How to do it
- Grip the bar at roughly shoulder width — no narrower, or the wrists complain.
- Lower the bar to your lower chest with the elbows tucked close to the ribs.
- Press back up and lock out hard.
Cues that matter
- Elbow tuck is what makes this a triceps lift.
- Keep the wrists stacked over the elbows.
Common mistakes
- Gripping so narrow the wrists bend backwards.
- Letting the elbows flare and drifting back to a normal bench.
Muscles worked
Primary
- Triceps
- Lateral head
- Medial head
Also works
- Chest
- Front delts
Sets and reps
What to do with it depends on what you are training for. These are the ranges MuscleMap uses when it puts Close-Grip Bench Press in a session, with 150 seconds between sets.
- Strength
- 4–6 reps
- Build muscle
- 6–10 reps
- Endurance
- 12–20 reps
Same muscle, different kit
Movements that train the same part of the triceps with different equipment — for a day the barbell is taken, or a gym that does not have one.