10 Best EZ Barbell Spider Curl Alternatives for Limited Equipment

If you can’t perform the EZ barbell spider curl, use incline dumbbell curls, preacher curls, machine preacher curls, concentration curls, or standing band curls. Keep your elbows fixed against a pad, fully supinate the forearm at the top, and control the eccentric to preserve biceps long-head activation and joint health.

Original Exercise: EZ Barbell Spider Curl

EZ Barbell Spider Curl
Primary Muscle
Biceps
Equipment
Ez-barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Forearms
How to Perform EZ Barbell Spider Curl
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ez barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
  2. Rest your upper arms on a preacher bench or stability ball, allowing your elbows to hang down.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the barbell up towards your shoulders.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, squeezing your biceps.
  5. Inhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Best EZ Barbell Spider Curl Alternatives

Best Match
Dumbbell Prone Incline Curl

1. Dumbbell Prone Incline Curl

99.2% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the bench to a 45-degree incline.
  2. Lie face down on the bench with your chest and stomach resting against it.
  3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing down and your arms fully extended.
  4. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
  5. Continue to raise the weights until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
Barbell Prone Incline Curl

2. Barbell Prone Incline Curl

98.7% Match
Biceps Barbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
  2. Lie face down on the bench with your chest and stomach resting against it.
  3. Hold a barbell with an underhand grip, shoulder-width apart.
  4. Extend your arms fully, allowing the barbell to hang down towards the floor.
  5. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
Barbell Lying Preacher Curl

3. Barbell Lying Preacher Curl

98.7% Match
Biceps Barbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a preacher bench with your chest against the pad and your arms extended over the edge, holding a barbell with an underhand grip.
  2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
  3. Continue to raise the bar until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level.
  4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
  5. Inhale and slowly begin to lower the barbell back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Prone Incline Hammer Curl

4. Dumbbell Prone Incline Hammer Curl

95.2% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the bench to a 45-degree incline.
  2. Lie face down on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
  3. Allow your arms to hang straight down towards the floor, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
  4. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
  5. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
Dumbbell Reverse Spider Curl

5. Dumbbell Reverse Spider Curl

94.7% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body and arms fully extended.
  2. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
  3. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
  4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
  5. Inhale and slowly begin to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Dumbbell One Arm Prone Curl

6. Dumbbell One Arm Prone Curl

93% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie face down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in one hand, palm facing down.
  2. Extend your arm fully, letting it hang straight down towards the floor.
  3. Keeping your upper arm stationary, curl the dumbbell up towards your shoulder by contracting your biceps.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.
Barbell Drag Curl

7. Barbell Drag Curl

92% Match
Biceps Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing up.
  2. Let the barbell hang at arm's length in front of your thighs.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the barbell up towards your chest by contracting your biceps.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Dumbbell Preacher Curl

8. Dumbbell Preacher Curl

92% Match
Biceps Dumbbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Sit on a preacher curl bench with your upper arms resting on the pad and your chest against it.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing up and your arms fully extended.
  3. Keeping your upper arms stationary, exhale and curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
  4. Continue to raise the dumbbells until your biceps are fully contracted and the dumbbells are at shoulder level.
  5. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
Barbell Curl

9. Barbell Curl

91.4% Match
Biceps Barbell Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell with an underhand grip, palms facing forward.
  2. Keep your elbows close to your torso and exhale as you curl the weights while contracting your biceps.
  3. Continue to raise the bar until your biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder level.
  4. Hold the contracted position for a brief pause as you squeeze your biceps.
  5. Inhale as you slowly begin to lower the bar back to the starting position.
Drag Curl

10. Drag Curl

91.4% Match
Biceps Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Grab a barbell with a supinated grip (palms facing forward) and get your elbows close to your torso and back. This will be your starting position.
  2. As you exhale, curl the bar up while keeping the elbows to the back as you "Drag" the bar up by keeping it in contact with your torso. Tip: As you can see, you will not be keeping the elbows pinned to your sides, but instead you will be bringing them back. Also, do not lift your shoulders.
  3. Slowly go back to the starting position as you keep the bar in contact with the torso at all times.
  4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a EZ Barbell Spider Curl Alternative

You may substitute the EZ barbell spider curl for several reasons: limited access to an EZ bar, wrist pain from the bar angle, shoulder mobility limits, or the need for unilateral work. Choose alternatives that replicate the spider curl’s fixed-elbow, high-angle position to emphasize biceps peak. For wrist pain, switch to neutral-grip hammer curls or band curls to reduce radial deviation. If you lack a bench, perform standing curls with a chest-supported incline to keep the shoulder from assisting. Use cues like “lock the elbow, lead with the knuckles, pause at peak” to retain similar biceps activation and time under tension.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

When selecting a substitute, match the original’s movement pattern and target muscle activation. Prioritize exercises that keep the elbow anchored and allow forearm supination to maximize biceps brachii activity, such as incline dumbbell curls for long-head emphasis or preacher curls for short-head isolation. Consider equipment—dumbbells, bands, or a preacher machine—then test for pain and activation by performing a set and noting where you feel the load. Use tempo (2-3s eccentric), full peak contraction with a 1s hold, and progressive overload (8–12 reps for hypertrophy) to ensure the substitute produces equivalent stimulus.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does EZ Barbell Spider Curl work?

The spider curl isolates the biceps brachii—both long and short heads—with emphasis on the long head when the torso is inclined forward. It minimizes shoulder involvement so the elbow flexors and forearm supinators bear most of the load.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to EZ Barbell Spider Curl?

A towel-assisted inverted row with an underhand grip shifts more elbow flexion into the biceps; cue a full supination at the top and a slow 3-second eccentric. It emphasizes biceps activation when you keep the elbows tight and torso angled to reduce shoulder contribution.

Can I build muscle without doing EZ Barbell Spider Curl?

Yes—targeted biceps growth depends on progressive overload, range of motion, and time under tension, not a single exercise. Use alternatives that lock the elbow and allow supination (incline dumbbell curls, preacher variations, or band curls) and progress load, reps, or tempo to drive hypertrophy.

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