Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl

Also called seated barbell concentration curl and close grip concentration curl.

Works

Biceps

Equipment

Barbell

Level

Intermediate

Type

Isolation

How to do it

Setup. Sit down on a flat bench with a barbell or E-Z Bar in front of you in between your legs. Your legs should be spread with the knees bent and the feet on the floor.

1. Use your arms to pick the barbell up and place the back of your upper arms on top of your inner thighs (around three and a half inches away from the front of the knee). A supinated grip closer than shoulder width is needed to perform this exercise. Tip: Your arm should be extended at arms length and the barbell should be above the floor. This will be your starting position.
2. While holding the upper arms 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. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps.
3. Slowly begin to bring the barbell back to starting position as your breathe in. Tip: Avoid swinging motions at any time.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Cues

• Upper arms on the inner thighs.
• Close underhand grip.
• Curl up, squeeze 1 second.
• Lower slowly to a full stretch.

Common mistakes

• Arms lifting off the thighs.
• Swinging the torso.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

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