Concentration curl
Log this in the trackerA seated single-arm curl braced against the thigh, the strictest curl there is.
What it is
Sitting with the elbow resting inside the thigh, you curl one dumbbell at a time. The braced elbow removes swing entirely, so the biceps works through a clean range.
Muscles worked
Primary: Biceps. Secondary: Brachialis, Forearms.
How to perform it
- Sit on a bench with the legs apart and a dumbbell in one hand.
- Brace the back of that upper arm against the inside of the same-side thigh.
- Curl the dumbbell up toward the shoulder, turning the palm up as you go.
- Lower slowly to a full stretch without letting the elbow leave the thigh.
Common form faults
- Leaning back to swing the dumbbell up. Keep the torso still; if it moves, drop the weight and let the arm work.
- Stopping short of straight at the bottom. Straighten fully each rep. The stretched position is where much of the growth stimulus lives.
Programming
10 to 15 reps a side, usually at the end of an arm session where strict form beats load.
Plan your training
Variations & substitutions
Frequently asked questions
- Does it build the biceps peak?
- Peak shape is genetic. The concentration curl builds the biceps well, but no exercise changes where the muscle attaches.
- Why one arm at a time?
- It lets you brace the elbow and keeps attention on one side, which often evens out a strength difference between arms.