Strength Training · Bodybuilding
Dumbbell Spider Curl
The dumbbell spider curl trains your biceps while you lie chest-down on an incline bench, limiting body swing as you curl.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Low injury risk
- Rest 1 min
How to do it
- Set the bench backrest to about 45 degrees.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
- Lie chest-down with your shoulders just above the bench’s top edge, keeping your feet planted wide.
- Let your arms hang toward the floor with your palms facing forward.
- Curl the dumbbells toward your shoulders with your upper arms pointing down.
- Lower the dumbbells until your elbows reach a comfortable straight position.
Form cues
- Keep your wrists straight.
- Keep your neck aligned with your back.
- Exhale as you curl.
Common mistakes
- Lifting your chestReduce the weight if your torso rises off the pad to finish a rep.
- Dropping the weightsTake two to three seconds to lower each rep rather than letting gravity pull the dumbbells down.
- Swinging out of the bottomPause briefly at the bottom so each curl starts without momentum.
Safety
Excessive weight or forcefully straightening your elbows can strain your elbows and biceps tendons. Handling dumbbells while getting off the bench can also cause a loss of balance.
- Check that the bench’s adjustment pin is fully locked.
- Practice the setup with light dumbbells before choosing your working weight.
- Place the dumbbells securely on the floor before getting off the bench.
If palms-forward curls cause wrist or elbow pain, use a lighter, pain-free variation or seek advice from a physiotherapist.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Adjustable Bench
- Dumbbell
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 10–15 reps
- Rest
- 1 min
Choose a weight that leaves you able to complete about two more controlled reps at the end of each set.