How do you do close grip bench?

Asked by: Whitney Jackson

Lie flat on the bench using a close grip (about shoulder width). Lift the bar with assistance from the rack, arms locked, and holding bar straight over you. Inhale and slowly bring the bar down toward your chest keeping elbows close to your body for the entire exercise.

Is close grip bench worth doing?

In particular, the close grip bench press is a particularly important lift for anyone with shoulder concerns or athletes looking for more sport specific skill transfers and overall should not be ignored by those looking to improve their performance in the gym.

What muscles does the close grip bench work?

Summary. The close-grip bench press is an assistance lift for the bench press that puts more emphasis on the shoulders, upper chest, and triceps. These are the muscles that often limit our strength when we’re benching in lower rep ranges, and so it’s a great lift for helping you build a bigger bench press 1-rep max.

How do you get stronger at close grip bench?

The Fix: The simplest way to fix close-grip bench press grip width is to bring the hands above the shoulder joint when in a rack position with the barbell. For most lifters, this is typically the most comfortable position to ensure form is efficient and the width ranges between a 95-100% biacromial distance.

Should you arch on close grip bench?

This will help to properly stabilize your shoulder joint and prevent injuries. A good form cue for this is to think about squeezing your shoulder blades together and “putting them in your back pocket”. Maintaining a small arch in your lower back will help out with this as well.

Is close grip bench enough for chest?

The secondary muscles involved are your chest and shoulders. Using a narrow grip is shown to be a great alternative method to increase upper body pushing strength. Because the chest and shoulders assist the movement, the close grip press has the potential for heavier lift loads and maximum strength gains.

Where should I put my hands on close grip bench?

Lie on the bench with your feet flat on the floor and grip the barbell with your hands around shoulder-width apart. They can be slightly closer than that, but don’t move them too close together or the set-up will become unstable and you’ll risk an injury to your wrists.

Is close grip bench press BAD FOR shoulders?

Especially if you’re working with heavy weights, a grip that’s less than 6-8 inches apart can result in injuries to your wrists and shoulders. This is because a narrow grip internally rotates the shoulder joints, putting them in a bad position for stress and injury.