# Ez Barbell Spider Curl - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/7867/ez-barbell-spider-curl/ - Media ID: 7867 - Primary muscle: Biceps - Body part: Upper Arms - Equipment: EZ Barbell - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/7867/ez-barbell-spider-curl.mp4 ## Description The Ez Barbell Spider Curl is a biceps isolation exercise performed lying face down on an incline bench, with your chest and torso supported and your arms hanging vertically toward the floor. Because your upper arms are fixed in that hanging position and cannot swing backward for help, the biceps are forced to do all of the work through a long range of motion. The curved EZ bar is easier on the wrists and elbows than a straight bar, which matters when your arms are loaded behind your torso in this stretched position. This movement is popular with lifters who want to bring up the biceps peak and overall arm size, because the prone position places tension on the biceps at its longest muscle length. That stretched position is hard to load safely with standing curls, where momentum and body english tend to take over. Bodybuilders often use spider curls as a finishing movement after heavier compound pulling work, while general strength trainees can use them to address stubborn upper arms with strict, deliberate reps. The setup is what makes or breaks this exercise. Your chest should be firmly planted on the pad of an incline bench set to roughly 30 to 45 degrees, with your feet spread wide on the floor for stability and your armpits just past the top edge of the pad so your upper arms hang free. If your elbows drift forward, press into the pad, or shift during the rep, the biceps lose their fixed origin and the curl turns into a sloppy full-body movement. To perform it, grip the EZ bar on the inner angles with an underhand grip, let your arms hang fully straight, then curl the bar up toward the front of your shoulders by bending only at the elbows. Squeeze hard at the top, pause for a beat, and lower the bar under control until your arms are completely straight again. The descent is where most of the growth stimulus lives, so resist the urge to drop the weight quickly. Because the biceps and elbow connective tissue are loaded in a stretched position, start with a light weight and prioritize full control over load. A spotter can help hand you the bar and take it back safely at the end of the set, which is genuinely useful here since your hands are occupied and reaching the floor is awkward mid-set. Stop the set if you feel sharp pain at the inner elbow or shoulder rather than normal muscle effort. ## Instructions 1. Set an incline bench to about 30 to 45 degrees and place a loaded EZ barbell on the floor in front of the high end of the bench. 2. Lie face down on the bench with your chest on the pad, your armpits just past the top edge, and your arms hanging straight toward the floor. 3. Place your feet wide on the floor with toes dug in for a stable base, and keep your neck in line with your spine rather than craning upward. 4. Grip the EZ bar on the inner angled grips with an underhand, shoulder-width grip and let your arms hang fully extended. 5. Brace your core lightly and press your chest into the pad so your torso cannot rock during the set. 6. Curl the bar up by bending only at the elbows, keeping your upper arms pointing straight down the whole time. 7. Pause at the top when the bar is near your shoulders and squeeze your biceps for a full second. 8. Lower the bar slowly over two to three seconds until your arms are completely straight and you feel a stretch in the biceps. 9. Exhale as you curl up and inhale as you lower the bar back down. 10. Finish the set, then either set the bar on the floor or have a spotter take it before you get off the bench. ## Tips & Tricks - The most common error is letting the elbows drift forward toward the shoulders as you curl, which shortens the range and takes tension off the biceps. Keep your upper arms vertical and pinned beside the bench edge. - Do not bounce out of the bottom stretch. Rebounding out of the fully extended position puts sudden stress on the elbow and robs you of the exact portion of the rep this exercise is meant to train. - Choose a lighter weight than you would use for standing barbell curls. The prone position removes all leverage tricks, so loads will feel heavier and drop noticeably at first. - If your wrists ache, widen or narrow your grip slightly on the EZ bar angles until you find a neutral-feeling position instead of forcing a straight-bar-style grip. - Keep your chest glued to the pad for every rep. If your torso lifts to help swing the bar up, the set is over in terms of quality, so end it or reduce the weight. - A useful cue is to think of pulling your pinkies slightly upward as you curl, which helps keep the wrists neutral and the contraction on the biceps rather than the forearms. - Position the bench so the bar hangs clear of the bench frame and weight plates. Hitting the hardware mid-rep disrupts the set and can pull you off balance. - Use a controlled tempo of about one second up, one second squeeze, two to three seconds down, rather than chasing reps. - If a spotter is available, have them hand you the bar once you are set and take it away at the end, since getting up with a loaded bar in your hands is awkward and risky. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What muscles does the Ez Barbell Spider Curl work? The biceps brachii is the primary muscle, with the brachialis and brachioradialis assisting. The forearms also work to hold the bar, but the movement should not be felt much outside the upper arms. ### Why do spider curls use an incline bench instead of a preacher bench? Lying chest-down on an incline bench lets the upper arms hang straight down and stay fixed, which loads the biceps in a longer, stretched position than a preacher curl. That stretched tension is the main reason lifters choose this variation. ### Is the Ez Barbell Spider Curl good for beginners? Yes, but beginners should start with a very light weight or even the bare bar, because the prone position offers no way to cheat and the stretched bottom position takes some getting used to. Learning the movement light builds the coordination you need before adding plates. ### Why does the EZ bar feel better on my wrists than a straight bar? The angled grips of the EZ bar put your wrists in a slightly semi-supinated position, which reduces strain at the wrist and elbow during a fully supinated curl. This is especially helpful in the spider curl, where the arms work behind the torso. ### How is the Ez Barbell Spider Curl different from a preacher curl? In a preacher curl your upper arms rest on an angled pad in front of you, while in the spider curl they hang freely behind your torso. The spider curl emphasizes the stretched end of the range, whereas the preacher curl keeps tension more constant through the middle of the rep. ### Where should my elbows be during the Ez Barbell Spider Curl? Your upper arms should stay vertical and point straight down toward the floor for the entire set, just past the top edge of the pad. If your elbows travel forward or press into the bench, the biceps stop doing the work. ### What should I do if my lower back gets tired during the set? Make sure your chest and torso are fully supported on the pad and your feet are planted wide on the floor to take load off your spine. If fatigue persists, your setup angle is likely too high or your hips are sagging off the bench. ### Can I substitute the Ez Barbell Spider Curl with dumbbells? Yes, the same position works well with a pair of dumbbells and allows each arm to move independently. You lose the fixed grip width of the bar but gain a more comfortable wrist angle if that is an issue for you. ### How many sets and reps should I do for spider curls? Two to four sets of 8 to 15 controlled reps works well, usually near the end of an arm or upper-body session after heavier pulling. Because the movement is strict and loads the biceps in a stretch, quality reps matter more than heavy loads. ### Is it safe to curl in the stretched position at the bottom? It is safe when the weight is moderate and you lower the bar under control, but sharp pain at the inner elbow is a signal to stop and reduce the load or range slightly. Warm up your elbows with a lighter curl variation before going into your working sets.