Chest · Compound

Close-Grip Bench Press

A bench press with a narrower grip that shifts more work to the triceps and inner chest.

MAIN MUSCLE
Triceps, Chest
ALSO WORKS
Front delts
EQUIPMENT
Barbell, Bench
LEVEL
Intermediate
REPS
6-10
TEMPO
3-1-1
THE FIGURE FROM THE APPWORKING MUSCLE

HOW TO DO IT

  1. Lie on the bench and grip the bar about shoulder-width apart.

  2. Retract the shoulder blades and unrack the bar.

  3. Lower to the lower chest with elbows close to the body.

  4. Press up until the arms are straight.

COMMON MISTAKES

  • Flaring elbows to 90 degrees; tuck them to roughly 45-70 degrees from the torso.
  • Losing shoulder-blade retraction; pin the blades back and down before the first rep.
  • Bouncing the weight; control the descent and pause lightly at the bottom.

TIPS

  • Drive your feet into the floor and push yourself away from the weight.

QUESTIONS

Which muscles does Close-Grip Bench Press work?

The main muscle is Triceps, Chest. It also works Front delts.

How many reps should I do?

FORGE suggests 6-10 reps for Close-Grip Bench Press. The app adjusts sets and reps to your goal and level.

What can I do instead of Close-Grip Bench Press?

These train the same muscles: Barbell Bench Press, Bench Dip, Triceps Pushdown.