Spider Curl — start position
Start
Spider Curl — end position
End

Arms / Beginner / Isolation (single joint)

Spider Curl

An EZ-bar isolation exercise for the biceps.

At a glance

Primary
Biceps
Equipment
EZ bar
Movement pattern
Elbow flexion (curl)
Level
Beginner
Type
Arms, Isolation (single joint)

How to do it

  1. Start out by setting the bar on the part of the preacher bench that you would normally sit on. Make sure to align the barbell properly so that it is balanced and will not fall off.
  2. Move to the front side of the preacher bench (the part where the arms usually lay) and position yourself to lay at a 45 degree slant with your torso and stomach pressed against the front side of the preacher bench.
  3. Make sure that your feet (especially the toes) are well positioned on the floor and place your upper arms on top of the pad located on the inside part of the preacher bench.
  4. Use your arms to grab the barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing up) at about shoulder width apart or slightly closer from each other.
  5. Slowly begin to lift the barbell upwards and exhale. Hold the contracted position for a second as you squeeze the biceps.
  6. Slowly begin to bring the barbell back to the starting position as your breathe in. .
  7. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

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Muscles worked

Neck (Front)Upper traps (Front)Front delts (Front)Side delts (Front)Chest (Front)Serratus anterior (Front)Biceps — primary (Front)Forearms & grip (Front)Abs (Front)Obliques (Front)Hip flexors (Front)Quads (Front)Adductors (Front)Shins (tibialis) (Front)Calves (Front)Outer shins (peroneals) (Front)Feet (arch & toes) (Front)Neck (Back)Upper traps (Back)Upper back (rhomboids, mid/lower traps) (Back)Rear delts (Back)Side delts (Back)Rotator cuff (Back)Lats (Back)Lower back (erectors) (Back)Triceps (Back)Forearms & grip (Back)Hip abductors (glute med) (Back)Glutes (Back)Hamstrings (Back)Adductors (Back)Calves (Back)
FrontBack
  • Primary: Biceps

Best for

How specific this exercise is to each movement.

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Photos and instructions: free-exercise-db (github.com/yuhonas/free-exercise-db), public domain.