Spider Curl

Technique

The spider curl is a dumbbell curl performed lying chest-down on an incline bench with the arms hanging straight toward the floor. Because the upper arms hang vertically in front of the body, the biceps are under the most tension at the top of the movement, where most standing curls get easier, and swinging the torso is almost impossible. Curl the dumbbells up while keeping the elbows still, squeeze hard at the top and lower slowly until the arms are fully straight.

Steps

1. Set an incline bench to about 30-45 degrees and lie on it chest-down
2. Let your arms hang straight down with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward
3. Keep the upper arms vertical and curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders
4. Squeeze the biceps for a moment at the top
5. Lower the dumbbells slowly to a full stretch and repeat

Common mistakes

• Letting the elbows drift forward so the shoulders take over the lift
• Cutting the range short at the bottom instead of straightening the arms
• Lifting the chest off the bench to generate momentum

Variations

• Barbell or EZ-bar spider curl on a preacher bench's vertical side
• Alternating spider curl, one arm at a time
• Spider hammer curl with a neutral grip to involve the brachialis more

FAQ