Skip to content
ascend.
Exercise guide

Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl

How to do the Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

IsolationBarbellIntermediatePull
Primary muscles

Biceps

Secondary

,

Equipment

Barbell

Step by step

How to do the Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl

  1. 1

    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.

  2. 2

    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.

  3. 3

    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.

  4. 4

    Slowly begin to bring the barbell back to starting position as your breathe in. Tip: Avoid swinging motions at any time.

  5. 5

    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap, so your biceps volume is visible at a glance, and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Related

More biceps exercises

FAQ

Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl: common questions

What muscles does the Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl work?

The Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl primarily works the Biceps.

Is the Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl suitable for beginners?

The Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl is an intermediate-level exercise. It's best once you've built a base of general strength and movement control, beginners can work up to it.

What equipment do I need for the Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl?

To do the Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl you'll need a barbell.

Is the Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl a compound or isolation exercise?

The Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl is an isolation exercise, it targets the biceps through a single joint, which makes it useful for focused, targeted work.

How do I do the Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl with correct form?

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. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.

Try the climb

Log your Seated Close-Grip Concentration Barbell Curl sets, free.

Waitlist members get TestFlight + Play Store internal-track invites and a founder badge on their profile.

Free to join · No card · Founder badge kept
Ascend Club

The app is free. Club adds the coach, leagues and analytics.

Core tracking stays free forever, the climb, streaks, logging and your league tiers. Club is for when you want the full coach, worldwide competition and the depth, at about the price of one coffee a month.

See Club plans

14-day free trial · no card to start

 FreeClub
Tracking, the climb and streaks
Per-set logging, PR detection, wearables
Muscle-league tiers
The AI coachnudgesFull conversation
Worldwide leagues and challenges,
PR projections and deep analytics,
Unlimited crews,
Themes, export and higher AI limits,