Standing Concentration Curl

Also called standing concentration curl and bent-over concentration curl.

Works

Biceps, plus forearms

Equipment

Dumbbells

Level

Beginner

Type

Isolation

How to do it

Setup. Taking a dumbbell in your working hand, lean forward. Allow your working arm to hang perpendicular to the ground with the elbow pointing out. This will be your starting position.

1. Flex the elbow to curl the weight, keeping the upper arm stationary. At the top of the repetition, flex the biceps and pause.
2. Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
3. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

Cues

• Lean forward, arm hangs straight.
• Upper arm still, curl up.
• Squeeze 1 second at the top.
• Lower slowly to full stretch.

Common mistakes

• Swinging the torso.
• Short range at the bottom.

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.

Go easy, or pick an alternative, if you have a sore elbow. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.

Swap for