The spider curl has you lie chest-down on a bench set to a steep incline, with the arms hanging straight toward the floor. Because the upper arms stay perpendicular to the ground, gravity keeps the biceps loaded from the first inch, and the position makes swinging nearly impossible. It is a strict, advanced biceps isolation exercise.
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3
Sets
10
Reps
Barbell
Equipment
5.40
Cal/min
🎯 Muscles Worked
🎯
Primary
Biceps
📋 How To Perform Spider Curl
1
Lie face-down on an incline bench with arms hanging straight down.
2
Grip the bar or dumbbells with arms fully extended.
3
Curl up using only your forearms — upper arms stay pressed to the pad.
4
Squeeze hard at the top, then lower under control.
5
This isolates the biceps by removing any shoulder momentum.
💡 Benefits of Spider Curl
Trains the short head of the biceps hard in the shortened position, where standing curls lose tension. The strict body position removes momentum, so even lighter weights produce a strong contraction and a very noticeable pump.
📈 Sets, Reps & Programming
Use it as the second or third biceps exercise after a heavier curl variation. Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps, starting with about half your normal standing curl weight, and pause for one second at the top of each rep.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Shrugging the shoulders upward instead of curling with the elbows
Letting the chest lift off the bench to create momentum
Lowering so fast that the arms bounce at the bottom
✅ Pro Tips
Let the arms hang fully before every rep so each one starts from a clean, still position
Squeeze hard at the top and think about touching the biceps to the forearm
🛡️ Safety Notes
Set the bench securely before you lie on it, and make sure the bar or dumbbells have a clear path past your face and chest. Avoid it if you have a recent biceps tendon or elbow injury.
🔁 Progressions & Regressions
Make it harderslow the lowering phase to four seconds, or use a straight bar for heavier loading.
Make it easierconcentration curls or incline dumbbell curls with lighter weights.
They are similar isolation exercises. The spider curl keeps tension at the top of the rep, while the preacher curl loads the stretched position more. Many lifters use each in different phases of training.
Why does the spider curl feel so much harder than a standing curl?
The strict position removes swing and body English, so the biceps do all the work. You will need much lighter weights than you use standing.
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