Close-Grip Bench Press
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1Lie back on a flat bench. Using a close grip (around shoulder width), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
- 2As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your middle chest. Tip: Make sure that - as opposed to a regular bench press - you keep the elbows close to the torso at all times in order to maximize triceps involvement.
- 3After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your triceps muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
- 4Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- 5When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
About Close-Grip Bench Press
The close-grip bench press is a compound movement that strongly targets the triceps while also working the chest and shoulders. By bringing the hands closer on the bar, roughly shoulder-width, the effort shifts to the back of the arm. Because it lets you load heavy, it is one of the best exercises for triceps strength and size, far more than an isolation move. Keep the elbows tucked along the body during the descent, without gripping too narrow so as not to strain the wrists.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleBuilds triceps strength and mass
- check_circleAllows heavy loading on a compound lift
- check_circleStrengthens lockout on the standard bench press
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbSet your hands about shoulder-width apart, no closer
- lightbulbKeep the elbows tucked near the body as you lower
- lightbulbBring the bar down toward the lower chest
- lightbulbPress up and lock out the triceps at the top
warningCommon mistakes
- warningGripping too narrow and straining the wrists
- warningFlaring the elbows, shifting the work to the chest
- warningBouncing the bar off the chest
- warningSkipping wrist and elbow warm-ups
helpFrequently asked questions
How close should my hands be on the close-grip bench?expand_more
About shoulder-width; hands set too close increase wrist strain without better targeting the triceps.
Can the close-grip bench replace dips?expand_more
Yes, it's a great alternative for loading the triceps heavily while being easier on the shoulders.
Close-grip bench or skull crushers for triceps?expand_more
The close-grip bench lets you load heavier (better for strength and overall size); skull crushers isolate the triceps more but stress the elbows. The two complement each other well.
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