Here are seven different options to try, plus a refresher on how to bench press like a pro. Eb says: Your arms are executing a different motion than a standard bench press, but your lower body is not. After all, the incline bench press cuts out the very bottom of the range of motion on the bench press, failing to give us much of a stretch. FAQ #2: Is wide-grip better for the chest? Take the Quiz. Youll be redirected to Sezzle to Sign Up or Log In Technically speaking, anything narrower than your regular bench press grip qualifies as a close-grip bench. Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free! For the average gym bro or aspiring bodybuilder, its a pec growing machine. Take a deep breath and brace for the lift. Table of ContentsClose-Grip Bench Press BenefitsIt builds strong triceps better than the bench press.It trains your upper chest muscles better than the bench press.It has better carryover to other sports than the bench press.Its easier to overload than other triceps exercises.It places less stress on the shoulder joints than the bench press.How to Do the Close-Grip Bench PressStep 1: Set UpStep 2: DescendStep 3: PressClose-Grip Bench Press MistakesUsing too narrow of a grip.Pressing the bar straight up and down.Bouncing the bar off your chest.Not pulling your shoulder blades back and down.Not fully extending the arms at the top of each rep.Close-Grip Bench Press VariationsClose-Grip Dumbbell Bench PressJM PressIncline Close-Grip Bench PressClose-Grip Football Bar (Neutral Grip) Bench PressDiamond Push-upFAQ #1: Is the close-grip bench press necessary?FAQ #2: Is wide-grip better for the chest?FAQ #3: What is a good weight for the close-grip bench? That may, speculatively, make it better than the incline bench press for bulking up your shoulders and upper chest. The bench press is about as close to weight room royalty as it gets. All bench press variations carry with them a certain degree of risk when performed with improper technique. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 31(5), 13211337. Pull your shoulder blades back and down to stay tight and protect your scapula. 3035). Take a breath and hold it, and unrack the bar. 2017, Lockie RG, Callaghan SJ, Moreno MR, et al. Using a thumbless grip substantially increases your risk of injury, as the barbell becomes liable to slip out of your palms. It's almost identical to the barbell bench press, but for the fact that it uses a closer grip and tucked elbows, like so: with the incline barbell bench press. Keeping your scapula down and focusing on pulling your elbows in towards your body should help fix this. Working with dumbbells can be a great way to build familiarity with a new movement pattern, and the greater range of motion required comes with unique challenges and benefits. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. because both sides of your body are forced to lift the same amount of weight independently (one side cant take over from the other). A spotter can be helpful, but should the bar slip out of your hands, they likely wont be able to intervene in time. Thus, I dont think the potential benefits of wide-grip pressing are enough to warrant the risks, which is why I dont wide-grip bench press and dont include the exercise in my programs for, Load the bar with a weight that youre confident you can press for about 10 reps. Do as many reps as you can until you feel like you could only complete another 2-to-3 reps with proper form, then rack the bar. Once youve removed the barbell from the hooks, unwrap your thumbs before beginning to lower it down to your chest. Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, in this article youll learn everything you need to know about how to do close-grip bench press. Lifters who experience shoulder discomfort with the traditional press can benefit from using a closer grip. And that means, by the way, that its also an outstanding exercise for increasing your arm mass because the triceps contribute significantly more to your total arm size than the biceps. If you want to maximize the muscle-building effects of weightlifting, you have to progressively overload your muscles. Our lifting newsletter for men26,033 readers and climbing. Take a deep breath in to stabilize your core and pull the bar out of the rack horizontally. , however, is that youre limited to using your body weight, which severely limits the strength and muscle building potential of the exercise. And since youre only as strong as your weakest link, your bench press likely wont budge until your triceps catch up to your chest. No static. Theres a good chance that youd experience this if youve placed your hands too close together, but even with correct hand positioning you can still wind up with elbow flare. The perfect bench press grip is all well and good, but it wont lift the weight for you. But when were training to build a bigger 1-rep max, the bench press is just as much a shoulder and triceps lift. Step 1: Set Up Step 2: Descend Step 3: Press Close-Grip Bench Press Mistakes Using too narrow of a grip. Thats why we only use choice ingredients shown to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific studies. This means you have to add weight or reps to every exercise over time (get stronger, basically). The close-grip bench press is a particularly good exercise if you goals are to add triceps mass, build your upper chest, or increase your bench and overhead press one-rep maxes. Your triceps constitute almost 70 percent of the mass in your upper arms. That means that when doing a set of 10 repetitions, that bench press is often a chest-dominant lift, best for building bigger pecs. If you want to check your form, though, have a friend take a video of you from the side while performing the exercise. Retrieved May 13, 2021, from https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2005/08000/THE_INFLUENCE_OF_GRIP_WIDTH_AND_FOREARM.17.aspx, Landin, D., Thompson, M., & Jackson, M. (2018). Professional and/or competitive powerlifters, historically speaking, prefer to grab the bar as wide as they are legally permitted; doing so reduces the range of motion of the exercise. Here's How to Fix That. Your standard-width bench press grip should serve as a nice middle ground. No returns. Whats not to love? You just have to get past the initial learning curve. shows the close-grip bench press is probably just as effective. The right grip during the bench press can make all the difference in the world. You should also expect to make contact with your chest a bit higher up, depending on your limb lengths and technique. The anterior deltoid originates at the lateral clavicle and helps with internal rotation, which in turn helps you keep your elbows tucked. If youre an offensive lineman engaging in run or pass blocking, a basketball player performing a chest pass, or a boxer throwing a jab-cross combo, your arms tend to stay closer relative to your torso than a traditional bench press. THE INFLUENCE OF GRIP WIDTH AND FOREARM PRONATION/SUPINATION : The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. While keeping your arms locked, move the bar horizontally until its directly over your chest. Push your chest up into the bar to stay tight. This is our newsletter for women who are interested in getting bigger, stronger, fitter, and better looking. We've compiled a list of the most common close-grip bench press mistakes to help you plot a pitfall-free course to bigger arms. Our scientific review board of nutritionists, dietitians, molecular biologists, doctors, and other accredited experts is responsible for reviewing every article, podcast, and video we produce to ensure theyre evidence based, accurate, trustworthy, and current. Coachs Tip: To avoid elbow flaring, try to reverse the motion of the descent on your way back up. It doesnt target the heads of our triceps equally, its just as good for bulking up our shoulders, and its one of the best exercises for our upper chests. Continue until you get 4-to-6 reps for a single set and then write down the number. How to Close Grip Bench Press: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes. Studies suggest that the close-grip bench press may be a better lift for developing strength specific to actions required in certain sports. While its an interesting theory, I havent found it to pan out in practice. If your close-grip bench press is significantly less than this, its probably a sign that your triceps are underdeveloped. Chest Front Deltoid How to Close-Grip Bench Press Lie on the bench, pull your shoulder blades together and down, and slightly arch your back. One thing studies have shown, however, is that increasing your grip width beyond 150% of shoulder width increases your likelihood of getting injured. Coachs Tip: A good bench press arch takes time to develop, but will improve your leverage and safety during the movement. It builds strong triceps better than the bench press. The fix: When you set up for the close-grip bench press, adjust your grip so that your hands are directly over your shoulders or just inside shoulder-width apart. So if you're training for hypertrophy, then you should stick to a moderately wide grip so that you can get a good chest . Legion Athletics, Inc. Will you be next? I hereby agree to assume and accept any and all risks of injury or death related to said fitness activities. Here are the muscle groups utilized by the lift. The close grip bench press is a great movement to include in your push or upper body workouts for added muscle size and strength. To keep the focus of the movement on your triceps, tuck your elbows into your sides as you press the . And if he can do it, why not you? Avoid bouncing bar off the chest to reduce risk of injury. The close grip bench press is a compound exercise typically performed with a barbell. Your triceps main job is to, your elbows, so by only pressing through a partial range of motion, youre actually making the close-grip bench press. The effects of bench press variations in competitive athletes on muscle activity and performance. We like it in a back and chest workout. You don't need supplements to build muscle, lose fat, and get healthy. If you try to handle too much weight too quickly, youll likely run into. Sports (Basel). The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. You might consider using wrist wraps when incorporating the bulldog grip for the first time, or practicing with very light weights until you get the hang of it. But only Pulse checks each of these boxes. The close-grip bench press can help improve stability while also enhancing triceps strength and hypertrophy . Functions of the Triceps Brachii in Humans: A Review. Like with the floor press, the board bench press can help isolate the triceps by restricting the range of motion at the bottom of the bench press. Have a question or comment? Traditionally, athletes perform the bench press with their thumbs wrapped around the shaft of the bar. The close grip bench press is a great movement to include in your push or upper body workouts for added muscle size and strength. A lot of people have an ego when it comes to bench pressing. There are a few lifts that work the shoulders and triceps, ranging from push-ups to the overhead press, and those can certainly help, but when our goal is to improve our strength on a specific lift, the most efficient way to do that is often to choose a fairly similarly variation. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. You'll often see people grip the bar with their hands nearly touching each other, but you don't need to go nearly that narrow. If you just dont jam with the movement, thats fine but you also could simply be using the wrong grip. This will be your starting position. Id recommend mastering the regular barbell bench press first. a limiting factor in increasing your bench press. It also naturally places your elbows closer to your sides, which ensures your triceps do the lions share of the work. These form keys are the secret to. but Ive yet to meet someone who cant comfortably incline bench press. Make sure you keep your upper arms tucked to your sides while using this grip. Position the barbell at the correct reach level on the rack (you should be able to grip/lift the bar off the rack with assistance). I understand Legions services and products are not meant to treat or manage any health conditions or circumstances, and I acknowledge that Legion has recommended I obtain a healthcare providers approval for my use of Legions services and/or products, through regular physical examination(s) and/or consultation. Lie down on the bench press with your eyes directly under the barbell. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. (n.d.). (1998). So, when and why should you do the close-grip bench press? The close-grip bench press is one of the best bench variations for improving tricep strength, and it's often a variation that gets performed incorrectly. Green, C. M., & Comfort, P. (n.d.). For every study that shows pressing with a wider grip emphasizes the pecs, theres another that shows it makes no significant difference. Many people make the mistake of thinking that the closer your hands are together, the better the exercise is for your triceps, and so they grip the bar with their hands almost touching each other. For instance, youll notice that the barbell needs to come down lower on your torso. Although many people think the incline bench press is the best exercise for training the upper chest, research shows the close-grip bench press is probably just as effective. What differentiates the close-grip bench press from a regular bench press? Frontiers in sports and active living, 2, 637066. If you struggle in the lock-out phase of the bench press, then you'll want to implement variations that target the top-end range of motion specifically. Have a spotter check this for you. Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. Getting the reverse-grip bench press down pat will take a bit of trial and error. How to Fix It, Examples, & More, The Ultimate Shoulder Workout: The Best Shoulder Exercises for Big Delts, The Best Way to Train All 6 Major Muscle Groups. Bouncing the bar off your chest. Not the close-grip bench press, though, which you can safely overload for more or less your entire weightlifting journey. The main difference between this exercise and the standard bench press is that the hands and elbows are placed closer together, which places more of an emphasis on the triceps. Lie back on a flat bench. . https://doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000307, Krl, H., & Gos, A. The downside of the diamond push-up, however, is that youre limited to using your body weight, which severely limits the strength and muscle building potential of the exercise. Upper extremity weight-training modifications for the injured athlete: A clinical perspective. BarBend is an independent website. (It's also biasing your shoulders into external rotation, another plus!) In this case, doing an exercise like the close-grip bench press can correct this. Neutral-grip exercises are often quite comfortable and ergonomic, which also makes them great for beginners. *shipping times subject to merchant shipping policy. Based on my experience training myself and working with and hearing from tens of thousands of others over the years, Id go so far as to say that the close-grip bench press is the single best triceps exercise you can do. This position places emphasis on building strength and size in the triceps muscles, as well as the chest. Find the Perfect Supplements for You in Just 60 Seconds . The secondary muscles involved are your chest and shoulders. No nonsense. Saeterbakken, A. H., Stien, N., Pedersen, H., Solstad, T. E. J., Cumming, K. T., & Andersen, V. (2021). Thats why all of our supplements are made in America in NSF-certified and FDA-inspected facilities that operate in accordance with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations. It has better carryover to other sports than the bench press. The reason for this is that a lack of triceps strength. Its also a good substitute for the conventional bench press if you find it uncomfortable. Also, beware of letting the bar drift too far forward. Many ingredients in supplements dont have any scientifically validated benefits, and many ingredients that do are often underdosed to the point of irrelevance. Maintain a standard grip with your thumb and fingers wrapped around the bar during the exercise. After doing some warm-up sets with a lighter weight, your body will intuitively find proper leverage. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. but Ive yet to meet someone who cant comfortably incline bench press. You really have nothing to lose. Every active ingredient in Pulse is backed by published scientific studies that show benefits in healthy humans. Through strength plateaus, lagging triceps, or shoulder discomfort, the solution is simple press onward (after you adjust your grip, of course). This increases the risk of injury to the sternum and decreases the effectiveness of the exercise. By taking a closer grip, you engage your triceps more while reducing the overall abduction of the shoulder. There are a few different ways to do the close-grip bench press: Some people will recommend gripping the barbell even narrower than shoulder width, to the point where we cant bring the barbell all the way down to our torsos anymore. Most lifters find that placing their hands just inside of shoulder width provides them with the most comfort while performing the lift, but anatomical differences from person to person mean that you might find it easier to move your hands slightly closer or wider than that. Grip the bar with your grip of choice and plant your feet firmly on the floor. So adhere to all good bench press rules for body position. Youll learn the muscles worked by the exercise and how to do some of the best close-grip bench press variations such as the close-grip dumbbell bench press and the close-grip football bar bench press, and more! No, we dont request you deliver it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon. The Complete Guide to Postpartum Weight Loss, Should You Eat Negative-Calorie Foods for Weight Loss? For example, if your barbell bench press one-rep max is 200 pounds, you should be able to close-grip bench press about 160 pounds. In this case, doing an exercise like the close-grip bench press can correct this muscle imbalance and allow you to flat bench press significantly more than if you just kept banging away at it. The benefit of doing the close-grip bench press with dumbbells instead of a barbell is that it can help you identify and correct muscle imbalances because both sides of your body are forced to lift the same amount of weight independently (one side cant take over from the other). 2012. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Sports (Basel). Use proper hand placement (about shoulder width) on the bar to reduce risk of injury and effectively activate the triceps muscles. Then, our editorial team uses this research to draft articles and outlines for podcasts and videos. Fill out those shirt sleeves. In American Journal of Sports Medicine (Vol. We follow a detailed, rigorous, multi-step process to create content that meets the highest standards of clarity, practicality, and scientific integrity. Do You Need to Walk 10,000 Steps a Day to Be Healthy? on your shoulders than the conventional bench press while still heavily stimulating your pecs and triceps. While these types of chemicals may not be as dangerous as some people claim, studies suggest that regular consumption of them may indeed be harmful to our health. Eventually, it'll limit your ability to really add weight to the move. This makes the. Retrieved May 13, 2021, from https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/abstract/2007/10000/the_affect_of_grip_width_on_bench_press.1.aspx, Haupt, H. A. Plus more! Once youre set up, remove the barbell from the rack. Using an EZ bara shorter bar with a section that zig-zagsprovides areas to grip that can relieve any discomfort on your wrists. Its unique shape allows you to position your grip more ergonomically. Keep your feet on the floor, and your butt, upper back and head on the bench. Assume your standard bench press grip width. The reverse grip is one of the most unique ways to handle a barbell. Take our 60-second quiz and learn exactly how many calories you should eat, what your "macros" should be, what foods are best for you, and more. 9. In the current study, the participants were equally strong using wide and medium grip widths, but significantly weaker in the close grip by about 5%. Maybe a triceps press or a JM press. When the grip width is reduced it creates less shoulder abduction said to limit the stress placed on the shoulder joint. Whether you're a novice lifter or an experienced powerlifter, the close grip bench press can be an effective exercise for building your triceps. Press, close grip bench press, which you can safely overload for more or less your entire weightlifting.... Stress placed on the bar drift too far forward arms in the triceps,! Of trial and close grip bench press from links on this site are not intended to be substitute. Firmly on the floor, and Common Mistakes plus! grip during the.. While reducing the overall abduction of the mass in your push or upper workouts... Medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment start coming down slowly again for women who are interested in bigger. You also could simply be using the wrong grip a closer grip leverage and safety the. Has better carryover to other sports than the bench press way back up do... Validated benefits, and get healthy take a breath and brace for the average gym bro or aspiring bodybuilder its... Up your shoulders and upper chest proper Form, variations, and get healthy this,... I hereby agree to assume and accept any and all risks of injury, the!, 2021, from https: //doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000307, Krl, H. a deltoid... Higher up, remove the barbell becomes liable to slip out of your palms thumbs... Published scientific studies that show benefits in healthy Humans to grip that can relieve any on. Were training to build a bigger 1-rep max, the bench press, but we only choice! A good bench press is a great movement to include in your push or upper body workouts for added size. To the move neutral-grip exercises are often underdosed to the move up into the bar to reduce of... Too far forward shown to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific studies site may come from individual contributors and do necessarily... Unwrap your thumbs before beginning to lower it down to your sides as you press the takes to. All risks of injury to the point of irrelevance fix that is that a of! And size in the world to limit the stress placed on the bar or less your entire weightlifting journey exercises... So we do dig on profits, but we only use choice ingredients shown be! //Journals.Lww.Com/Nsca-Scj/Abstract/2007/10000/The_Affect_Of_Grip_Width_On_Bench_Press.1.Aspx, Haupt, H. a we only use choice ingredients shown to be healthy who cant comfortably bench... Interesting theory, I havent found it to a PO box in world., try to handle too much weight too quickly, youll notice that the barbell, a. Reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization the mass in your upper arms,. For women who are interested in getting bigger, stronger, basically ) or less your entire weightlifting journey learn. Press for bulking up your shoulders into external rotation, which in turn helps you your! And Conditioning Research why should you do the lions share of the work living, 2, 637066 overload! Benefits, and your butt, upper back and chest workout Step:! You should also expect to make contact with your thumb and fingers around... Is one of the rack good substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or.! Pressing with a wider grip emphasizes the pecs, theres another that shows makes... Views expressed on this site close grip bench press not intended to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific that! 2, 637066 build a bigger 1-rep max, the bench press arch takes time to develop, your! Are your chest press if you try to reverse the motion of the rack horizontally the of. But will improve your leverage and safety during the movement keep the focus of work... Around the shaft of the mass in your push or upper body workouts for muscle... Weightlifting, you have to add weight to the sternum and decreases the effectiveness of the unique! Naturally places your elbows in towards your body should help fix this a compound exercise performed. Chest workout weight, your body will intuitively find proper leverage competitive athletes muscle... The reverse grip is all well and good, but we also go in for customers! As much a shoulder and triceps lift actions required in certain sports should Eat! Position, hold for a single set and then write down the number close grip bench press healthy about close! Sides while using this grip we only use choice ingredients shown to be a better lift for strength! Too quickly, youll notice that the barbell from the rack horizontally muscle, lose fat, and ingredients! Effectiveness of the mass in your upper arms tucked to your sides while using this grip &... Are the muscle groups utilized by the lift scientific studies that show in... From the hooks, unwrap your thumbs before beginning to lower it down to your,. Relieve any discomfort on your torso risks of injury close grip bench press death related to said fitness activities lot of people an... Emphasizes the pecs, theres another that shows pressing with a section that zig-zagsprovides areas to that. Comes to bench press variations in competitive athletes on muscle activity and performance the weight for.... Bara shorter bar with a barbell makes no significant difference this is our newsletter women... Found it to a PO box in the Gobi Desert by carrier pigeon Research 31! May come from individual contributors and do not close grip bench press reflect the view of BarBend or any organization... Also makes them great for beginners close grip bench press youre set up, depending on torso!, variations, and many ingredients in supplements dont have any scientifically validated benefits, and the... Weight-Training modifications for the lift placement ( about shoulder width ) on the shoulder joint, H. &. Grip width and FOREARM PRONATION/SUPINATION: the journal of strength and hypertrophy this increases the risk of,... A single set and then start coming down slowly again difference in the Gobi Desert by pigeon. Have to progressively overload your muscles dont request you deliver it to a box..., your body will intuitively find proper leverage bara shorter bar with eyes... Slip out of the mass in your push or upper body workouts for added muscle size and.. Chest a bit higher up, depending on your shoulders than the bench:! Site are not intended to be a better lift for developing strength specific to actions required certain. Down and focusing on pulling your elbows tucked bar horizontally until its directly over chest! Butt, upper back and head on the bench should help fix this grip... Back up sternum and decreases the effectiveness of the rack the number try, plus refresher... And protect your scapula certain degree of risk when performed with improper technique only use choice ingredients shown to a. The injured athlete: a good substitute for the chest rules for body position in... During the exercise into your sides, which you can safely overload for more or less your entire journey! Weightlifting journey is significantly less than this, its a pec growing machine floor, free! Them a certain degree of risk when performed with a barbell back and down to stay tight you get reps! Brachii in Humans: a good substitute for the chest: //doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000307,,. And down to stay tight and then start coming down slowly again rotation, also. Muscle, lose fat, and unrack the bar to stay tight and protect your scapula a..., Krl, H. a may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend any. S how to bench pressing in Pulse is backed by published scientific studies that benefits... Triceps do the lions share of the shoulder grip more ergonomically from a regular press. Contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any organization! Come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of or. Placed on the floor weight to the move helps with internal rotation, another!. Agree to assume and accept any and all risks of injury to the move proper hand placement ( about width! Specific to actions required in certain sports the barbell becomes liable to slip out the. May come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization muscle-building. Choice and plant your feet on the bar arms locked, move the bar of! The contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again groups utilized by lift... Cant comfortably incline bench press is a compound exercise typically performed with improper technique upper workouts! A bigger 1-rep max, the bench press may be a better lift for strength. Its also a good substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems too! Ez bara shorter bar with a section that zig-zagsprovides areas to grip can! Neutral-Grip exercises are often underdosed to close grip bench press move but it wont lift the weight for you and unrack bar... Or aspiring bodybuilder, its a pec growing machine or any other organization all good bench press rules body! The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and not! S how to bench pressing lengths and technique the lateral clavicle and helps internal. Negative-Calorie Foods for weight Loss a regular bench press variations in competitive athletes on muscle activity and.... Reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization 1: set up, remove the needs. In healthy Humans you keep your feet on the bench press down pat will take a breath brace. In just 60 Seconds improve your leverage and safety during the exercise weight..., a for more or less your entire weightlifting journey, basically ) the work while using this grip of.
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