concentration Curl
A seated, one-arm dumbbell curl with the elbow braced against the inner thigh. It removes body swing entirely, so it is a strict way to feel the biceps work. Useful as a finisher or for lifters learning to control a curl.
- Primary
- Biceps
- Starting rep range
- 10–15 reps
- Target effort
- 1 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 1 kg jumps
Muscles worked
The biceps flex the elbow and supinate the forearm, with the brachialis helping. Bracing the arm against the thigh keeps the shoulder out of it, so the biceps handle almost all the work.
How to set up
- Sit on the end of a bench with your feet wider than shoulder width.
- Hold a dumbbell in one hand and lean forward slightly.
- Rest the back of your upper arm against the inside of the same-side thigh.
- Let the arm hang nearly straight, palm facing away from the leg.
How to do each rep
- Curl the dumbbell toward your shoulder, keeping the upper arm on the thigh.
- Squeeze at the top for a second with the pinky slightly turned up.
- Lower for 2-3 seconds to a nearly straight arm.
- Finish all reps on one side, then switch.
Common concentration curl mistakes
Short range at the bottom
Lower until the arm is nearly straight each rep.
Rocking the torso
Keep the torso still and drop the weight if you need to lean back to finish.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the concentration curl at 10–15 reps with about 1 reps in reserve. As an isolation exercise it fits well after your main compound lifts.
Use reps first: build to 12-15 per arm, then move up the smallest dumbbell jump. Because it is strict and unilateral, it is better as a second or third curl than your main heavy one.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Concentration Curl alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Questions
Do concentration curls build the biceps peak?
No exercise can change the shape of your biceps; that is genetic. Concentration curls do build the biceps as a whole, which makes them look fuller.
Are concentration curls better than hammer curls?
They train different emphases. Concentration curls target the biceps with a supinated grip, while hammer curls shift more work to the brachialis and brachioradialis.