- Stand behind a couch with a dumbbell in your right hand. Drape your arm over the couch so that it is hanging over the back support. Hold the top of the couch with your left hand,
- From an 80 percent extended arm position, curl your arm up to full contraction.
- Lower and repeat.
- Do 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
Table of Contents
What is a spider curl?

Why are spider curls so hard?
Spider curls isolate muscle groups in your arms. You can build bigger biceps by performing spider curls, which target both the long head and short head of the biceps brachii muscles. Secondarily, spider curls activate your triceps and brachialis, an important elbow flexor muscle.
Are spider curls better than preacher?
Preacher curls are the most similar to spider curls, as both target the same muscle. However, spider curls tend to be more effective because they allow for a greater range of motion.
Are Zottman curls useful?
Spider curls reinforce proper elbow flexion mechanics through a dead hang and vertical position of both arms. This downward pull of gravity makes it extremely difficult to draw the shoulder upward into flexion, a technique mistake made by many lifters.
What are hammer curls good for?
Preacher curls: Works the short head like the spider curl. Pretty much the same movement, but the form of the spider curl allows a fuller range of motion. When comparing the two, the spider curl is a better option than the preacher curl.
What degrees do spider curls come in?
The Zottman curl is a great way to build bigger forearms and biceps, making it both effective and efficient. Because the Zottman curl is still a bicep curl at heart, it can be a direct biceps builder. However, it also gives you the opportunity to increase forearm size and grip strength as you lower the load.
How do I make my biceps burn?
- Perform 3 sets of 12-15 reps: A1. Chin Ups. A2. Ring Rows (can also do with a TRX band)
- Rest 2 minutes, then perform 2 sets of 12-15 reps of: B1. Preacher Curls. B2.
- Rest 2 minutes, then perform 2 sets of 12-15 reps of: C1. Dumbbell Curls. C2.
How do you target the long head of the bicep?
- Incline Dumbbell Curls. Dumbbell curls are a really easy dumbbell exercise to do and they don’t require much equipment at all.
- Hammer Curls.
- Chin-Ups.
- Preacher Curls.
- Cable Curls.
What are 3 exercises for the triceps?
- Close-Grip Bench Press. Not only does this tricep exercise work on the targeted area, but it will also improve upon your chest and core.
- Cable Rope Tricep Pushdown.
- Lying Triceps Extension.
- Tricep Dips.
- Diamond Push-Ups.
- Bench Dip.
- One-Arm Overhead Extension.
- Standard Push-Up.
What can I use instead of spider curls?
- Bent over curls. Bent over curls are a simple muscle-building exercise that you can perform absolutely anywhere as long as you have access to free weights.
- Preacher curls.
- Drag curls.
- Couch curls.
- Chair curls.
How do you do a spider curl at home?
Hammer curls are biceps curls performed with your hands facing each other. They’re beneficial to add mass to your arms and can help focus more attention on the short head of the biceps. They may be easier to tolerate than the traditional biceps curl.
Are preacher curls harder than standing curls?
5 Spider Curl Tips for Better Results At a 45-degree angle, the bench will form a perfectly diagonal line.
How do you do preacher curls?
Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground, knees at 90-degree angles. Keep your back straight and your shoulders flat. Hold one dumbbell on each side, palms facing each other. On an exhale, curl the weight in your right hand toward your chest, then lower it in a slow, controlled movement as you inhale.
Which is better hammer curls or bicep curls?
Preacher curls are much harder to complete than standing curls and place stress on the muscle at both ends and throughout the entire range of movement. Also, they prevent you from pulling your arms into extension to gain additional assistance from the long head of the biceps or assistance from the delts.
Is the Arnold press worth it?
Set up on the preacher bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand by your shoulders with your palms facing away from you. Lower the weights slowly until your arms are fully extended, then rotate your hands so your palms face towards you and curl the dumbbells back up to your shoulders.
Are swimmer curls good?

What is the most effective bicep curl?
Hammer Curls โ Which One Is Better? In the matchup against bicep curls vs. hammer curls, the latter is the clear winner for getting bigger muscles faster. Hammer curls work more muscle groups and work the biceps in ways that regular bicep curls do not.
Are bicep curls a waste of time?
The Arnold press is a killer upper body move. It will tone and strengthen your deltoids (the triangular muscles on top of your shoulders). And because the Arnold press involves moving in multiple planes of motion, you’ll get the benefit of targeting several areas of the muscles involved instead of just one.
What is an impressive bicep curl?
Concentration curls Arguably the most efficient exercise in yielding maximum bicep growth, a recent study by the American Council on Exercise found that the seated concentration curl yielded 97% bicep activity in contrast to EZ-bar curls (wide grip 75%; narrow grip, 71%), incline curls (70%), and preacher curls (69%).
How long do biceps take to grow?
Bicep curls very well may be beneficial to many athletes, when done with the right intent. However, without adhering to the foundation movements; squats, pulls, cleans, snatches, bodyweight calisthenics, sprints, etc of your specific sports, bicep curls may very well be a waste of time.
How much time does it take to build biceps?
A good bicep curl weight for a woman who performs strength training is 50 lbs for a one-rep max. For sets of 6-10 reps, 40 lbs is a good curling weight providing that strict form is used.
What happens if I do bicep curls everyday?
The biceps could take anywhere from a week to five months to grow an inch (average). Yet, with the right diet, training schedule, and supplements, an inch of growth could take 2โ3 months.
How do you hit all 3 bicep heads?

Are short or long biceps better?
