Biceps exercise
Spider Curl
Curl with your chest on an incline bench and dumbbells, with no chance to swing.
- Primary muscleBiceps
- EquipmentDumbbells and bench
- TypeIsolation
- LevelBeginner
- Biceps
- Dumbbells and bench
How to do the Spider Curl
4 steps, in the order you do them.
- Rest your chest on an incline bench at about 45° and let your arms hang with a dumbbell in each hand.
- With your palms forward and your elbows still, curl your arms up to your shoulders.
- Squeeze your biceps for a second at the top.
- Lower with control until your arms are fully extended.
Muscles worked
Common Spider Curl mistakes
What goes wrong most often when you do the Spider Curl, and how to fix it.
The dumbbells swing back at the start of each rep.
Start with your arms still and vertical. Wait until the dumbbells stop moving.
Your wrists bend inward at the top.
Keep your wrists straight, in line with your forearms, and squeeze your biceps without bending them.
The bench is too upright and your arms rest on the edge.
Set the bench to about 45 degrees and sit high, so your arms hang free in front of the bench.
Alternatives to the Spider Curl
They work the biceps with other equipment, including options for training at home.
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More biceps exercises
TRX Bicep CurlBiceps · Bodyweight and other
Single Arm Preacher CurlBiceps · Dumbbells and bench
Zottman CurlBiceps · Dumbbells
Single Arm Kettlebell Bicep CurlBiceps · Kettlebell
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Spider Curl work?
The Spider Curl works mainly the biceps.