The close grip bench press is an type of exercise that include various muscle. During a bench press, individuals often plateau and experience the bar stopping during the lockout phase. The lockout phase involve extending the elbows to complete the exercise.
Instead of targeting the pectoral muscle, the close grip bench press targets the triceps. Because the triceps are the muscles responsible for the lockout phase, this exercise allow an individual to overcome the plateau that they may experience. To perform a close grip bench press, the individual has to place their hand more closer together then during a standard bench press.
How to Do the Close Grip Bench Press
The individual should place their hand around 14 to 18 inch apart, which is approximately the width of the individuals shoulders. If an individual places their hand too close together, their wrist will feel uncomfortably during the exercise. However, if they place their hand too far apart, the close grip bench press will be similar than a standard bench press.
During a close grip press, the elbows has to be tucked in close to the sides of the individual. Additionally, the individual has to lower the bar to a lower point on the chest compared to a standard bench press. The close grip bench press can lift around 85% of the weight that an individual can lift during a standard bench press.
However, due to the increased emphasis on the triceps, the close grip bench press will increase the demand on those muscles. During a close grip bench press, various muscles is engaged. The primary muscle that contracts are the triceps brachii.
The triceps brachii consists of three head: the long head, the lateral head, and the medial head. Additionally, other muscles that are engaged during the exercise are the anterior deltoids, the pectoral muscles, the anconeus, and the forearm muscle. Research demonstrate that an individual will increase the activation of their triceps by 35% when using a close grip as compared to a wide grip for a bench press exercise.
Additionally, the pectoral muscles will decrease in the participation in the exercise by 20% when an individual use a close grip on the barbell. Therefore, close grip bench press is an exercise that can increase the size of the triceps. There are various ways to program the close grip bench press based off the goals that an individual set for themselves.
For example, if the individual wants to exhibit more strength, they can perform three to five sets of five repetitions of the close grip bench press. The individual should lift 80 to 90% of their maximum weight for this set of exercises and rest for three minute between sets. For those interested in increasing their muscle size, also known as hypertrophy, they can perform eight to ten sets of four repetitions of the close grip bench press using 70 to 80% of their maximum weight.
Additionally, rest for 75 second between sets. An individual can also perform the close grip bench press as an accessory lift to their standard bench press exercise. Furthermore, they can perform close grip bench press to isolate the lockout portion of the bench press using partial repetition of the exercise.
Proper form when performing a close grip bench press is necessary to avoid injury to the body. For example, the individual’s starting hand position should be at the width of their shoulders. Additionally, they should ensure that their wrist is in a neutral starting position, in which their wrist do not bend.
The individual should also start in a position where their scapula is retracted and their back has a slight arch. The heels should be driven into the floor at the start of the exercise. The elbows should be tucked in at an angle of 30 to 45 degrees from the sides of the body.
The individual should exhale as they press the bar back to a lockout at the end of the range of motion. The three-second negative phase allow the individual to control the weight. If the bar bounce off the chest, the individual will lose tension.
If the individual lifts their hips or head while performing the exercise, they will lose their stability. There are various different type of close grip bench press exercise that an individual can use. For example, the most common close grip exercise use a barbell on a bench.
However, an individual can also use a Smith machine, especially if they are a beginner lifting weights. Furthermore, close grip bench press can use two dumbbells. Using two dumbbells allow the individual to use a neutral grip.
This grip is beneficial for individuals who often experience wrist pain during the exercise. Other type of close grip bench press include the paused close grip bench press and the floor press exercise. The paused close grip bench press allow an individual to build explosive strength in their muscles.
The floor press exercise allow an individual to focus on the lockout phase. An individual should of rotate the variations in four week so that they exhibit growth in their training program.
