The main muscle group listed for this exercise.
Concentration Curls
Concentration Curls is a beginner-friendly arm exercise performed with dumbbells.
The equipment listed for this variation.
The recorded setup and movement complexity.
Arms
No secondary muscle group is listed for this variation.
Strength
Movement pattern: elbow flexion. This is an isolation exercise.
Beginner
This level reflects the setup and movement complexity recorded for this exercise.
How to do Concentration Curls
- Sit down on a flat bench with one dumbbell in front of you between your legs. Your legs should be spread with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
- Use your right arm to pick the dumbbell up. Place the back of your right upper arm on the top of your inner right thigh. Rotate the palm of your hand until it is facing forward away from your thigh. Tip: Your arm should be extended and the dumbbell should be above the floor. This will be your starting position.
- While holding the upper arm stationary, curl the weights forward while contracting the biceps as you breathe out. Only the forearms should move. Continue the movement until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Tip: At the top of the movement make sure that the little finger of your arm is higher than your thumb. This guarantees a good contraction. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps.
- Slowly begin to bring the dumbbells back to starting position as your breathe in. Caution: Avoid swinging motions at any time.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions. Then repeat the movement with the left arm.
Workout templates that use this exercise.
If you want to see this movement inside a more complete training session, start here.
Arm Workout
A focused arm session with direct biceps and triceps volume you can recover from.
View workout3-Day Full Body Split
A three-day split that spreads total weekly work across three full-body sessions.
View workout4-Day Upper Lower Split
A simple four-day split that gives each half of the body two quality sessions each week.
View workoutMore exercises in the same lane.
Use these when you want a similar movement pattern, a different setup, or more exercise options for the same target area.
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Alternate Hammer Curl is a beginner-friendly arm exercise performed with dumbbells.
View exerciseAlternate Incline Dumbbell Curl
Alternate Incline Dumbbell Curl is a beginner-friendly arm exercise performed with dumbbells.
View exerciseDumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl
Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl is a beginner-friendly arm exercise performed with dumbbells.
View exerciseDumbbell Bicep Curl
Dumbbell Bicep Curl is a beginner-friendly arm exercise performed with dumbbells.
View exerciseRelated calculators for this exercise.
Use these calculators when you want to connect the exercise itself to calories, protein, strength targets, or training volume.
Common questions about Concentration Curls.
What muscles does Concentration Curls work?
Concentration Curls primarily trains the arms.
Is Concentration Curls beginner-friendly?
Yes. It is listed as beginner-friendly.
What equipment do I need for Concentration Curls?
This variation uses dumbbells.
Track this exercise for free in Logbook.
Once the movement is in your plan, use Logbook to record sets, reps, load, and progress without guessing what happened last week.