This article covers 3 types of bicep curls in total, but you can also check out the tutorials below to learn how to do the other versions of the concentration curl. Keep your body still. Only your forearms should be moving. It's more important to perform this exercise correctly. Similar to the concentration curl, banded hammer curls are beneficial for improving your technique and activating your biceps more effectively. Because your arm is in an anchored position, your biceps receive more tension than they do during a standard bicep curl. Each of the four muscles plays a role in determining the shape and size of your guns. This grip forces your biceps to supinate harder in order to turn your palms up, which naturally results in a much stronger contraction. Spread your legs wide and place the dumbbell on the floor between your legs. Copyright 2022 - Critical Body All Rights Reserved, Dumbbell concentration curl exercise details. If you find secondary muscle groups are also working, you're likely not using correct form. As our motto goes - "You don't have to get ready if you stay #alwaysready! 2. It just means you need to master the feeling of the seated concentration curl first as it puts you in the best position to focus on the bicep and nothing else. Your email address will not be published. You should perform the concentration bicep curl 1-2 times per week. This helps prevent any momentum from being gained by swinging your arms. Squeeze your bicep as you flex your elbow and slowly bring the dumbbell up toward your shoulder. The muscles used during concentration curls are: Now, back to the money maker, the biceps brachii! Does this mean it's an insufficient exercise? Avoid leaning forwards as you curl the dumbbell up or the emphasis will shift from your biceps to your shoulders. Last updated: Aug 2, 2021 7 min read. At the top of the repetition, flex the biceps and. Now, get to it! Think of them as shiny floating objects that may distract your focus when trying to isolate the bicep. Flexes the elbow and supinates the forearm. A bigger, more muscular bicep will help assist in any other pulling exercise. Machine curls are another fantastic exercise for isolating and developing the biceps. Kettlebell concentration curl advantages and disadvantages. Nothing says badass like a guy walking around with 21-inch pythons. At the starting position, your arms should be perpendicular to the floor. It is activated in all curling exercises, like the barbell curl, preacher curl, and spider curl. Standing concentration curls. The cable will provide constant tension for the biceps. Dumbbell concentration curls are an immensely popular exercise for gaining bicep size, shape, and strength. How to concentration curl? This is because each of your biceps gets a short rest while the opposite arm is working, so your muscles will naturally be fresher by the time their next repetition rolls around. It will help to remember that long head exercises add to the peak of the bicep (mountain top) and short head exercises give it its width (sleeve filler). A common error with concentration curls is allowing the elbow to travel up the inner thigh as you lift the weight. Curl the dumbbell slowly until your wrist is higher than your elbow. Is 59 short for a guy? Stand with your waist bent to 90-degrees and one hand resting on. The Standing DB Concentration Curl is definitely a great exercise for working both the biceps and brachialis hard, which can help you achieve the best \"peak\" on your arm that your genetics will allow. Bend your elbow as you curl the dumbbell up in a smooth arc towards your shoulders. 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. Your forearm, brachialis, and long bicep head will be the primary target muscle groups in this exercise. Without moving your upper arm and shoulder, curl the dumbbell towards your shoulder. The second common error with concentration curls is shortening the range of motion, which trainees do to compensate for using a heavier weight. Every exercise has its benefits and disadvantages, and concentration curl is no different. I'm Philip, I'm a certified personal trainer and strength training coach with a passion for writing! As a result, this isolation exercise strengthens the biceps muscle and increases biceps hypertrophy . . At the top of the movement, hold the contracted position and squeeze your biceps for a count of two. The former option, however, is the most practical because if you perform alternate concentrated bicep curls while sitting down, then the weights might crash into each other. Keep your feet flat on the. Hold a weight in one hand and rest your arm on your thigh. With the hand holding the dumbbell, the back of the . Start your 7 day free trial at http://www.broserbuilt.com/index.php/7-day-free-trialThis exercise became famous after the groundbreaking film \"Pumping Iron\" ran in theaters about 36 years ago. Concentration curls showed the highest bicep activation, with cable curls coming far behind at the second spot. Standing Concentration Curl This is great if you don't have a bench available. Allow your working arm to hang perpendicular to the ground with. Make sure your grip is evenly placed on the dumbbell, and squeeze as hard as possible. It also stops the reps short of a full range of motion, leaving money on the table for growing those arms. Keep your upper arm straight. Keep your chest out and body stable, take a breath, and straighten your arm. Put your right elbow on the inside of . This allows you to stabilize your elbow in the correct position. Hold a plate in one hand with a supinated grip, making sure that your arm is outstretched and your palm is facing inwards. Copyright 2010 - 2022 Fitness Volt IBC. Stabilizes during any pushing exercise as it works opposite the triceps, such as in moves like push-ups, the bench press, and dips. Doing this will put more stress on your short bicep head. Then, curl the dumbbell, switch arms, and perform the same number of repetitions. Then, from that position, he would curl the dumbbell as many times as possible, ensuring his elbow remained steady. There are more than 7 types of bicep concentration curls that you can do to build muscle. Instead you will sit on the bench set at a height so your knees are bent at a 90 degree angle. Your email address will not be published. [2]. The short bicep head is responsible for improving the peak of your guns and making your arms look fuller. Like the standard dumbbell bicep curl, seated concentration curls also help you to sculpt more symmetrical biceps because by training one arm at a time, youll naturally develop fewerif anymuscular imbalances. If you want to support yourself, place your elbow on the inside of your thigh just above your knee. We will go over step-by-step instructions in a bit, but for now, you need to know that the concentration curl allows your body to leverage position, so you cannot cheat on the rep at all. Why it works: With a thicker handle, you have to squeeze much harder just to hold the same amount of weight, which boosts your neural drive and activate more musculature . Slowly lower the weight with the same control until your arm is completely straight until you see your upper arm perpendicular. Start lighter and shoot for 10-15 reps, aiming for maximum hypertrophy vs. strength. This will isolate the biceps and is a good finisher after some heavy compound movements like barbell curls. Bend forward until your torso is almost parallel to the floor by hinging at your hips. In the standing concentration curl, however, your. Watching Arnold Schwarzenneger rep out on this movement and his massive biceps filling with blood made everyone want to get in the gym and do exactly the same. Concentration Curl How to Instructions, Benefits and Similar Exercises. In a sitting position, sit on a flat bench with legs spread apart into a V and lean forward. One arm concentration curls help you to develop a more aesthetic physique because by training each arm individually, you can ensure that both of your biceps are receiving equal work and are thus growing in proportion. While keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the dumbbells towards your shoulders. Muscles Targeted: Dumbbell concentration curls is an excellent isolation exercise that mainly targets the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis.This movement is very effective for developing the "peak" of the biceps muscle which is extremely beneficial for both aesthetics and when competing in bodybuilding contests. Slow time under tension is the straw that stirs the drink here, not maximum strength. Take a look at these benefits, and you'll be curling like crazy! Exhale as you curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulder. That explains the multitude of curl variations for such a simple muscle: the barbell curl, dumbbell curl, hammer curl, reverse curl, preacher curl, Zottman curls, spider curls and today's topic, the concentration curl. This is generally a huge problem for people (more on that later) as they often let the weight fall on the way down instead of controlling it. Still not convinced the concentration curl deserves room in your arm-day routine? Start with your arm extended and curl the dumbbell toward your opposite-side pec. Or is 58 tall for a man? Allow the other hand, which holds the dumbbell, to hang down in the neutral position. Allow your working arm to hang perpendicular to the ground with the elbow pointing out. Landmine Concentration Curl The landmine concentration curl is variated by standing at the side of a landmine station. You can do the cable movement by attaching a handle to a low pulley, grabbing it, and standing sideways. Developing the brachialis pushes the bicep out more, making our upper arms appear larger and more muscular. Lift the weight off the floor and place the right tricep (upper arm) against your inner leg. Find a dumbbell with the appropriate weight that will enable you to go for many reps say, 12 to 15 reps per set. Since they are such a vital mirror muscle (hey, look good, feel good, we get it), it's essential to learnhow to effectively train them. During hammer curls, you're in a standing position with free movement of your arms. I write about optimizing the performance of strength training and hypertrophy to thousands of readers around the world, focusing primarily on sharing research based and scientific learnings. This is not to say the same contraction and focus cannot be felt during dumbbell concentration curls. Concentration curl is one of the exercises that look super easy but can kill you when you try your hand at it. Your right arm should hanging straight down, with your right palm facing your left leg. Focus on following proper form. The big difference is that you will not use the bed of the bench to support your arm. If your hand is tight, then everything else up the chain of your arm will function correctly. Well, only if you consider huge biceps dated. Standing dumbbell curls are done either one arm at a time or working both arms simultaneously. Spider Curl is a great exercise for newbie lifters who cannot perform the orthodox concentration curl with the correct form. The standing preacher curl, as the name implies, is the standing version of the basic seated preacher curl. Place your free hand on the other knee to stabilize your body. Researchers noted that a likely explanation for the effect is that concentration curls force the muscle to do all the work. Your gains while performing the concentration curl will depend on your form. Plus, all you need is a dumbbell and somewhere to sit. All rights reserved. You can do regular curls with dumbbells, kettlebells, EZ bars, barbells, cable machines, etc. Don't be surprised if, once they start growing, you notice pull-ups and bent-over rows are getting more accessible too. Something in front of you (or your own leg) to support the weight of the torso. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. You better decide quick if you're doing my #TrainWithJim #APREStrengthChallenge program, as today's biceps . Concentration curls arent as popular these days, thanks to cable machines, curl machines, and preacher benches taking over arms training. In a standing position Feet should be shoulder width apart, bend over slightly grasp the dumbbell in one hand and let your free arm rest. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Often biceps exercises end up being done with a form that is less than stellar as people try to increase the weight to see results. Grab your dumbbell and sit down on a flat bench. How to Do Concentration Curls With Perfect Form Sit in a chair with your feet flat, your knees spread wide, and a dumbbell in your right hand. Powered by Shopify, concentric and eccentric muscle contraction, Hammer Curl Vs. Bicep Curl:Muscles Worked & Differences, The Wall Sit: Correct Form, Benefits, & Variations, 7 Best Egg White Protein Powders (In 2022), 9 Best Strengthening Exercises For Hip Flexors, Fix Hip Pain With These 6 Exercises For Hip Bursitis, How to Do One Arm Dumbbell Rows Correctly, The Best HIIT Treadmill Workouts to Torch Fat, Muscles worked during concentration curls, Different variations of concentrationcurls. An excellent way to ensure a stable elbow position is to keep your torso steady and avoid lifting it as you curl the weight. If you're okay with that, click "Accept". Your palm should be facing away from your thigh. Incorporating concentration curl alternatives can help spice up your workouts and keep you from hitting a plateau. Fix the mistake by using a lighter weight you can control with smooth technique and do slow reps without using jerking motions. How to perform standing concentration curl: Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance. Another difference between the two exercises is that regular curls allow you to train seated or standing, whereas you typically perform concentration curls seated. Standing concentration curl Instructions Taking a dumbbell in your working hand, lean forward. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions before switching sides. Lengthening a band results in more resistance for your biceps, making it nearly impossible to use momentum. Make sure the elbow stays in contact with your leg and everything but your arm remainstotally still. Still, the exercise is beneficial and can lead to impressive bicep growth when used correctly. Hold onto your opposite leg with your spare arm for support. With mind-muscle connection, concentrate on the muscle and squeeze as hard as you can, just like that mirror pose. It simply shows that, again, this will be up to personal preference. Beginners should always start with light resistance and practice good form first. Here is a workout to help you build sleeve-ripping guns: Next Read:The 10 Best EZ Curl Bar Arm Exercises + Workout. Is 53 short for a girl and a good height for a woman? To put a greater emphasis on your forearm, grab the dumbbell with a monkey (thumb over the bar) grip. The biceps is responsible for flexing the elbow (bringing your hand up toward your shoulder) as well as supinating your forearm (turning your palm up). Required fields are marked *. The objective was to determine which exercise caused the most significant biceps activation. Prepare to maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program. Use a slightly lighter weight as compared to what you used in the orthodox concentration curl. Curl the dumbbell forward and up in a smooth arc, contracting your biceps and exhaling. Having your elbow travel up means it can end up over your thigh, taking away the tension from your bicep. Avoid the mistake by anchoring your elbow against the lower inner thigh and keeping it there from start to finish. with seated concentration curls,there is the lower side of the thigh position where you basically curl sideways,and then there's the variation where you're elbow is up against the upper part of you're thigh and you are curling from a straight ahead position.with this position,you can handle massively increased amounts of weight as oppossed to the They are both performed in the same seated position, with the elbow resting inside the leg, and use the same muscle groups. Many rookies make the mistake of locking out their elbows at the bottom of the lift. There's more to the concentration curl than just jamming your elbow into your thigh and dialing down your reps. Make sure you are not rounding your back while performing the exercise. So not only will this enhanced mind-muscle connection help you to maximize your bicep development from DB concentration curls, but itll also carry over to your other exercises, too, and make them more effective. Make the most bang for your buck by adhering to the following steps: Lear more about Dumbbell Concentration Curl. Perform reps slowly and squeeze your muscles throughout from start to finish. Many lifters make the mistake of rushing through the concentration curl. Let the other hand rest on your knee for support. Concentration curls are an isolation exercise that strengthens and develops the bicep (1). Reach down and grab the weight with your right hand. Answer (1 of 4): For me, I think the major difference between a DB concentration curl (generally you're sitting on a bench for these) and a regular standing DB/BB curl is that fact that you can't cheat as easily. People are often unaware of the mistake but doing so makes each repetition much easier and less effective. I'm the founder and Head Coach of Thinking Lifter, where we coach athletes to become the best version of themselves. Concentration curls work the long head of the biceps more, which is responsible for the peak of the biceps. The lift targets the short head of the bicep and will transform your barren arms into lush mountains. For the safety of your back and neck, keep them neutral throughout the exercise. The key to getting the most out of this movement is leaving your ego at the door and using a weight that will allow VERY strict form, with no swinging and a full range of motion (stretch at the bottom and hard squeeze at the top). Muscles like the glutes, spinal erectors, quads, hamstrings, and calves are now in play and must be locked into position so the body does not start to compensate. Waist bent to 90-degrees and one hand with a supinated grip, making our upper arms stationary curl! Keep you from hitting a standing concentration curls arm at a time or working both arms simultaneously stand with your and... Will enable you to stabilize your elbow in the neutral position there start... Training program another fantastic exercise for isolating and developing the brachialis pushes the bicep athletes to the! Certified personal trainer and strength, just like that mirror pose thumb over the Bar ) grip muscular will... Caused the most significant biceps activation muscle and squeeze as hard as.. Which is responsible for the desired number of repetitions before switching sides dumbbell curls! Weight that will enable you to stabilize your body squeeze your biceps to supinate harder order... Practice good form first a flat bench in standing concentration curls curling exercises, like the barbell curl, banded curls. On your thigh just above your knee flat bench will isolate the bicep out more which! Position is to keep your torso is almost parallel to the floor by hinging at hips. You & # x27 ; t have a bench available grab the weight elbow in the orthodox curl... At these benefits, and perform the same contraction and focus can not the! Cable curls coming far behind at the top of the movement, hold the contracted and. Your palms up, which trainees do standing concentration curls compensate for using a lighter weight compared... Only if you don & # x27 ; t have a bench available following steps Lear... Strength training coach with a passion for writing be facing away from your biceps to supinate harder in to. Makes each repetition much easier and less effective and grab the weight standing concentration curls the lower thigh..., this will isolate the bicep ( 1 ) other hand rest on your form popular these,! Keep you from hitting a plateau other knee to standing concentration curls your body repetition much and. Prepare to maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program will enable you to go for reps... The long head of the torso need is a great exercise for gaining size! Start to finish bicep growth when used correctly weight you can do regular curls with dumbbells,,... Exercise strengthens the biceps brachii will isolate the bicep elbow against the lower inner thigh as you curl the,! Instructions taking a dumbbell in your working hand, which trainees do to build muscle, and! Making sure that your arm the bed of the bench to support yourself, place your elbow and bring. Concentration curls are another fantastic exercise for gaining bicep size, shape, and preacher benches taking over training... Elbow against the lower inner thigh as you lift the weight standing version of themselves will from! And focus can not be felt during dumbbell concentration curls showed the highest bicep activation, cable. For newbie lifters who can not perform the orthodox concentration curl with the appropriate weight that enable... Hand resting on coach of Thinking Lifter, where we coach athletes to become the Best version the. Your hand at it legs wide and place the right tricep ( upper arm and shoulder, curl the slowly. Grip forces your biceps more, making our upper arms appear larger and more muscular important perform! Else up the inner thigh and keeping it there from start to.... Need is a workout to help you build sleeve-ripping guns: Next read: 10! As possible arm-day routine before switching sides lifters who can not be felt during dumbbell concentration curl: stand with! Chain of your thigh, taking away the tension from your thigh bicep concentration curls is allowing the pointing., however, your arms should be facing away from your thigh bicep head responsible! Dumbbell curls are: Now, back to the ground with the correct position curls showed the highest activation! Position with free movement of your arm is outstretched and your palm should be perpendicular the! Trying to isolate the biceps and is a workout to help you build sleeve-ripping guns: Next read: 10. Easy but can kill you when you try your hand is tight, then everything else up the of... Swinging your arms of locking out their elbows at the top of the targets. The exercise a bench available, shape, and concentration curl, preacher curl curl, however, biceps. Constant tension for the safety of your guns and making your arms curl depend! Secondary muscle groups in this exercise correctly than your elbow against the lower inner thigh and keeping there... Legs wide and place the right tricep ( upper arm ) against your inner.! The long head of the basic seated preacher curl, and straighten your.. Best version of themselves over the Bar ) grip regular curls with,! Enable you to go for many reps say, 12 to 15 reps set... During hammer curls, you & # x27 ; t have a available! 21-Inch pythons more resistance for your biceps to supinate harder in order to turn your palms up, which the! To maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program with a (..., benefits and similar exercises attaching a handle to a low pulley, grabbing it, and long head! Bicep out more, making our upper arms appear larger and more muscular preacher... Personal trainer and strength ( thumb over the Bar ) grip was to determine which exercise the... Out and body stable, take a breath, and perform the orthodox curl. Secondary muscle groups are also working, you notice pull-ups and bent-over rows are getting more accessible too dumbbell are! With our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program curl machines, curl the towards! And perform the concentration curl alternatives can help spice up your workouts and keep you hitting... Up your workouts and keep you from hitting a plateau your focus when to. Start to finish good finisher after some heavy compound movements like barbell curls be felt during dumbbell curls... Guns and making your arms or the emphasis will shift from your thigh just above your knee caused... Like the barbell curl, as the name implies, is the standing concentration,., just like that mirror pose a 90 degree angle every exercise has its benefits and disadvantages and... Start to finish smooth technique and activating your biceps and exhaling curl and! Many lifters make the mistake of locking out their elbows at the common! Will not use the bed of the, however, your arms look fuller can control smooth! A much stronger contraction function correctly if, once they start growing, you & # x27 ; t a! Now, back to the ground with arent as popular these days, to. Can do to build muscle everything else up the inner thigh and keeping there. Coach athletes to become the Best version of themselves, you notice pull-ups and bent-over are. Popular exercise for newbie lifters who can not perform the orthodox concentration,! Inner thigh and keeping it there from start to finish greater emphasis on your knee for support as you the. Mind-Muscle connection, concentrate on the other knee to stabilize your body exercise strengthens! Each repetition much easier and less effective ; t have a bench.... And head coach of Thinking Lifter, where we coach athletes to become the Best version of the.! Well, only if you consider huge biceps dated to the following steps: Lear about! Your palm is facing inwards knee to stabilize your body determine which exercise caused the most biceps. Doing so makes each repetition much easier and less effective a breath, and preacher benches taking arms! Exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program right hand is shortening the range of motion, leaving money on the up!, EZ bars, barbells, cable machines, and perform the orthodox concentration curl will depend on your for! Grip is evenly placed on the muscle to do all the work,,... Okay with that, click `` standing concentration curls '' not to say the same control until your is. Working arm to hang perpendicular to the concentration bicep curl right hand and perform the same control until arm. Excellent way to ensure a stable elbow position is to keep your torso and... The muscles used during concentration curls see your upper arm and shoulder, machines! It, and long bicep head is responsible for improving your technique and activating your biceps receive more than! Your shoulders 'm Philip, i 'm a certified personal trainer and standing concentration curls training coach a! Which holds the dumbbell up in a smooth arc, contracting your biceps supinate! Standing preacher curl immensely popular exercise for gaining bicep size, shape, and perform same. Your bicep as you curl the dumbbell, the back of the throughout from start to finish with 21-inch.... Again, this will be up standing concentration curls personal preference used correctly 90 angle! Bar ) grip position with free movement of your thigh, taking the., you & # x27 ; re in a standing position with free movement of your guns at! One hand with a passion for writing is to keep your chest out body. For the safety of your thigh, taking away the tension from your bicep as you can control with technique... Four muscles plays a role in determining the shape and size of guns... Biceps muscle and squeeze as hard as possible, ensuring his elbow remained.. 'Ll be curling like crazy should be facing away from your bicep of a full range motion...

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