One of the most popular exercises is without a doubt the Bench Press. We all know the “How much ya bench?” mantra heard in countless gyms over multiple decades. As a compound exercise, it works the chest, shoulders, and triceps. How would you like to shift the focus to the tris and blow those suckers up? In this edition of Exercise Breakdown: The Close Grip Bench Press, you will find out how to get the most from this great exercise!

What Is The Close Grip Bench Press

Very simply, the Close Grip Bench Press is just like the regular Bench Press but uses a much closer grip, shifting the focus to your triceps. 

Muscles Worked

The triceps brachii is the largest muscle of the upper arm (sorry, it’s not the biceps). When lifters think of the triceps, they probably think of the horseshoe shape common on a pair of well-developed tri’s. The primary function of the triceps is to extend the elbow. This exercise works all 3 heads (long head, lateral head, and medial head) of the triceps, the front deltoid, and the chest. The biceps brachii acts as a stabilizer.^(1,2)

How Close Should Your Grip Be?

Most old-school lifters probably use an almost hands-touching grip. However, recent research suggests that a grip that close can put stress on the wrists. Therefore, an approximately shoulder-width grip is typically suggested.⁽³⁾

Variations

Besides a barbell, you can perform this exercise with dumbbells, an EZ bar, cable D-handles, or a Smith machine. You can also do close-grip push-ups, and you can use an incline bench instead of a flat bench.

How To Use It In Your Routine

Here is a Rich Piana-style example triceps routine. 

Close Grip Bench Press - 5 sets - 30, 25, 20, 15, 12 reps 

Rich liked to do these on a Hammer Strength machine, but you can use a barbell or EZ bar. Perform your reps explosive up, slow and controlled down. No bouncing, don’t let momentum rob you of the benefits.  

Overhead Triceps Extension - 5 sets - 30, 25, 20, 15, 12 reps 

Rich usually used a rope attachment for this exercise.

Tricep Pressdowns - 5 sets - 10-12 reps 

You can use a rope attachment, V-handle, EZ bar attachment, or straight handle. 

Don’t Forget 5% Nutrition!

You can go heavy on this exercise, or you can do what Rich did: chase the pump using moderate weights and higher reps. Of course, 5% Nutrition has the supplements you need. Stack Kill It RTD and Full As F*ck for a maximum pump. Take it further with Core Creatine Monohydrate, which you can mix right into your pre-workout Stack. From there you need the most complete intra-workout on the market: All Day You May. Next, make sure your protein is where it needs to be with Shake Time, our exclusive real-food protein powder. Don’t forget to mix it with Real Carbs after your workout is over. Finally, to help you take your triceps mass to new heights, add Bigger By The Day with Turkesterone. Yep, 5% Nutrition has you covered - so stop by and stock up today!

References:

1. https://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/BBCloseGripBenchPress
2. https://www.physio-pedia.com/Triceps_brachii
3. Lockie, R. G., Callaghan, S. J., Moreno, M. R., Risso, F. G., Liu, T. M., Stage, A. A., Birmingham-Babauta, S. A., Stokes, J. J., Giuliano, D. V., Lazar, A., Davis, D. L., & Orjalo, A. J. (2017). Relationships between Mechanical Variables in the Traditional and Close-Grip Bench Press. Journal of Human Kinetics, 60, 19–28. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0109