EZ Bar Seated Close Grip Concentration Curl
EZ Bar Seated Close Grip Concentration Curl Exercise Description
The EZ Bar Seated Close Grip Concentration Curl is a strict elbow‑flexion exercise that targets the biceps while minimizing help from the shoulders and trunk. Seated with the upper arms braced against the inner thighs provides stability, encouraging controlled motion through the elbow joint. Primary movers are the biceps brachii, with assistance from the brachialis and brachioradialis; forearm flexors contribute to gripping the bar. The EZ‑bar’s angled grips allow a semi‑supinated hand position that supports neutral wrist alignment. This setup is useful when you want a focused curl pattern with clear tactile feedback (upper arms contacting the thighs) to keep form consistent and reduce body sway. Maintain a neutral spine and steady shoulder position so the movement stays concentrated at the elbows.
- Muscle Groups: Biceps
- Target Muscles: Biceps Brachii - Short Head
- Assisting Muscles: Brachialis, Brachioradialis
- Stabilizing Muscles: Flexor Carpi Ulnaris, Flexor Digitorum Superficialis, Longissimus, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Arms, Upper Arms
- Body Surface: Front
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: EZ Barbell
- Exercise Patterns: Pull
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Elbow Flexors, Forearm Supinators
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Inner Bicep
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Anterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The EZ Bar Seated Close Grip Concentration Curl Exercise
‘- Sit near the edge of a flat bench, feet flat and set slightly wider than hips.
– Hold the EZ‑bar on the inner angled grips (hands inside shoulder width), thumbs wrapped, palms angled up.
– Hinge forward slightly with a neutral spine; set shoulder blades down and lightly retracted.
– Place the backs of your upper arms against the inner thighs just above the knees.
– Let the bar hang beneath the shoulders; keep wrists straight in line with forearms.
– Brace lightly, then curl by flexing the elbows; keep upper arms glued to the thighs.
– Raise the bar toward the lower chest without shrugging or letting elbows slide.
– Control the top; avoid wrist bending or leaning back.
– Lower the bar slowly until the elbows are nearly extended, maintaining arm‑to‑thigh contact.
– Repeat with a smooth bar path close to the body; set the bar down with a hip hinge when finished.
EZ Bar Seated Close Grip Concentration Curl Tips
‘- Sit near the edge of the bench with feet flat and slightly wider than hip width to create a stable base.
– Grip the inner angled handles of the EZ‑bar with hands inside shoulder width and thumbs wrapped around the bar.
– Keep your wrists straight in line with your forearms throughout the curl; avoid letting them bend at the top.
– Hinge forward slightly while maintaining a neutral spine and lightly retracted shoulder blades.
– Press the backs of your upper arms firmly against the inner thighs just above the knees and keep them “glued” there.
– Let the bar hang directly beneath your shoulders before starting each rep.
– Initiate the curl by flexing only at the elbows, keeping the upper arms fixed against the thighs.
– Raise the bar toward the lower chest without shrugging or letting the elbows slide forward or backward.
– Control the top position and avoid leaning back as you finish the curl.
– Lower the bar slowly until the elbows are nearly extended, maintaining arm‑to‑thigh contact and a bar path close to the body.
EZ Bar Seated Close Grip Concentration Curl Beginner Introduction
The EZ Bar Seated Close Grip Concentration Curl is a seated arm‑training movement built around strict elbow bending with minimal help from the rest of the body. Using an EZ bar held with a narrow hand position, the lifter rests the backs of the upper arms against the inside of the thighs while leaning slightly forward on a flat bench. This supported setup limits swinging and shifting through the torso so the curling motion stays centered at the elbows.
The exercise places most of the work on the biceps while also involving the lower portion of the upper arm and the forearms for grip. The angled handles of the EZ bar allow the hands to turn slightly inward, which can feel more natural through the wrists than a fully straight bar. With the arms anchored to the legs and the shoulders held steady, the movement pattern encourages slow, deliberate reps and a strong sense of where the bar is traveling through each part of the curl.