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Spider Curl strength standards

What is a good Spider Curl?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Spider Curl is about 77 lb (0.43x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 126 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Spider Curl Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 4 19 46 85 133
120 6 22 51 92 142
130 7 25 56 98 150
140 9 28 60 104 157
150 11 31 65 110 164
160 13 34 69 115 171
170 14 37 73 121 177
180 16 40 77 126 184
190 18 43 81 131 190
200 20 46 85 136 195
210 22 49 89 140 201
220 23 51 92 145 206
230 25 54 96 149 212
240 27 56 99 154 217
250 29 59 102 158 222
260 30 61 106 162 226
270 32 64 109 166 231
280 34 66 112 170 236
290 35 69 115 173 240
300 37 71 118 177 244
310 39 73 121 180 248

The Spider Curl standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Spider Curl Standards by Age

How the Spider Curl standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 11 31 62 104 154
20 13 35 71 119 176
25 13 36 73 122 181
30 13 36 73 122 181
35 13 36 73 122 181
40 13 36 73 122 181
45 12 34 69 116 171
50 12 32 65 108 161
55 11 30 60 100 149
60 10 27 55 92 136
65 9 25 49 83 123
70 8 22 44 74 110
75 7 20 40 66 98
80 6 18 35 59 88
85 6 16 32 53 79
90 5 14 29 48 71

The Spider Curl standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Spider Curl Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 77 lbs (0.43x bodyweight) on the Spider Curl is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

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What the Spider Curl Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning the bar path and loading on the Spider Curl, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.

Novice

You can perform the Spider Curl with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.

Intermediate

Your Spider Curl is performed with excellent control and targeted tension. You use RPE to manage isolation work intensity and program it strategically within your training split.

Advanced

You have built significant strength on the Spider Curl through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Your Spider Curl strength is at the upper end of what most lifters achieve. You have maximized the target muscle development through years of focused, periodized isolation work.

How to Progress Your Spider Curl

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Spider Curl to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Spider Curl 2x per week with slow, controlled reps.
  • Focus on full range of motion and eliminating momentum or swinging.
  • Keep sets at RPE 6-7 to develop proper movement patterns.
  • Build the mind-muscle connection - feel the target muscle working on every rep.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the Spider Curl.
  • Program 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps at RPE 7-8.
  • Add a variation (different grip, angle, or equipment) to address development gaps.
  • Place isolation work after your primary compound movements.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Advanced Isolation Techniques
  • Use drop sets, paused reps, and partial reps to break through Spider Curl plateaus.
  • Train at RPE 8-9 with advanced intensity techniques on your last 1-2 sets.
  • Manipulate tempo to increase time under tension without compromising form.
  • Manage total volume for the target muscle group across all exercises.
Calculate working set loads →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize Spider Curl strength through precise programming and fatigue management.
  • Use periodized blocks to cycle between volume, intensity, and deload phases.
  • Quality of contraction matters more than load at this level.
  • Continuous refinement of technique will yield the remaining gains.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Spider Curl

Spider Curl demonstration
Primary Muscles Biceps, Forearms
Equipment Incline Bench, Dumbbells or Barbell
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Isolation
  1. Adjust an incline bench to a 45-degree angle.
  2. Lie face down on the bench, chest and stomach supported, with your feet firmly planted on the floor.
  3. Hold a barbell or dumbbells with an underhand grip (palms facing up), arms fully extended downward.
  4. Keep your upper arms stationary and close to the bench, and curl the weight towards your shoulders by contracting your biceps.
  5. Pause and squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement.
  6. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the descent.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Focus on slow and controlled movements to maximize muscle tension.
  • Keep your upper arms stationary to isolate the biceps effectively.
  • Avoid using momentum to lift the weight; ensure the biceps are doing the work.
  • Exhale while curling the weight up and inhale while lowering it down.

Read the complete Spider Curl guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Spider Curl Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Spider Curl table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Spider Curl itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Spider Curl depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Spider Curl after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Spider Curl table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.