Close-Grip Bench Press

PushBBBench

Bench press with a narrower-than-standard grip (roughly shoulder width or slightly less), shifting more load to the triceps while still training the chest and front delts.

Demo: Strength coaching demo

Sets

4

Reps

6-10

Rest

2 min

Contraindications

Wrist pain — widen grip slightly or use dumbbells.

Setup

Same bench setup as standard bench press but hands set just inside standard width — index fingers near the smooth part of the bar, not extremely narrow.

Execution

  1. 1Lower bar to lower chest, slightly lower than wide-grip touch point
  2. 2Keep elbows at about 30 degrees from the torso — not pinned to the ribs
  3. 3Press straight up, driving through triceps lockout
  4. 4Maintain scapular retraction throughout

Key cues

  • Elbows track close but not glued to sides
  • Drive through the triceps at lockout
  • Keep the bar path vertical
  • Squeeze the bar hard for lat tension

Common faults

  • Grip too narrow, straining wrists
  • Elbows too close to torso limiting power
  • Not lowering the bar far enough
  • Losing shoulder blade retraction

Tweaks

  • Use a spoto-style pause off the chest
  • Try with dumbbells in neutral grip
  • Add chains or bands for accommodating resistance

Regressions

Barbell Bench PressNeutral-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press

Progressions

Board Press

Muscles

Primary: Triceps Brachii, Pectoralis Major

Secondary: Anterior Deltoid

Sources

Attribution: Powerlifting canon