If you're looking to isolate your biceps for maximum size and hypertrophy, then one of the best exercises for you to do is known as the spider curl.
Spider curls are a special type of bicep curls that you perform while lying on an incline bench. When it comes to targeting your biceps for maximum engagement, this is one of the best possible exercises. Let's find out how to do spider curls.
What Are Spider Curls?
Spider curls are a special type of bicep exercise, a variation of the regular bicep curl.
Unlike regular bicep curls, spider curls are all about emphasizing both the stretch and contraction of the biceps through a maximized range of motion, thanks to the fact that it focuses solely on your muscles and eliminates the use of any momentum.
The reason for this is because when you do spider curls, you lay chest-down on an incline bench with your arms hanging forward.
This effectively removes your ability to cheat by using your shoulders or other parts of your body for momentum.
This makes your biceps do 100% of the work, therefore isolating them as much as possible. This is a type of exercise that can be done using a cable machine, a barbell, or dumbbells.
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The Benefits of Spider Curls
Spider curls actually come with quite a few benefits, so let's find out what they are.
Biceps Isolation
As mentioned above, the biggest benefit of doing spider curls is that they really isolate your biceps by preventing you from cheating and using assistance from other muscle groups. This effectively makes it one of the best bicep exercises for fast muscle development. The fact that you're using a bench means that you can't cheat.
Greater Muscle Contraction
Spider curls are also excellent for enhancing muscle contraction. This is because the unique position you are in forces you to go through a full range of motion which emphasizes both the concentric and eccentric phases of the lift, allowing for better muscle activation and growth.
Better Arm Definition
Something that really stands out about spider curls is that they help to improve the definition of your arms, specifically the biceps brachii. It helps create that peaked and rounded work that many people want.
They’re Versatile
The other simple yet pronounced benefit of doing spider curls is that they're very versatile, mainly because you can do them on cable machines, with barbells, or using dumbbells.
How to do a Spider Curl: Step-by-Step
Now that you know the basics of spider curls, let's go through a quick step by step tutorial on how to do the perfect spider curl.
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First, you're going to set up your bench to around 45°. Make sure that the bench is stable and positioned in a way so you can easily access the weights.
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You're now going to lie down on the bench with your chest facing down, so that your stomach and chest are resting on the bench, with your arms hanging down straight in front of you. Make sure that you let your arms hang down fully to get maximum range motion.
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Now it's time to choose how much you want to lift, which we will leave up to you, as this depends on your fitness level. Whether you use an EZ curl bar, a barbell, or a dumbbell is also up to you. The point here however is that you need to grip it firmly but keep your wrists in a neutral position to avoid any kind of strain.
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From the starting position with your arms hanging straight down, slowly and in a controlled manner curl the weight up towards your shoulders, making sure to focus on contracting your biceps. Make sure that you don't use your shoulders or elbows, because all of the motion should be coming from your biceps. At the top of the motion, squeeze your biceps for a second or two to maximize the contraction.
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You'll then slowly lower the weight back down in a controlled manner, while allowing your arms to extend fully, but also maintaining tension on the biceps. You should repeat this for anywhere between 8 and 12 repetitions for up to four sets..
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What Angle Is Best for Spider Curls?
Getting the most out of your spider curls all depends on the angle. Generally speaking, you should set your bench to a 45° incline.
This means that your arms can hang down freely and fully extend at the bottom, therefore allowing for 100% contraction at the top of the movement.
A shallower angle will likely cause your shoulders to engage, therefore reducing bicep isolation, or as a steeper incline will limit your range of motion.
Rounding Up
The bottom line is that if you're looking to isolate your biceps and grow them as big as possible, then the spider curl is the best exercise for you. All you need is a bench and a bit of weight, and you're good to go.
