Grip too narrow
Use about shoulder width; a very narrow grip strains the wrists without extra benefit.
Horizontal push · Barbell, Bench, Rack
Close Grip Bench Press
A barbell bench press with a grip about shoulder width, narrower than a standard bench. It shifts more of the work to the triceps while still allowing heavy loads. Good for lifters building triceps strength or improving their bench press lockout.
- Primary
- Triceps
- Secondary
- Chest, Front Delts
- Starting rep range
- 8–12 reps
- Target effort
- 2 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 2.5 kg jumps
Muscles worked
The triceps straighten the elbow and handle more of the work than in a regular bench, while the chest and front delts still contribute heavily. Elbows staying closer to the body increase the triceps' share.
How to set up
- Lie on the bench with your eyes under the bar.
- Grip the bar about shoulder width, with wrists stacked over the elbows.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and down and keep a slight arch.
- Plant your feet flat and unrack the bar to straight arms over your shoulders.
How to do each rep
- Lower the bar to your lower chest with elbows tucked about 30-45 degrees from your sides.
- Touch the chest lightly without bouncing.
- Press the bar back up and slightly back toward your shoulders.
- Lock out fully, keeping your wrists straight.
Common close grip bench press mistakes
Elbows flaring
Keep the elbows tucked so the triceps do more work.
Bouncing off the chest
Control the descent and touch the chest lightly.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the close grip bench press at 8–12 reps with about 2 reps in reserve. As a compound lift it usually belongs early in the session, when you are fresh.
Add 5 lb once you hit your target reps, usually 5-10 per set. When progress stalls, try paused reps or floor presses to keep building.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Close Grip Bench Press alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Questions
Is close grip bench good for triceps?
Yes. It is one of the best ways to load the triceps heavily. It also carries over well to the regular bench press.
How close should the grip be on close grip bench?
About shoulder width is usually best. Going narrower mostly adds wrist strain without adding triceps work.