Barbell exercise

Bench Press - Close Grip (Barbell) form, muscles worked, and workout tracking

The close-grip bench press is a compound movement that shifts the focus from the chest to the triceps. By using a narrower hand placement, it increases the range of motion for the elbows, making it a primary exercise for building triceps mass and improving lockout strength in pressing movements.

Bench Press - Close Grip (Barbell) illustration

How to do Bench Press - Close Grip (Barbell)

  1. 1Lie on a flat bench and grip the barbell with hands shoulder-width apart.
  2. 2Unrack the bar and hold it directly over your chest with arms fully extended.
  3. 3Inhale and lower the bar slowly toward your lower chest, keeping elbows tucked close to your sides.
  4. 4Exhale and press the bar back to the starting position, focusing on driving through your triceps.
  5. 5Maintain a controlled tempo throughout the set to maximize muscle tension.

Related exercises

Bench Press (Barbell)

Chest · Barbell

Bent Over Row (Barbell)

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Bicep Curl (Barbell)

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Bicep Curl (Cable)

Arms · Cable

Track Bench Press - Close Grip (Barbell) in Plates

Save this movement to a workout template, log sets and rest periods, and keep your training history in one focused gym tracker.