Bench Press

The close grip bench press is sometimes known as the narrow grip bench press and is a variation of the standard bench press. The only difference between the closed grip variation and the standard technique is that your hands are much closer together which in some cases enables the lifter to lift heavier weights compared to lifting with the standard bench pressing technique. The close grip bench press is very intensive on your chest, shoulders and especially the triceps. Just by moving your arms closer together, it’s surprising how different the workout is and the varying muscle groups being worked in each exercise.

Equipment Needed
The equipment required to perform the close grip bench press is similar to the equipment required for the standard bench press technique. You will need a flat weights bench which is comfortable and suits your needs and weights with sufficiently supported uprights. You will also require the barbell and sufficient weights on the barbell, placing too much weight for your ability on the barbell can cause an accident and even a serious injury.

Performing the Close Grip Bench Press
In order to perform the close grip bench press you will need to place your desired amount of weights on the barbell, start off low if you are inexperienced in performing this particular lift. You will then need to lie down flat on the weights bench and place your hands on the barbell at around 12 inches apart. Slowly lift the barbell of the support hooks and lower the barbell to your chest, then lift the barbell up whilst keeping your shoulders close to your body and making sure you do not lock your elbows at the top of the lift as this can cause a lot of discomfort. Repeat these steps for as many repetitions as you feel comfortable with. Whilst performing the close grip bench press you will need to make sure you are stable on the weights bench, the best way to do this is to have your feet flat on the floor and widely separated from each other, and this will give you much more stabilization whilst lifting weights in the close grip bench press position.

Safety Advice
The best piece of advice is only lift what you can manage, and only do as many repetitions as you can manage, over eagerness and over confidence is accountable for a lot of injuries caused in these types of exercises. It is also advised the lifter has a spotter to support them whilst lifting just in case you get into some trouble.

The benefits of the close grip bench press are that you can usually lift more than you normally would when using the standard bench pressing technique. The close grip is very useful for building up the chest, but the area it concentrates the most on is the triceps. So if you are looking to develop those areas of the body, the close grip bench press could be the perfect exercise for you.