ProgreviaSpider curl: proper form, muscles worked and common mistakes
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How to do it
Chest down on an incline bench with the arms hanging vertically. Curl by contracting the biceps in its shortest position; the angle removes momentum entirely.
Muscles worked
Main muscle: biceps. When it plans weekly volume, every set of this exercise counts in full for biceps: the generator does not split it with other muscles.
Spider curl: vertical arms and no way to cheat
In the spider curl your chest rests face down on an incline bench and your arms hang straight down, so your body is completely out of the movement. With the Incline dumbbell curl you lie face up with your arms behind the torso and the biceps stretched; here it is the reverse: the elbow sits in front of the body and the strong point is the squeeze at the top. It also differs from the Preacher curl, which rests the arm on a pad; in the spider curl the arm hangs free, which is why useful loads are low. Compared with the Band hammer curl, which uses a neutral grip and resistance that grows as you rise, you keep your palms up with dumbbells here.
Choose it when your standing curl has turned into a swing, or to finish off the contraction at the end of a session. You need an incline bench and dumbbells lighter than in other curls; adjust the angle so your arms hang without brushing the bench. If you feel strain in your shoulder or neck, change the incline or lower the weight; if it hurts, stop.
To progress, add weight in very small jumps or lengthen the pause at the top. Always lower until the elbow is almost straight so you do not shorten the range, and do not let the dumbbell drop through the last stretch.
Technical sheet
- Movement pattern
- Isolation
- Minimum level
- Intermediate
- Technical demand
- Basic
- Fatigue it generates
- Low (0.5 out of 2.2)
- Risk if technique breaks down
- Low
These are the values the generator uses to decide where the exercise goes within the session.
Recommended sets and reps
As an isolation exercise, it works best in 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 0–2 RIR. Use it at the end of the session to add volume without systemic fatigue.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Cutting the lowering short without fully straightening the arm: the support pins the elbow precisely so you can train the full range.
- Letting your dominant side do more of the work: each arm or leg completes the same range, at the same pace.
- Using too much weight at the cost of technique and full range of motion.
What the research says
As an isolation move, it is mostly a way to add volume to one muscle. Gentil and colleagues (2013) found that, in beginners, adding it to a multi-joint exercise gave no extra arm growth; it pays off later on, or for muscles the compounds barely reach.
On how hard to push: the meta-analysis by Refalo and colleagues (2023) found no clear advantage in going to failure over stopping just short of it. That is why the generator programs it with reps in reserve (RIR) instead of asking for failure on every set.
- Gentil P, Soares SR, Pereira MC, et al. Effect of adding single-joint exercises to a multi-joint exercise resistance-training program on strength and hypertrophy in untrained subjects. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 2013;38(3):341-344.
- Refalo MC, Helms ER, Trexler ET, Hamilton DL, Fyfe JJ. Influence of resistance training proximity-to-failure on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2023;53(3):649-665.
How Spider curl compares with other biceps exercises
Of the 16 biceps exercises in the catalogue, ranked from least to most fatiguing by the values the generator uses, Spider curl is number 4 (tied with 9 others).
That makes it a good candidate for adding biceps sets at the end of a session or in heavy weeks, when you want volume without extra fatigue.
With different equipment, the same movement pattern offers 10 alternatives, such as Band concentration curl, Resistance band biceps curl and Band hammer curl.
| Exercise | Equipment | Fatigue | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band concentration curl | resistance band | Low (0.4 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Resistance band biceps curl | resistance band | Low (0.4 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Band hammer curl | resistance band | Low (0.4 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Bayesian cable curl | cable | Low (0.5 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Spider curl | dumbbells | Low (0.5 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Alternating dumbbell curl | dumbbells | Low (0.5 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Concentration curl | dumbbells | Low (0.5 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Preacher curl | barbell | Low (0.5 out of 2.2) | Basic |
An isolation exercise. In the trial by Gentil et al. (2015), with untrained young men over ten weeks, the biceps curl and the lat pulldown were equally effective for gaining strength and size in the elbow flexors: isolation is not filler.
- Gentil P, Soares S, Bottaro M. Single vs. multi-joint resistance exercises: effects on muscle strength and hypertrophy. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine. 2015;6(2):e24057.
Related guide
Best biceps and triceps exercises for bigger arms
Alternative exercises
More isolation exercises
Add it to your routine
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Frequently asked questions
What muscles does Spider curl work?
Spider curl mainly works the biceps muscle group, plus synergist and stabilizer muscles depending on the variation.
How many sets of Spider curl should I do?
Between 3 and 5 sets per session, adjusting the total weekly volume for biceps to your level (about 10–20 sets per muscle per week).
What bench angle should I use for the spider curl?
Adjust until your chest is supported and your arms hang vertically without touching the bench or the floor. If your arms brush something, raise or lower the backrest until they hang free. A moderate incline is a good starting point; from there, pick the one that lets you move the dumbbell without help from your shoulders.
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