Who nowadays doesn't dream of one day having a big arm like Arnold Schwarzenegger?
We see many weight trainers every day at the gym doing barbell curls or desk curls or alternating curls with dumbbells. But very few practice the Spider Curl or Spider Curl which is however an ultra effective biceps exercise to sculpt huge arms.
The spider curls are quite close to the curl at the desk classic (Larry Scott). But it allows a greater amplitude of work and allows a better muscular contraction at the top of the movement.
You can either use the other side of the desk by putting your chest on the opposite side. For my part, I prefer to do it with my chest supported on a bench at 45 degrees. The body is then blocked against the bench what prevents any movement of swing and focuses all the attention on the biceps which will be then solicited at most.
Integrating the spider curl into your training program will help you develop the famous " peak "of the biceps. The spider curl strongly solicits the anterior brachialis which is a muscle placed under the biceps and which by increasing in volume pushes the biceps upwards and develops the "peak" of the biceps.
How do you perform this exercise?
Grab an Ez bar, hands supinated, and lay your torso on a bench at a 30- to 45-degree angle, letting your arms hang down while holding the bar firmly. Contract your biceps to bring the bar up to shoulder level and then slowly return to the starting position. Exhale as you contract your biceps and inhale as you lower the bar back down with your arms straight.
CAUTION: Spider Curls is a low-risk exercise due to the fact that the torso is supported on the bench, making it impossible to cheat. Control the load in both directions with a slow movement in continuous tension.
Tips
- Inhale as you lower and exhale as you raise the bar.
- You don't realize how difficult the exercise is until you do several repetitions. That's why it's important to start light to be able to finish your set without cheating by controlling the movement.
- Do not fully extend your arms at the bottom of the movement to keep a continuous tension in the biceps.
- This is a very interesting exercise because not only does it allow for a greater range of motion than a classic curl, but it also provides continuous tension without the possibility of cheating.
Variants
- The spider curl at the bar on bench can be done at the reverse larry scott desk (on the other side of the desk). It can be done with the Ez bar or straight bar but also with dumbbells for more freedom of movement.
- Depending on the grip (supination, pronation or hammer grip) we will target more the muscles of the forearm and in particular the long supinator.
This exercise is available in the following program:
Supplementary article :
