Exercise guide
Negative Biceps Leg Concentration Curl
- Intermediate
- Isolation
- Rep-based
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
This bodyweight variation uses your leg as manual resistance to overload the eccentric phase of the curl, providing high-intensity bicep stimulation and peak contraction without external weights.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Sit on the edge of a flat bench with your feet planted wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lean forward and brace the back of your working tricep against the inside of your same-side thigh.
- Reach across and grip the underside of your opposite thigh or calf with your working hand.
How to do it
- Curl your leg upward toward your shoulder using your bicep, assisting with your non-working hand if needed to reach the top.
- At the peak of the movement, squeeze your bicep forcefully for one second.
- Slowly lower your leg back to the starting position over a 3-4 second count, using your leg muscles to push down against your arm's resistance.
- Exhale as you curl the leg up and inhale deeply during the slow, controlled lowering phase.
Form checklist
- Keep the elbow of the working arm pinned firmly against the inner thigh to isolate the bicep.
- Maintain a neutral spine and avoid excessive rounding of the lower back.
- Ensure the resistance comes from the leg pushing down, not just gravity.
- Keep the wrist straight and firm throughout the entire range of motion.
Pro tips
- Treat the concentric (upward) phase as a 'cheat' rep to get into position, then focus 100% of your effort on resisting the leg's downward force.
- Actively flex your quadriceps or hamstrings to increase the 'weight' your bicep has to fight against during the negative.
Make it harder
- Increase the eccentric duration to 6 seconds per rep to maximize time under tension.
- Add a 2-second isometric hold at the midpoint of the descent where the leverage is most difficult.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the negative biceps leg concentration curl work?
- The negative biceps leg concentration curl primarily targets the biceps, and also works the forearms as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the negative biceps leg concentration curl?
- The negative biceps leg concentration curl uses dumbbell.
- Is the negative biceps leg concentration curl good for beginners?
- The negative biceps leg concentration curl is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.