Arms · Triceps · Barbell
Close-Grip Bench Press
The close-grip bench press is a bench press with the hands about shoulder-width apart and the elbows tucked. The narrower grip shifts work from the chest to the triceps while still allowing heavy weights, so it builds pressing strength and arm size together.
How to
Barbell- 1 Grip about shoulder-width, elbows tucked.
- 2 Lower the bar to the lower chest.
- 3 Press up, driving through the triceps.
Tips
- Shoulder-width is close enough; a very narrow grip only strains the wrists.
- Touch the bar a little lower on the chest than in a regular bench.
- It lets you load the triceps heavier than any isolation exercise.
Common mistakes
- Hands touching in the middle of the bar.
- Flaring the elbows wide.
- Bouncing off the chest.
Muscles worked
Main
- Triceps
- Chest
Also working
- Front delts
Breathing and bracing
Breathe in and brace before lowering, breathe out after the hardest part of the press.
Sets and reps
- Strength
- 3–5 sets of 4–6 reps, 2–3 min rest
- Muscle size
- 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, 2 min rest
Setup
- 1 Lie on the bench with the eyes under the bar.
- 2 Grip the bar about shoulder-width, a little narrower than your normal bench grip.
- 3 Set the shoulder blades back and down and plant the feet.
- 4 Unrack to straight arms over the chest.
Technique in detail
- Lower the bar to the lower chest, elbows close to the body.
- Keep the wrists stacked over the elbows.
- Touch lightly and press back up to lockout.
- Keep the forearms close to vertical throughout.
In these plans
Not part of a built-in plan. Add it to any workout from the exercise picker.
Variations and alternatives
Questions
How close should my hands be?
About shoulder-width. Hands touching strains the wrists and does not work the triceps any harder.
How much less than my bench press?
Most people use 80–90% of their regular bench press.
Is it a chest or a triceps exercise?
Both, with more triceps than a normal bench press. It suits a push day or an arm day.
Log it in Volu(me)
Add Close-Grip Bench Press to any workout. Next time the app fills in the weight and reps from your last session and marks a new best set the moment you tick it.