The concentration curl is one of the original big bicep building exercises used by bodybuilders since the 70's! The concentration curl exercise will isolate each bicep muscle, ensuring that the bicep is responsible for all of the work. This means none of your other muscles can help move the weight. More bicep work means more muscle building and strength! Also because you have a free arm in the concentration curl, you can use your other arm as a spotter for your working arm. That's why this is a great muscle building exercise.
1. The Starting Position
Sit comfortably on a gym bench or a chair with feet firmly placed on the floor and grasp a dumbbell of suitable weight.
Spread your legs to the extent that you can rest the upper arm of the hand holding the dumbbell against the inner thigh on the same side.
The dumbbell will be hanging down toward the floor in the hand.
Brace the abdominal muscles, straighten the back, keep the head steady and remember to breathe out on exertion and in on recovery.
2. The Exercise Movement and Points to Note
Curl the weight upward and slightly across the body while firmly fixing the upper arm against the inner thigh of the leg on the same side.
Make sure to press this upper arm solidly into the thigh so that you feel a corresponding emphasis on the biceps muscle as you curl.
Complete the chosen number of repetitions -- 10 or 12 is a good number -- then swap arms and use the thigh on the same side as the other arm for support.
Keep the back straight as possible and not curved over. The head and neck should be steady looking mostly ahead rather than down.
The exercise works by isolating and targeting the biceps rather than other upper arm muscles that get used in an unsupported curl.
Concentration curl tips
With concentration curls you will find that you can not lift as much weight as usual. This is because your bicep muscles are responsible for 100% of the work here! Start your concentration curl with a light weight and work up.
Don't rock your body too much during the concentration curl. You want to move the weight with your bicep muscle, not your shifting bodyweight. Focus on keeping your body still and flexing your bicep.
Try not to focus on how much weight you are lifting, buty focus on squeezing your bicep muscle hard at the top of the concentration curl and pausing before you lower the weight. You can get good strength and muacle gains on your bicep by only doing light concentration curl exercises.
