Close Grip Bench Press Workout

Muscles Worked:Triceps, a great workout for adding bulk to your triceps

Spotter Required: No

Minimum Equipment required: Bench press and standard barbell with weights

The Best Equipment to Use: An Olympic bench press with an Olympic bar with weights

Warming up: If close grip bench press is the first triceps workout of the day then I recommend performing 2 warm-up sets, using 50% of the weight you would normally lift. If you have already performed another triceps workout prior to close grip bench press there is no need to warm-up.

How often should I perform this exercise: Close grip bench press is a great substitute for lying dips or bench dips, if you are like me however I perform close grip bench presses with every triceps workout.

When should I perform this exercise: I recommend performing this exercise near the beginning of your triceps workout as it requires quite a lot of energy.

How to do the exercise: Lying face up on a bench press with your feet firmly on the ground, grab the barbell off the rack with a grip narrower than shoulder width (6 – 12 inches apart). For grip make sure your thumbs are touching the barbell and that your thumbs are pointing towards each other, you should not use the same grip type as with standard barbell bench press.

Starting at the top position with your arms straight and elbows locked, begin to lower the barbell towards your lower/mid chest. You will notice that your arms stay at your sides as you lower the barbell towards your chest, make sure this is the case and your elbows are not pointing outwards.

At the bottom point stop about an inch or two from your chest, at this point raise the barbell up to the starting position without locking your elbow joints.

If you feel your wrists begin to hurt chances are you are either lifting too heavy or possibly your grip is too narrow. If you feel your grip width and weight are perfect but your wrists still hurt then try using an EZ curl bar instead of a straight barbell.

Mentality: Close grip bench press uses quite a lot of energy so remember to breathe properly throughout the exercise. Inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up.

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