Everyone wants to have huge biceps muscles and appear very attractive under the shirt, and many athletes show their biceps muscles in the sea in front of everyone’s astonishment, do you know what is the secret? Yes, they rely on different alternatives to target the biceps muscles, and this does not mean that the spider curl is not effective. On the contrary, it is one of the most powerful bicep exercises, but relying on alternatives to the spider curl makes you achieve the most benefit.
There are many powerful alternatives, and in this post we will focus on alternatives that will help you build muscle, endurance and muscle strength, with a mention of the way to do it correctly and the pro tips that you should work with.
Let’s continue together!
Why should you rely on spider curl alternatives ?
Muscles get used to any type of exercise over time, they may grow with a particular exercise and may gain some strength, but they may not make progress in the long run, but targeting the muscle with different alternatives every time this always puts the muscle in front of new challenges so that each exercise focuses To put pressure on your biceps or on one or both of their heads.
The alternatives offer you different and greater ranges of stretching or contraction, which means that if a particular exercise stretches the muscle more than a spider curl does, this can be a good reliable alternative.
Learn more about exercises effects on the biceps muscles
15 Spider curl alternatives for max gain
All the exercises mentioned here have been relied upon by specialized trainers, and they are very effective in targeting the biceps muscle, as they have exercises that provide a completely isolated exercise for each muscle individually, and this makes you focus more on achieving your goal.
1- Preacher Curls
We have to differentiate between preacher curls and spider curls because the peracher curl has the elbows supported on the pillow and keeps your focus fully on stretching the biceps muscles well, but in terms of function, it provides the same exercise to the muscles and isolates them well and helps increase mass and strength.
How to do it correctly:
- There are many ways to do this exercise only at home.
- Choose a weight that matches your fitness level.
- If you are in the gym use a firm inclined pillow, and if you are at home put a tilting board (follow the steps below).
- Place your elbows on the inclined pillow, keeping your lower arm flat on the pillow.
- Grab the bar in reverse fists (palms facing the ceiling), and keep your fists narrow (shoulder-width apart).
- Keeping your wrist still and straight with your forearm, slowly begin to extend your elbows down and contract your biceps again.
Pro tip:
Try to keep your elbows fixed and do not relax your wrist, keep it tight as it is part of the forearm bone, that is, do not turn it down or up, because this may make you target the forearm instead of the biceps.
Also keep your elbows about shoulder width apart, and slowly extend your elbows but do not fully extend them because this keeps your biceps in the comfort zone so try to keep your biceps under stress as much as possible.
2- Kneeling cable curls
Cable curls supported by the knees is also an exercise that many beginners do, perhaps because it seems a bit easy, but it is a strong exercise for the biceps muscles so that the muscles stretch well to the bottom and the movement of the forearms in pulling the cable compresses the biceps muscles with each repetition.
How to do it correctly:
- Adjust the cable machine to a low position (below the knee).
- Squat a step away from the cable machine.
- Grasp the two fists of the bar, point the fists of your hands upwards.
- Keep your back straight with your hips.
- Supporting your elbows with your knees, start pulling the cable into your shoulders.
Pro tip:
Try not to swing forward or bend your back while doing this exercise. It is also a good idea to keep your elbows supported by your knees throughout the exercise and to put pressure on your biceps throughout the exercise.
3- Dumbbell Concentration curls
From just reading the name, you will know that this exercise focuses on curling dumbbells with one hand, this is a strong exercise for the biceps muscle, and the nice thing is that it allows you to do some sets when you wake up or at any time because it does not require much equipment, just one dumbbell and you will be ready to extend the biceps muscle and Tired her well.
How to do it correctly:
- Sit on the bench or on a chair or even your bed, only you should be at the height of your leg, meaning that your knee is at an angle of 90 degrees or slightly more.
- If you are going to train the right arm first, place the dumbbells between your feet on the floor.
- Keep the palm of your other hand on the surface of the thigh.
- Extend your arm straight down and pick up the dumbbell.
- Support your elbow on the inside of your thigh (on the adductor).
- Keeping your elbow steady, press your muscles well, then pull the dumbbells toward your shoulder and squeeze your biceps.
- Extend your forearm down again, and do the same repetitions with the other hand in the same way.
Pro tip:
Keep your foot steady because it forms a strong support for your elbow so that it does not swing, also press your muscles throughout the exercise, stay in contact with them, extend your arm and reduce it well, focus on the slow movement, do not rush to perform repetitions.
4- Straight Bar curls
This is another exercise to isolate the biceps muscles, and what distinguishes the bar as being effective in targeting the muscles and strengthening them well is that it keeps your fists parallel all the time and forces you to improve the position of the elbows and not imbalance all this is in the interest of the biceps muscle because it has a strong exercise to pump more of mass and force.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose a weight that matches your fitness level.
- First, hold the bar with reverse fists, that is, your fists are looking forward (your grips are about shoulder width apart).
- Stand straight, push your chest forward well, bring your shoulders back a little, keeping your elbows by your body sides.
- Begin by slowly and in a proper motion, pull the bar to your chest, then slowly extend your arms again.
Pro tip:
The most important thing is to keep the elbows stationary and focus only on the movement of the forearm, keep your arms straight at your sides at all times, draw strength from the biceps and slowly pull the bar and feel the tension of the biceps muscles well and extend your arm again.
Try to keep your back completely straight and do not swing your shoulders back or forward excessively.
5- Reverse curls
This exercise helps target the biceps muscle and the forearm as well, and this is due to the reverse grip. It is good to target the brachioradialis muscle along with the biceps muscle. This makes us kill two birds with one stone because the forearm we use in all biceps exercises, so it is good to go with exercises that target the forearm as well.
How to do it correctly:
- There are those who rely on dumbbells, but it is better to rely on the Ez bar because it provides a comfortable and firm grip.
- Like the previous exercise, you will be in the same position.
- Hold the bar with a reverse grip, (your fists look down) Keep your grips as narrow as your chest width.
- Stand straight, your back is well straight, your chest is pushed forward, and your feet are close together and straight as well.
- Begin by pulling the bar into your chest, then extend your elbows back down.
Pro tip:
Keep your focus on the biceps muscles constantly and squeeze them with each repetition, avoid any kind of swinging and keep your arms aside throughout the exercise, focus on the forearm and feel your muscles under that tension.
6- Dumbbell Hammer curls
Perhaps this exercise is one of the most famous biceps exercises and bodybuilders rely on it as a classic exercise for the biceps muscles, yes because it has proven to be very effective and can make the biceps muscles tense and remain under pressure throughout the exercise. Also, the dumbbell grips play a role in this exercise because the hammer curl cannot be done with the bar, so the vertical grip targets the biceps muscles in a different way.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose dumbbells with a weight that matches your fitness level.
- Hold the dumbbells tightly (your fists are looking at each other).
- Stand straight, chest pushed forward, shoulders slightly back.
- At the same time pull your fists straight toward your shoulders in a vertical motion.
- Keeping your elbows fixed, squeeze the muscles with each repetition.
Pro tip:
Avoid any kind of swinging, also keep your elbows as steady as possible and focus on your movements so that they should be straight with your arms extended down, and squeeze the biceps muscles at each repetition and try to reduce and extend them well.
7- Barbell Drag curl
Also, this is another powerful exercise. Every time you try to put something heavy on the table or try to lift the refrigerator, you are stretching and contracting the biceps muscle when you lift that object. This is the same logic that this exercise is based on, as it works to keep the biceps muscles under intense tension, although it does not provide a complete contraction of the muscle, but it presses it hard, and this makes it a great alternative.
How to do it correctly:
- First, choose a weight that matches your fitness level.
- Place your fists on the bar, your fists shoulder width apart (your fists are looking forward).
- Keeping your back straight, bend your torso slightly, about 5 or 10 degrees.
- This time, pull your elbows up so that the bar is still touching your stomach muscles.
- Pull your elbows back, focusing on your biceps, then straighten your elbows again.
Pro tip:
Keep your torso slightly bent and keep your back straight, don’t push forward too much, focus on pulling with your elbows more and push your elbows back well, don’t forget to squeeze the muscles and keep them tense and focus on slow, make the repetition slow for more tension.
8- Incline Dumbbell curl
It is one of the best exercises that provides a good range of motion, and this allows targeting the biceps on a large scale. It is also performed on an inclined bench. This adds a kind of challenge because your elbows are not supported by anything, so the biceps muscles are under intense pressure throughout the exercise.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose dumbbells with a weight that matches your fitness level.
- Lie on an inclined bench.
- Keep your feet stationary, your chest pushed forward.
- Hold the dumbbells tightly, keeping your fists looking back, behind your head.
- Keep your arms at the side of your body.
- Extend your elbows down, then curl your arms back toward your shoulders.
Pro tip:
The most important thing in this exercise is to keep your elbows fixed on the side of the lats muscles, do not push them back, do not push them forward, just keep them stationary and focus on extending your elbows well down and reducing your arm again and slowly.
9- Standing Plate curls
This exercise helps to increase the size of the muscle effectively, it is somewhat designed to do so because it plays in the middle of the movement, that is, it does not achieve maximum expansion or maximum contraction. It keeps the muscle expanding and contracting in a short range, but what increases its effectiveness is the weight whenever the weight is Heavy the more muscle tension, so it is intended for people who want to increase the size of the biceps muscle quickly and have the necessary fitness to do so.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose a weight that matches your fitness level.
- You can choose dumbbells or go with the plate and I think the plate is good (the plate that has the grips). If you go with the dumbbells, you can carry it as if you were carrying a plate of food.
- Stand straight, chest pushed forward and back straight.
- Hold the plate with both fists (hammer curl grip), with your fists facing each other.
- Keep your elbows at your side, elbows at a 90-degree angle.
- Begin by pulling the plate toward your chest but do not go with a full contraction.
- Then extend your arms down but do not go with a full stretch. Keep your movement at 60 to 75 degrees.
Pro tip:
Try to go at a steady pace or at a constant speed and a little slow. The biceps muscles will be under great pressure. You will definitely feel that, but keep the same range of motion. Do not contract too much and do not stretch too much. Stay in the middle, and press your muscles throughout the exercise.
10- Zottman curl
It is like the reverse curl exercise, but it is done when the arms are extended down, this exercise is unique in that it combines a reverse grip and your grip is wave forward, this leads to targeting the muscles of the forearm and biceps as well, and this is great because the forearm, as we mentioned, is important In all bicep exercises, and the stronger it is, the higher the percentage of targeting the biceps well.
How to do it correctly:
- Choose dumbbells with a weight that matches your fitness level.
- Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended at your sides.
- Keeping your elbows at your sides, hold the dumbbells with your palms facing each other.
- Now you should do it like this: at the beginning of each repetition, turn your palms forward and start curling them up toward your shoulders.
- Once the dumbbells are at shoulder height, flip your palms over to the opposite grip (the two fists are bent forward and pointing downward).
- Then extend your arms back down and as soon as you achieve a full stretch return to the starting fist (the two fists are opposite).
Pro tip:
Keep the elbows steady all the time and keep the pace of movement, focus on extending the biceps well and reducing it well with each repetition.
For a proper movement, try to stay still, your head forward, your back straight, your chest pushed forward, and your arm muscles engaged.
11- Chin Ups
Although it is a body weight exercise, it is more effective when it comes to targeting the biceps, it is a strong exercise so do not underestimate your body weight because the biceps muscles will be under the challenge of withstanding the weight of your entire body as it falls down slowly and widely, this strengthens the biceps muscles And keep it under intense pressure throughout the exercise.
How to do it correctly:
- If you are unable to climb the bar or pull up, you can adjust the bar to a height that your hands can easily reach.
- You can use your feet to climb the bar with each repetition.
- Every time your chin is in front of the bar, try to keep a good grip in this position, the biceps muscles will be well contracted.
- Let your body fall as slowly as possible.
Edit for people unable to climb the bar:
- You can adjust the bar to a height you can reach even if your feet are touching the ground. That’s not a problem, the important thing is to keep your lower section neutral.
- Hold the bar firmly, try to keep your chin above the bar and contract the biceps muscles well.
- Lift your feet off the ground and let your body slowly fall down.
Pro tip:
Keep your fists wave backwards (looking behind you) Concentrate on slow The slower you are, the better the quality of the exercise, try not to swing.
4 Spider curl alternatives with bands
There are those who prefer to train with the band or may not have equipment at home or may not want to go to the gym, you can still get strong biceps training using only the band, the band has proven its effectiveness as a better alternative to the barbell as well and can help you achieve your goals.
12- The Banded curls
It can be as effective as training with dumbbells because the muscles feel about the same tension, the tighter the band is, the more stressful the biceps muscles. It’s a real exercise that requires only a band and you can count on it as a good alternative at home.
How to do it correctly:
- Hold the band’s grips. (Fists staring at the ceiling)
- Stand over the middle of the band so that the band is under your heels.
- Tighten the band so that the band is tense and your hands are straight on either side of your body.
- Your chest is pushed forward, your back is straight.
- Begin by pulling your fists straight toward your shoulders, then extend your elbow again.
Pro tip:
Keep your arm fixed to the sides of your body throughout the exercise, you should squeeze the muscles well with each repetition and try to keep them tense, focus on slow reps and not allow them to remain relaxed.
13- Lip Buster Curls
This is another exercise with the bands, it is one of the strongest exercises to get that peak biceps, I rarely see someone doing this exercise despite its effectiveness in targeting the heads of the biceps muscles in a good way, as well as the muscles of the forearms, it is a reliable exercise because it keeps the muscles tense and steadfast in front of the resistance of the band throughout the exercise.
How to do it correctly:
- Tie the band at a height of two meters or two and a half meters.
- Pull the band together until it becomes very tight (stand two or three steps apart).
- Stand straight, pull the band to you well and back off a little for more intensity.
- Raise your arms parallel to the ground (parallel to the floor, straight forward).
- Then begin to pull your fists in front of your face and continue to squeeze the biceps muscles, contract your arms well and then extend them forward again.
Pro tip:
Keep your arms straight forward Try as much as possible to keep them parallel to the floor, focus only on pulling your fists to your face without moving or swinging your elbows, try to feel the resistance of the rope in your muscles.
14- Single arm side band curls
This exercise provides you with training for the biceps muscle in a side position, and this increases the challenges on the biceps muscle and keeps it under great pressure throughout the exercise period. It helps you build large and sculpted biceps muscles and also helps to strengthen them well.
How to do it correctly:
- Adjust the band to the side position (parallel with one of your shoulders).
- Stand straight with the tie of the band at your side two steps away.
- Hold the grip firmly (your fist is waved upward), the cable should remain taut even if you let your hands go straight into it.
- Begin by pulling the cable directly toward your biceps.
Pro tip:
Focus on the movement of the elbow and forearm, your arm should remain straight all the time, only pull the forearm to the biceps muscle, also do not swing when pulling the band to the other side, stay straight at all times.
15- Single arm concentration curls
This exercise makes you focus completely on training each muscle alone, it puts the two muscles under the greatest possible pressure throughout the exercise so that there is no way for muscle to rest and this is what makes it better, and you can rely on it to build large and sculpted biceps muscles on your arm.
How to do it correctly:
- Adjust the band to a low position.
- Spread your feet a little more than shoulder width apart.
- Squat until your thighs are almost straight with the ground.
- Bend your back straight forward, place the lower part of the triceps on your right knee (this is if you are going to work the right hand first).
- Support your elbow with the other hand, place it under it, and then begin to pull the cable toward your biceps.
Pro tip:
Push the hips back well and stay balanced throughout the exercise, do not bend your back and be slow while pulling the cable into the biceps muscle, try to keep it under pressure throughout the exercise.
5 Common bicep mistakes to avoid
If you want to grow the biceps muscle, you must train it correctly. Many people do all these exercises and may not be able to get satisfactory results simply because they make some mistakes that may prevent them from getting it.
So you should pay attention to these five mistakes:
1- Low range of motion:
This mistake is very common among beginners because they cannot provide a good range of movement. The arch of the back during the movement can weaken the range of movement, sometimes this may be due to the heavy weight or simply due to the lack of sufficient experience.
In biceps exercises, focus on extending and contracting your arms and keeping the rest of the limbs neutral.
2- Going with heavy weights:
In many cases, beginners are injured because their level of fitness does not allow to deal with heavy weights, the joints may not be able to bear it, and recovery from the injury may take longer, moreover, the heavy weight will also make you have to use your whole body to deal with it, and this is not Biceps training.
Gradually increase the weight, the muscle must live with light weights first and gain some flexibility before moving to heavier weights.
3- Lack of commitment:
This is also one of the biggest mistakes that will stand in your way, not only with building the biceps muscle, but any goal you want to achieve but do not stick to it, there are those who train the biceps muscles once every 15 days and this makes the muscle forget about the exercise, so it is necessary to remind it at least twice In the week.
4- Ignoring compound lifts:
We have already mentioned the importance of compound exercises in building muscle, because most bicep exercises are isolation exercises for this muscle, while compound exercises target a group of muscles, including the main target muscle, and its importance lies in increasing mass effectively, such as the pull-up exercise. It is a compound exercise and It targets a group of muscles in the upper part of the body, including the biceps.
5- Poor tempo:
It may affect range of motion and also may affect muscle growth properly, poor tempo is when you let the weight drop down quickly and don’t keep the muscle under enough stress.
Focus on slow repetitions each time you extend your arm slowly, go to the depth well and reduce your arm again well.
Useful links
These links may be useful to you if you are a fan of building fitness and strength or gaining muscle at home, these links contain the most powerful CrossFit exercises that you can rely on mainly.
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If you have some equipment such as dumbbells, or a bar and some weights and you are a fan of building muscle, you may want to try the best CrossFit workouts for strength and build muscle endurance.
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