Dumbbell Concentration Curl

Target muscle

Biceps

Also works

Forearms

Equipment

Dumbbell

Body part

Upper arms

How to do the dumbbell concentration curl

1. Sit on a bench with your legs spread apart and a dumbbell in one hand, resting your elbow on the inside of your thigh.
2. Fully extend your arm and hold the dumbbell with an underhand grip.
3. Keeping your upper arm stationary, exhale and curl the weight up towards your shoulder while contracting your biceps.
4. Continue to raise the dumbbell until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbell is at shoulder level.
5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
6. Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.

Sets and reps

For muscle growth, 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps with 60–90 seconds of rest is a proven starting point. For strength, use a heavier weight for 3–5 sets of 3–6 reps and rest 2–3 minutes. Add a little weight once you hit the top of your rep range on every set.

Muscles worked

The main muscle is the biceps. The forearms work as secondary muscles. See all biceps exercises or every dumbbell exercise.