Close-Grip Bench Press

Muscles Worked

Primary

Triceps

Quick Cues

1

Narrow grip on the bar

2

Elbows tucked to your sides

3

Lock out at the top

4

Control the descent

Equipment Needed

BarbellFlat Bench

Lie flat on a bench and grip the barbell with hands shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower.
Unrack the bar and hold it above your chest.
Lower the bar to your mid-chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
Press the bar back up to full extension.
Focus on squeezing your triceps at the top.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Common Mistakes

Flaring the elbows outward

Lowering the bar to the wrong position

Not keeping the wrists straight

Pro Tips

Use a close grip to increase tricep emphasis

Keep your elbows tucked at roughly 30 degrees from your torso

Pause 1 inch off the chest to eliminate bounce

Your Progress

Variations

Close-Grip Floor Press

Board Press

JM Press