Concentration Curl (Dumbbell)

An isolation exercise where you sit and brace your arm against your thigh for strict form, focusing all tension on the bicep throughout the entire range of motion.

Instructions

1. Sit on a bench with your feet firmly on the floor, holding a dumbbell in one hand between your knees.
2. Place the back of your upper arm against the inner surface of your thigh.
3. Position your arm so your elbow is slightly in front of your knee, with the dumbbell at full arm extension.
4. Curl the dumbbell upward by bending at the elbow, keeping your upper arm in contact with your thigh throughout the movement.
5. Raise the dumbbell until your bicep is fully contracted and the dumbbell reaches shoulder height.
6. Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position with control.
7. Complete all reps on one arm, then switch arms.

Tips

• Keep the back of your upper arm in contact with your thigh throughout the entire movement for strict form
• This exercise eliminates momentum, forcing the bicep to work harder
• The thigh acts as a brace, preventing any swinging or cheating
• Control the weight through both the concentric and eccentric phases
• Perform this exercise with lighter weights than your barbell or standing dumbbell curls
• The positioning emphasizes the peak contraction of the bicep
• This is a unilateral exercise; perform equal reps on both arms