Concentration Curl: Target Your Biceps and Build Arm Strength

Have you ever flexed your arm randomly at someone only to find out you ripped your sleeve in the process?

No?

It is probably because you are not making the most of the concentration curl. 

My concentration curl sales pitch might fall flat on Shark Tank, but who needs sharks anyways when you can have venomous pythons?

If you want your arms to look like mountain peaks, concentration curl is a must-have in your exercise arsenal. 

Concentration curl is an isolation (single-joint) exercise that has been a bodybuilding favorite since time immemorial. The critically acclaimed bodybuilding documentary ‘Pumping Iron‘ featured multiple clips of Arnold Schwarzenegger performing variations of the concentration curl.

The Bicep Anatomy

Most rookies think bicep training is fairly straightforward since all you need to do are a few curls. Well, they might be right about the curling part, but at the same time, the lackluster approach to arm training is one of the reasons why most people have twigs for arms. 

Your guns consist of a long and short bicep head. If you did not already realize, they are called bi-ceps for a reason. 

However, if you think you could build arms like Roelly Winklaar by limiting your gun training to the long and short bicep head, you are in for a rude shock. 

Allow us the pleasure of introducing you to brachialis and brachioradialis.

Each of the four muscles plays a role in determining the shape and size of your guns. Here is a quick rundown on each muscle group:

• Long Bicep Head: Forms the outer half of the bicep. Best worked with arms behind the plane of the body. Eg: Hammer curl, incline dumbbell curl, etc.
• Short Bicep Head: Forms the inner half of the bicep. Best trained with arms in front of the body. Eg: Concentration curl, preacher curl, high cable curl, etc.
• Brachialis: It is an upper-arm muscle that lies underneath the bicep. It is trained by performing curls with a neutral grip. Eg: Hammer curl, cable rope curl, etc.  
• Brachioradialis: It is the largest muscle of your forearm. It is best trained with exercises involving an overhand grip. Eg: Overhand dumbbell curl, overhand cable curl, etc.

Check Out: Roelly Winklaar Blasts Arms With Larry Wheels In Recent Training Session

Muscles Worked

While the concentration curl works your entire bicep (brachii), the short bicep head is the primary target muscle group. Concentration curl keeps the long head from being fully stretched, which results in better isolation of the short head.

The short bicep head is responsible for improving the peak of your guns and making your arms look fuller. 

Benefits and Drawbacks

Every exercise has its benefits and disadvantages, and concentration curl is no different. Here is everything you should know about the lift:

Benefits

1. Great for Fixing Muscle Imbalances

If you are like most people, chances are one of your pythons is bigger than the other, and every time someone asks you to flex your guns, you brandish the bigger gun while hiding the malnourished python behind your back in shame.

Unilateral lifts are exercises where you work one side of your body at a time. Since concentration curl is a unilateral exercise, it can help fix muscle and strength imbalances.

You could fix the size or strength difference by performing a higher number of reps or lifting heavier weight on the weaker side.

2. Strength and Size

Concentration curl is an isolation exercise, meaning – you cannot use momentum to lift the weight. A strict lifting form will ensure optimal muscle fiber recruitment and leave you with a muscle-ripping pump.

Since you will be training your bicep brachii (primary muscle group) and brachialis and brachioradialis (secondary muscles) in some variations, concentration curl can help you pack on serious size.

3. Improves Bicep Peak

Concentration curl is hands down one of the best exercises to build a bicep peak. The lift targets the short head of the bicep and will transform your barren arms into lush mountains. 

4. Helps Build Mind-Muscle Connection

If you have trouble establishing a mind-muscle connection with your arms in compound lifts like the barbell bicep curl, concentration curl can be a game-changer.

Many lifters make the mistake of rushing through the concentration curl. To make the most of the lift, you should follow a slow and controlled rep tempo and contract your python at the top of the movement with every rep. 

Disadvantages

1. Has a Steep Learning Curve 

Concentration curl is one of the exercises that look super easy but can kill you when you try your hand at it. The exercise can take some time to get used to, especially if you are a newbie lifter.

Also, every variation of the exercise completely changes the dynamics of the lift, hence taking you back to the drawing board. 

2. Could Overwork the Bicep Tendon 

All your focus while performing the exercise will be on your bicep. While it is a great thing for most individuals, it could overload the bicep tendons of lifters dealing with a related injury. 

How To Perform Concentration Curl

Your gains while performing the concentration curl will depend on your form. Make the most bang for your buck by adhering to the following steps:

1. Select the desired weight and sit on a flat bench with an upright torso. 
2. Position your feet flat on the floor and spread your knees somewhat to form a “V” with your legs.
3. If you are confused about how much you should be lifting, go for a dumbbell that is 10 lbs lighter than the weight you curl on the first set of your dumbbell bicep curl. 
4. Hinge forward and position your elbow on your inner thigh. 
5. Place your free hand on the other knee to stabilize your body while holding a dumbbell with a supinated (palms facing up) grip.
6. Take a deep breath and curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder.
7. Pause and contract your pythons at the top of the movement.
8. Return to the starting position with a slow and controlled motion. 
9. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions before switching sides.

Tips

1. Keep your upper arm perpendicular to the floor throughout the exercise. It will keep you from using momentum. 
2. While at the top of the movement, turn your pinky towards the ceiling as much as possible. Doing this will put more stress on your short bicep head. 
3. Keep your upper arm and shoulder as stationary as possible while performing the lift. Letting them move can result in the recruitment of secondary muscle groups, taking tension off your bicep peak. 
4. Make sure you are not rounding your back while performing the exercise. Maintain the natural arch in your back throughout the lift.
5. Many rookies make the mistake of locking out their elbows at the bottom of the lift. Extending your arm straight can result in activation of the long head. Maintain a slight bend in your elbow at the bottom to keep constant tension on the short bicep head.

Lear more about Dumbbell Concentration Curl.

Concentration Curl Variations and Alternatives 

Incorporating concentration curl alternatives can help spice up your workouts and keep you from hitting a plateau. Add the following variations to your exercise arsenal:

1. Standing Concentration Curl

Standing concentration curl aka bent-over concentration curl is an advanced variation of the orthodox concentration curl. You should only attempt this exercise after you have mastered the original lift. 

How to perform standing concentration curl:

1. Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance. 
2. Bend forward until your torso is almost parallel to the floor by hinging at your hips.
3. Grab a dumbbell with a supinated grip.
4. Place your free hand on the other quad to stabilize your body. 
5. Allow your working arm to hang perpendicular to the ground with the elbow pointing out.
6. While keeping the upper arm stationary, flex your elbow to curl the weight towards your shoulder.
7. Pause and contract at the top. 
8. Return to the starting position with a slow and controlled motion.
9. Repeat for reps before switching sides.

Make sure you are using a weight you are comfortable with. Using more weight than you can handle will result in you using momentum to curl the dumbbell.

2. Overhand Concentration Curl

Overhand concentration curl is a great variation for people who want to work on their brachioradialis. Your forearm, brachialis, and long bicep head will be the primary target muscle groups in this exercise. To put a greater emphasis on your forearm, grab the dumbbell with a monkey (thumb over the bar) grip.

How to perform overhand concentration curl:

1. Select the desired weight and sit on a flat bench with an upright torso. 
2. Use a slightly lighter weight as compared to what you used in the orthodox concentration curl.
3. Hinge forward and position your elbow on your inner thigh. 
4. Place your free hand on the other knee to stabilize your body.
5. Grab the dumbbell with an overhand monkey grip.
6. Without moving your upper arm and shoulder, curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder.
7. Pause and contract at the top of the movement.
8. Repeat for reps before switching sides.

3. Cable Concentration Curl

Using a cable while performing the concentration curl places constant tension on your bicep throughout the exercise. Performing this exercise can take some time to get used to. 

How to perform cable concentration curl:

1. Attach a D-handle attachment to a cable pulley machine adjusted to the lowest setting.
2. Stand beside the cable pulley, with your shoulder facing the machine.
3. Take a step away from the pulley and bend over until your torso is almost parallel to the floor.
4. Grab the D-handle with a supinated (palm facing up) grip.
5. Place your free hand on the other quad to stabilize your body.
6. Make sure your working arm is perpendicular to the floor.
7. Without moving your shoulder or upper arm, curl the D-handle towards your shoulder.
8. Pause and contract at the top of the movement.
9. Repeat for repetitions before switching sides.

4. Spider Curl

Spider Curl is a great exercise for newbie lifters who cannot perform the orthodox concentration curl with the correct form. 

How to perform spider curl:

1. Adjust an incline bench so that it is at a 70-degree angle with the floor.
2. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and place your chest against the incline bench.
3. Place your lower legs on the seat. Doing this will ensure you are not generating power through your lower body.
4. At the starting position, your arms should be perpendicular to the floor.
5. Curl the weight toward your shoulders without moving your upper arms.
6. Turn your pinkies as much as you can towards the ceiling at the top. 
7. Slowly return to the starting position.
8. Repeat for reps.

5. Incline Bench Hammer Curl

Incline bench hammer curl is a great isolation exercise to train your long bicep head. It will also help build thickness in your arms by training the brachialis. 

How to perform incline bench hammer curl:

1. Adjust an incline bench so that it is at a 70-degree angle with the floor.
2. Grab a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral (palms facing each other) grip.
3. Your arms should be perpendicular to the floor at the starting position.
4. While keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders.
5. Pause and contract your pythons at the top of the movement.
6. Return to the starting position and repeat for reps.

Concentration Curl Workout

Your bicep workout should have a mix of compound, isolation, long and short head, brachialis and brachioradialis focused exercises to ensure the overall development of your pythons. Here is a workout to help you build sleeve-ripping guns:

1. Barbell Curl: 3 sets of 10 reps, 60-sec rest
2. Cable Bicep Curl: 3 sets of 10 reps, 60-sec rest
3. Zottman Curl: 3 sets of 10 reps, 60-sec rest
4. Concentration Curl: 3 sets of 10 reps, 60-sec rest
5. Overhead Cable Curl: 3 sets of 10 reps, 60-sec rest

Next Read: The 10 Best EZ Curl Bar Arm Exercises + Workout

Summing Up

Nothing says badass like a guy walking around with 21-inch pythons. Not only does this article lay down everything you need to know about the concentration curl, but it also provides you with a fantastic blueprint for building your guns.

Take everything you have learned about the bicep anatomy in this article and use it to carve those muscles in the gym with every rep. We cannot wait to see your gains. Best of luck!

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