Close Grip Bench Press: Hand Position, Form, and Muscles Worked
To do a close grip bench press, set up as for a regular bench press but take the bar with your hands about shoulder width apart, a little inside your normal grip, so your forearms stay vertical and your elbows travel close to your sides. Lower the bar to the lower part of your chest, around the bottom of your breastbone, then press it back up until it is over your shoulders. The narrower grip puts more of the work on your triceps and less on your chest, which is why lifters use it for a stronger lockout and bigger arms. Going narrower than that, with your hands close together, mostly loads your wrists and elbows, not your triceps.
How close should your grip be?
About shoulder width. A good check is to look at your forearms at the bottom of the rep: seen from the front, they should be vertical or angled very slightly inward. If your hands are much narrower than your shoulders, your wrists bend back and your elbows flare out to make room, and the lift gets harder on the joints without working the triceps any more.
Most lifters end up one to two hand widths inside their normal bench grip. Find a spot on the knurling that lines up with your grip and use it every set, so the grip is never a guess.
How do you do the close grip bench press, step by step?
- Eyes under the bar. Lie down with the bar above your eyes, as for your normal bench.
- Take the narrow grip. Hands about shoulder width apart, thumbs wrapped around the bar, bar low in your palms over your forearms.
- Set your shoulder blades. Pull them back and down and press them into the pad.
- Plant your feet. Flat on the floor, and drive through them so your upper back stays pinned.
- Unrack with straight arms. Bring the bar out over your shoulders.
- Lower with your elbows in. Keep your elbows close to your body, at about 30 to 45 degrees from your sides, and touch the bar to your lower chest.
- Press. Drive the bar up and slightly back to over your shoulders, and lock out with your triceps.
What muscles does the close grip bench press work?
| Muscle | Role in the close grip bench |
|---|---|
| Triceps | Do more of the work than on a regular bench, especially at lockout |
| Chest | Still a big part of the lift, more so the lower and inner fibers |
| Front shoulders | Help press the bar off the chest |
| Upper back | Holds your shoulder blades in place |
How does it compare with the regular bench press?
| Regular bench press | Close grip bench press | |
|---|---|---|
| Grip | A little wider than shoulder width | About shoulder width |
| Elbows | 45 to 70 degrees from the body | Closer, 30 to 45 degrees |
| Bar travel | Shorter | A little longer |
| Main muscles | Chest, shoulders, triceps | Triceps, chest, shoulders |
| Weight | Your heaviest | Usually somewhat less |
| Main job | Your strongest press | A stronger lockout and bigger triceps |
The close grip bench is one of the best accessories for the bench press itself, because it trains the same movement with more triceps. Here is how to increase your bench press, and where the close grip bench fits in the week.
Why do you slide on the close grip bench?
With your elbows tucked, the bar comes down a little lower on your chest, and many lifters set up a little higher on the bench to keep the bar clear of the hooks. That puts your upper back on a part of the pad where you are less settled, and the press pushes you along it. On a worn or sweaty vinyl pad you creep a little on every rep, and your lats and shoulders end up fighting for position while the triceps should be doing the work.
“Close-grip bench used to slide me because I set up higher on the pad. Mat held that position. Triceps did the work instead of my lats chasing stability.”
A double-sided grip mat on the bench holds the pad on one face and your back on the other, so your upper back stays where you set it, whichever grip you use.
“First time I have ever felt confident in my bench press.”
Is the close grip bench press hard on your wrists or elbows?
It does not have to be. Most wrist and elbow complaints come from a grip that is too narrow, which bends the wrists back and pushes the elbows out. Keep your hands about shoulder width apart, the bar low in your palms and your wrists straight. Warm up with a few lighter sets, and if your elbows feel it, widen your grip a little and keep the reps in the middle range rather than very heavy.
How many sets and reps should you do?
- For a stronger lockout: 3 to 4 sets of 4 to 6 reps, after your main bench press.
- For bigger triceps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
- How often: once or twice a week.
- Progress: add weight in small steps when every rep looks the same.
The close grip bench works on the Smith machine and on an incline too. Here is how to stay put on the decline, Smith and close grip bench.
What are the most common mistakes?
- Hands too close together. Shoulder width is enough. Narrower mostly loads your wrists.
- Elbows flaring out. Keep them close to your sides.
- Touching too high. Bring the bar to your lower chest, not your upper chest.
- Bent back wrists. Stack the bar over your forearms.
- Losing the upper back. Set your shoulder blades and keep them set, the same as your regular bench.
- Bouncing the bar. Touch, then press.
PR Grip is a double-sided grip mat. HexaTrac on one face holds the bench and the other face holds your back, so you start every rep from the same spot, wherever you set up on the pad. It grips through pressure, not adhesive, and at 16 x 26 inches (about 41 x 66 cm) it covers the contact area on a standard flat or adjustable bench. It rolls into your gym bag when you are done.
Frequently asked questions
How close should your hands be on a close grip bench press?
About shoulder width apart, or one to two hand widths inside your normal bench grip. At the bottom of the rep your forearms should be vertical or angled very slightly inward.
What does the close grip bench press work?
Mostly the triceps, with the chest and the front of the shoulders still doing a large part of the work. It is used for a stronger lockout and bigger arms.
Is the close grip bench press better than the regular bench press?
Neither is better; they do different jobs. The regular bench press is your strongest press, and the close grip bench is one of the best accessories for it.
Where should the bar touch on a close grip bench press?
On your lower chest, around the bottom of your breastbone. With your elbows tucked, the bar lands a little lower than on a regular bench press.
Why does the close grip bench hurt my wrists?
Usually because the grip is too narrow, which bends the wrists back. Widen it to about shoulder width, keep the bar low in your palms and your wrists straight over your forearms.