How to do a close-grip bench press: grip width, triceps or chest, and your wrists, elbows and shoulders

A bench press with a shoulder-width grip

Hands about shoulder-width apart, in line with your shoulders, elbows close to your ribs as the bar comes down to your lower chest. Not hands together: the studies used about shoulder width.

Source 1

Chest, triceps and front shoulders

It works the same muscles as the bench press. Narrowing the grip shifted a little work towards the triceps in some studies and changed little in others, so the difference is small.

Sources 2, 3, 4

About 5 to 10% lighter

Most studies found people lifted about 5 to 10% less with a close grip than with their normal one, though 20 trained women lifted slightly more.

Sources 4, 5, 6, 7

For bigger triceps, add an extension

In 43 young men, bench pressing grew the outer (lateral) head of the triceps and lying extensions grew the long head, so a press plus an extension covers the whole muscle.

Source 8

How many

3 sets of 6 to 10, stopping 2 or 3 reps short of failure, with 2 to 3 minutes' rest: our editorial range, within our tricep workout's 3 sets of 6 to 8 and the 6 to 10 our pain guides use. Set the safety arms and never press heavy alone, as our bench press guide says.

Your joints

No study has measured wrist loads in the bench press. For the shoulders there's one computer model: grips under 1.5 times shoulder width lowered the load on the top of the shoulder, but the narrowest grip with tucked elbows raised another force. Close-grip presses can aggravate triceps tendon pain at the elbow.

Source 9

Hands in line with your shoulders

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) describes the grip with the hands directly in line with the shoulders and the elbows pointing towards the feet, kept close to the ribs as the bar comes down.

Source 1

How wide the studies gripped

The "narrow" grips in the studies were about the width across the bony points of the shoulders (about 40 to 42 cm in men), 95% of it, or the distance between the armpits. The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) library suggests slightly narrower than shoulder width; we follow ACE and the studies.

Sources 3, 5, 6, 4, 10

What it works

Your chest, triceps and the front of your shoulders. Across 14 bench studies, the chest and triceps worked at similar levels, both more than the front shoulder. A narrower grip worked the biceps less and, in some studies, the triceps a little more.

Sources 11, 4, 2

Muscle activity isn't growth

Grip studies mostly use EMG (electromyography: electrodes measuring how hard a muscle works over a few reps). It isn't a validated predictor of which exercise grows a muscle more, so treat these numbers as clues, not verdicts.

Source 12

Grip width changes muscle activity only a littleMixed evidence

In 12 men holding presses, a narrower grip raised triceps activity and lowered lower-chest activity, with small changes. In 12 elite bench pressers only the biceps differed, 25.9 to 30.5% lower with a narrow grip. In 28 men the triceps worked less with a wide grip than a medium or narrow one, with no difference between narrow and medium. Between 81 and 40 cm grips, the chest-to-triceps ratio hardly changed in 14 men. The studies disagree, and the differences are small.

Sources 2, 3, 4, 13

Chest and triceps work at similar levelsEmerging evidence

A review of 14 bench press studies found the chest and triceps worked at similar levels, both more than the front shoulder, and the load lifted mattered most.

Source 11

Pressing grows a different part of the tricepsEmerging evidence

In 43 young men, bench pressing (normal grip) grew the chest and the outer head of the triceps more than lying triceps extensions alone, while the extensions grew the long head more. The group that only benched didn't grow its whole triceps significantly. No trial has compared grip widths for growth.

Source 8

Benching grows the chest more than the tricepsEmerging evidence

Ten weeks of bench pressing grew the chest, front shoulder and triceps in 24 men, the chest most. In 7 untrained men over 24 weeks, chest thickness rose from the first week and triceps thickness only from the fifth.

Sources 14, 15

Less triceps activity than dipsEmerging evidence

In an ACE-funded study of 15 women with lifting experience, the close-grip bench drew 62% of the diamond push-up's triceps activity, among the lowest of eight exercises, while dips on a low bench drew 87%. It measured one set, not growth, and wasn't peer reviewed.

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About 5 to 10% less weight, but not alwaysMixed evidence

6-rep maxes were 7.0 to 8.4% lower with a narrow grip in 28 men, and medium and wide grips 5.8 to 11.1% heavier in 12 athletes. 1-rep maxes were 103.7 kg against 108.9 and 109.8 kg in 14 men, and 83.0 against 87.4 kg in 27 trained people. But 20 trained women lifted 55.2 kg close-grip against 52.7 kg wide, 54 men on a Smith machine lifted the same across grips, and reps to failure at 75% didn't change with grip in 19 men.

Sources 4, 3, 5, 6, 7, 17, 18

A faster barEmerging evidence

The close grip moved the bar faster in 27 trained people and peaked in power at a lighter load, about 30% of the maximum against 50% for the normal grip. The close-grip and normal maximums were closely related in 20 men.

Sources 6, 19, 20

The top of the shoulder: one computer modelMixed evidence

In a model built on experienced lifters using a light 16 kg bar, grips under 1.5 times shoulder width lowered compression at the joint on top of the shoulder (the AC joint) and backward shear at the main shoulder joint. But a 1-times grip with the elbows tucked to 45 degrees raised an upward shearing force, and the authors suggest avoiding that with pain under the top of the shoulder. Wider grips raised joint loads. There are no injury data.

Source 9

Your focus may matter a littleEmerging evidence

In 18 men lifting 50% of their maximum, thinking about the triceps raised triceps activity a little at a narrow grip. It's a small, one-session effect.

Source 21

About shoulder width

Your hands in line with your shoulders, the width the studies used. That's at the narrow end of the normal bench grip, which our bench press guide puts at about 1 to 1.5 times the width across the bony points of your shoulders.

Sources 1, 3, 5

Not hands together

No study has tested grips narrower than the shoulders, and narrow and medium grips worked the triceps alike in one study. Hands touching bends your wrists back and lets your elbows flare, so going closer adds strain rather than proven triceps work (our reading). NASM also warns against extremely narrow grips.

Sources 4, 10

Elbows close, not clamped

Keep your elbows closer to your ribs than in your normal bench, pointing towards your feet. If the top or front of your shoulder pinches, widen your grip a little rather than clamping your elbows in, since the narrowest grip with tightly tucked elbows raised an upward force in the shoulder model (our reading).

Sources 1, 9

Wrists and thumbs

Hold the bar low in your palm with your wrists stacked over your elbows, and wrap your thumbs round it, as our bench press guide teaches: a thumbless grip lets the bar roll out of your hands.

Both, plus the front of your shoulders

It's a chest, triceps and front-shoulder press. The close grip may shift a little work to the triceps, but the studies disagree and the differences are small.

Sources 11, 2, 4

Which head of the triceps

Bench pressing grew the outer (lateral) head more than lying extensions did, and the extensions grew the long head more, in one trial of 43 young men. That's a normal-grip bench press; the close grip hasn't been tested on its own.

Source 8

For bigger triceps

Pair the press with an extension, ideally one with your arm overhead: our tricep extension guide covers the trial in which overhead extensions grew the triceps more. Our tricep workout does exactly that.

Source 8

Sets and reps

3 sets of 6 to 10 after a lighter warm-up set: our editorial range, within our tricep workout and bench press strength workout (3 sets of 6 to 8) and the 3 sets of 6 to 10 our shoulder and triceps pain guides use.

How hard

Stop 2 or 3 reps short of failure: 2 or 3 RIR (reps in reserve: how many more reps you could have done). Leave 3 or 4 in your first two weeks. Going to failure added a trivial amount of growth at most across 15 studies, and people underestimate the reps they have left by about 1.

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Rest

2 to 3 minutes, as our tricep workout (2 minutes) and bench press strength workout (2 to 3 minutes) use. A review found a small growth benefit from resting more than about 60 seconds.

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Starting weight

Find it with the starting-weight method our plans use: a weight you could lift 10 to 12 times. Expect it to be about 5 to 10% lighter than your normal-grip bench for the same reps.

Sources 4, 5, 6

How often, and weekly sets

Once or twice a week, first on a triceps day or after your heavy bench. Each set counts as a chest set and about half a triceps set: in a review of 67 studies, counting presses as half a set for the arms fitted the growth data best. About 10 or more hard sets a week builds a muscle, and how often you train it made little difference when weekly sets matched.

Sources 25, 26, 27, 28

Hands too close

Hands touching or a few inches apart bends your wrists back and lets your elbows flare (coaching practice). Use about shoulder width, as the studies did.

Elbows flaring wide

Keep them closer to your ribs than in your normal bench; if your shoulder pinches, widen your grip a little.

Source 1

The bar comes down too high

Lowering to your upper chest or neck. Lower to your lower chest with your elbows close, as our move page shows.

Bent-back wrists

Stack your wrists over your elbows with the bar low in your palm, as our bench press guide teaches.

Bouncing or lifting your hips

Touch your chest and press, with your hips pressed into the bench.

Source 1

A thumbless grip

Wrap your thumbs round the bar so it can't roll out of your hands, as our bench press guide says.

Dips and diamond push-ups

In one study they drew more triceps activity than the close-grip bench, which lets you lift more weight. Our dips guide covers dips; with shoulders that dislike deep dips, the close-grip press is the usual swap, as our chest and triceps workout suggests.

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Skull crushers and other extensions

Extensions isolate the triceps and grew the long head more than pressing in one trial. Our tricep extension guide covers them; do a press and an extension rather than choosing one.

Source 8

The JM press

A cross between a close-grip press and a skull crusher, with the bar coming down towards your throat: use a spotter or safety bars, as its move page warns, at 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15.

Sensible, not proven

Your close-grip maximum is closely tied to your bench, and the close grip moves the bar faster, but no training trial shows it raises the bench more than extra bench sets do. Our increase bench press guide uses it as one assistance move among several.

Sources 20, 6

Where it fits

Our bench press strength workout puts 3 sets of 6 to 8 after the heavy bench, or pin presses at your sticking point. Count it among the 5 to 10 hard bench sets a week our increase bench press guide suggests.

Wrists: no evidence either way

No study has measured wrist loads in the bench press or tested grip width against wrist pain, as our wrist pain when lifting guide says. Coaching pages warn that extremely narrow grips add wrist stress, without evidence. Stack your wrists over your elbows and keep your hands about shoulder-width apart.

Source 10

Elbows: the triceps tendon

Discomfort up to about 3 to 4 out of 10 during the exercise, settling within an hour and no worse the next morning, is acceptable, as our tricep extension guide says; otherwise go lighter. Close-grip presses can aggravate triceps tendon pain: our triceps tendinopathy guide removes them and brings them back at about half your old working weight.

Shoulders: one computer model

In the model, grips under 1.5 times shoulder width lowered the load on the top of the shoulder, which may suit pain there, but the narrowest grip with the elbows tucked to 45 degrees raised another force the authors suggest avoiding with pain under the top of the shoulder. Our shoulder pain when bench pressing guide covers both.

Source 9

Sore shoulders

Keep pain during exercise to about 5 out of 10 or less, settling by your next session, the rule our shoulder guides use. See a GP if shoulder pain gets worse or doesn't improve after 2 weeks.

Source 29

Pregnancy

Follow our pregnancy guide, and breathe out on the effort rather than holding your breath. In later pregnancy the NHS advises against lying flat on your back for more than a few minutes; an incline or seated press avoids it (our reading).

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High blood pressure, heart conditions and eye conditions

Breathe out as you press and keep the weights moderate, as our breathing guide says. With controlled blood pressure, the American Heart Association considers low- to moderate-intensity strength training with proper breathing safe.

Source 31

Triceps tendon pain or a sore shoulder

Follow our triceps tendinopathy and shoulder pain when bench pressing guides, which say when to leave the close-grip press out and how to bring it back.

Stop and get medical help

If you get chest pain or pressure, feel faint or dizzy, are unusually breathless, or your heart races or beats irregularly during exercise, as our plans advise. The American Heart Association says these need immediate medical evaluation.

Source 31

Call 999 (911 in the US)

For chest pain that feels tight, heavy or squeezing, or spreads to your arms, neck, jaw or back; arm pain that comes on suddenly with pressure, heaviness or squeezing across your chest; a headache that starts suddenly and is extremely painful, especially while lifting or straining; someone who faints while exercising; palpitations that don't go away, or come with chest pain, breathlessness or feeling faint; severe difficulty breathing; or angina pain that doesn't stop after rest and your medicine. Don't drive yourself to A&E.

Sources 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40

Check before lifting heavy

If you haven't exercised for some time or have a medical condition, speak to your GP first, as the NHS advises. Get advice before heavy lifting if your blood pressure is uncontrolled, or you have heart disease or chest pain when you're active, a pacemaker or defibrillator, diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, a hernia, recent eye or tummy surgery, or you're pregnant, as our breathing guide lists.

Sources 41, 31

After a faint, or dizziness that keeps coming back

See a GP after any faint, and for dizziness that won't go away or keeps coming back.

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A pop at the front of the armpit: get checked the same day

Same day (NHS 111 or an urgent treatment centre): a pop or tearing at the front of the armpit or chest during a lift, a dip or a tackle, followed by bruising into the chest or upper arm, a change in the shape of the chest or armpit (a thinner or lost armpit fold, or a chest or nipple that looks uneven), or weakness pushing. Don't wait for it to settle: it can be a torn pec tendon. In the US, go to urgent care.

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Go to an urgent treatment centre or A&E: your arm

If you've injured your arm and heard a snap, or it has changed shape; if you have severe pain in your arm and it's difficult to move; or if your arm tingles or feels numb. Our triceps guides add a snap at the back of the elbow with sudden weakness straightening your arm: don't wait to see if it settles. In the US, go to urgent care or the emergency department.

Source 34

Get help from NHS 111: your arm

If your arm hurts when you exercise but the pain goes away when you rest. See a GP if elbow or arm pain doesn't go away after a few weeks.

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Contact NHS 111: your wrist

For severe wrist pain; feeling faint, dizzy or sick from the pain; a snap, grinding or popping noise at the time of the injury; not being able to move your wrist or hold things; a wrist that has changed shape or colour; or lost feeling in part or all of your hand. See a GP for wrist pain that stops your normal activities, keeps coming back or hasn't improved after 2 weeks.

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Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111: your shoulder

For sudden or very bad shoulder pain; if you can't move your arm; if the shoulder has changed shape or is badly swollen; for pins and needles that don't go away or no feeling in the arm; if the arm is hot or cold to touch; for pain after an injury or in both shoulders; or if you feel feverish or unwell.

Source 29

A pulled muscle

A sudden sharp pain in a muscle during a set may be a strain. Get help from NHS 111 or an urgent treatment centre if it's very painful or getting worse, there's a lot of swelling or bruising, you can't use it normally, it's very stiff, or it isn't getting better with self-care.

Source 45

"The close-grip bench press wrecks your wrists"Emerging evidence

No study has measured wrist loads in the bench press or tested grip width against wrist pain, either way. Hands about shoulder-width apart, the bar low in your palm and your wrists stacked over your elbows is the set-up ACE and the studies used. Very narrow grips bend the wrists more, which is our reading rather than a measurement.

Sources 10, 1, 3

"The closer your hands, the more it works your triceps"Emerging evidence

A narrow grip about shoulder-width and a medium grip worked the triceps alike in 28 men, grip width changed activity only a little in other studies, and the chest-to-triceps ratio barely moved between 81 and 40 cm. No study has tested grips narrower than the shoulders.

Sources 4, 2, 13

"The close-grip bench builds your inner chest"Emerging evidence

Chest activity stayed the same or dropped a little with a narrower grip, and no study found more "inner chest" work.

Sources 2, 3, 4

"Close-grip is always easier on your shoulders"Mixed evidence

In one computer model, grips under 1.5 times shoulder width lowered loads on the top of the shoulder, but the narrowest grip with tucked elbows raised an upward shearing force the authors suggest avoiding with pain under the top of the shoulder. There are no injury studies.

Source 9

"It's a triceps exercise"Emerging evidence

It's a chest, triceps and front-shoulder press: the chest and triceps work at similar levels, and in a bench training trial the chest grew more than the triceps. For triceps size, pair it with an extension.

Sources 11, 8, 14

"Close-grip benching will raise your bench"Mixed evidence

It's closely related to your bench and moves the bar faster, but no training trial shows it raises the bench more than extra bench sets do, as our increase bench press guide says.

Sources 6, 20

"You can't build pressing strength without a barbell"Strong evidence

An overview of 137 reviews found the type of equipment didn't consistently change strength or muscle gains, and the American Heart Association says body weight training can be as effective as machines or free weights. The home trials are small: push-ups matched the bench press in three, and bands matched weights across 8 trials. You get strongest on the kit you train with, as our free weights against machines guide says, so bench with a bar if a heavy bench is your goal.

Sources 26, 31, 46, 47, 48, 49