Arms · Dumbbell
Spider Curl
How to do the spider curl, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Curl
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie face-down on an incline bench, holding an EZ bar or dumbbells. Let your arms hang, then curl the weight towards your shoulders. Lower slowly.
- 1Curl by bending at the elbows and focus on the squeeze in your biceps
- 2Bend at the elbow to lift the weight; you should feel the front of your arms engage
- 3Move deliberately and with control rather than relying on speed or momentum
Common mistakes
- Don't feel pain or strain in unrelated areas; adjust your load or range if you do
- Don't swing the weight or let your elbows drift; avoid using your shoulders to help
- Don't use momentum or rush through the reps, quality trumps quantity
Muscles worked
The spider curl mainly works the biceps, with the forearms assisting.
- BicepsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Front DeltsMinor
Spider Curl strength standards
See how your spider curl ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM17.5 lb
Silvere1RM32.5 lb
Golde1RM57.5 lb
Platinume1RM82.5 lb
Diamonde1RM100 lb
Champione1RM112.5 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the spider curl for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More biceps exercises
- How to do the resistance band bicep curl
- How to do the resistance band hammer curl
- How to do the barbell bicep curl
- How to do the cable bicep curl
- How to do the cable hammer curl
- How to do the overhead bicep curl
Last reviewed April 2026.