Spider Curl
DumbbellStrength
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The Spider Curl is a dumbbell isolation exercise performed leaning chest-first over an inclined bench with your arms hanging straight down, curling a pair of dumbbells toward your shoulders while keeping your elbows fixed. Its primary purpose is to maximize biceps brachii activation and peak contraction by eliminating momentum and maintaining constant tension through a unique angle. It requires a set of dumbbells and an inclined bench, making it ideal for intermediate lifters refining biceps strength and definition.
How to Perform Spider Curl
- 1Set an adjustable bench to roughly a 45-60 degree incline. Grab a pair of dumbbells and kneel or stand behind the bench, draping your chest and upper arms over the top of the pad.
- 2Let both dumbbells hang straight down toward the floor, arms fully extended, palms facing forward (or neutral), shoulders relaxed.
- 3Position your upper arms flat against the bench with your elbows slightly in front of your shoulders—this is your starting position.
- 4Inhale to prepare, then exhale as you curl both dumbbells upward toward your shoulders by flexing your biceps, keeping your upper arms locked against the bench.
- 5Squeeze your biceps hard at the top of the curl, pausing briefly without letting your shoulders round forward.
- 6Inhale as you slowly lower the dumbbells back to a full stretch, maintaining tension in your biceps and control over the weights.
- 7Repeat for desired reps, keeping the dumbbells moving on the same path each rep.
- 8Key form tips: Keep your elbows pinned against the bench throughout to isolate the biceps—avoid swinging the dumbbells or using momentum. Common mistakes: letting the elbows drift off the pad, using weights too heavy to control through the full stretch, or shrugging the shoulders at the top. Choose a dumbbell weight that allows a full, controlled range of motion.