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Close Grip Bench Press

Close Grip Bench Press is a beginner compound barbell exercise that mainly works your triceps, with help from your chest and shoulders.

💪 Triceps🏋️ Barbell📈 Beginner🔗 Compound🎯 3-5 sets of 5-10 reps
Close Grip Bench Press: starting position
Starting position
Close Grip Bench Press: end position
End position

How to do the close grip bench press

  1. Lie 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.
  2. As 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.
  3. After 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.
  4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
  5. When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.

Muscles worked

Primary: TricepsSecondary: ChestSecondary: Shoulders

Sets and reps

For strength, do 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. For muscle growth, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add a little weight when you hit the top of the range on every set.

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Close Grip Bench Press alternatives

Exercises that train the same main muscle, including options with other equipment.

DipsBodyweight · BeginnerDip MachineMachine · BeginnerJM PressBarbell · BeginnerClose-Grip Dumbbell PressDumbbell · BeginnerRing DipsOther · IntermediateTriceps PushdownCable · Beginner

FAQ

What muscles does the close grip bench press work?

It mainly works your triceps; your chest and shoulders assist.

How many sets and reps of close grip bench press should I do?

For strength, do 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. For muscle growth, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add a little weight when you hit the top of the range on every set.

Is the close grip bench press good for beginners?

Yes. It is a beginner-friendly movement: start light and focus on the form steps above.

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