Step 1: Set your supports on the bench so you can unrack the barbell and be in proper position to perform the bench press.
Step 2: After loading the weights, lie on the bench with your spine in a neutral position. Position yourself on the bench so that the bar is directly over your eyes. For a close-grip bench press, place your hands 14-18 inches apart on the barbell. This is much narrower than a normal bench press. Keep your feet firmly on the floor, pinch your shoulder blades together and make sure your traps and upper back are tight. When grasping the bar, wrap your thumbs around the bar tightly and make sure your palms are facing forward.
Step 3: Keeping your elbows tucked, inhale and then unrack the weight, also ensuring your wrists remain in a neutral position. If using a spotter, have them assist you in unracking the weight to the starting point. While keeping your air in, lower the weight in a controlled motion with the bar in line with your mid-to-lower chest until the bar touches your chest. When doing a close grip press, keep your elbows tucked throughout the movement.
Step 4: After the bar touches your chest, press the weight back up in a straight line to its original starting position until your arms are locked out, exhaling only once the rep is completed. Keep your feet firmly on the floor throughout this movement, maintaining tightness throughout your lower body. Additionally, make sure your shoulder blades continue to be pushed together and your elbows are tucked, which is extremely important when using a closer grip.
Step 5: Take another breath between reps, exhaling only when reps are completed. Repeat until the desired reps are reached and then rack the weight, or have your spotter help you rack the weight in a controlled manner. Weight can be added to the bar between sets.
Benefits:
The bench press is often considered the king of all pressing movements, and for good reason. Using proper form, the bench press is an excellent exercise for developing your chest, triceps and shoulders.
The close-grip bench press could also be considered the king off all tricep movements when building mass.
With a close grip, there is more concentration placed on the triceps and this movement can be extremely effective in maximizing tricep development.
The triceps are recruited to a greater degree, which may mean you use less weight initially as well.
Keeping your elbows tucked is extremely important with a closer grip to keep your shoulders and elbows healthy, and to keep the concentration on the triceps.
Step 1: Place dumbbells at the end of the bench. Pick the dumbbells off the floor using a neutral grip (palms facing in) and, as you sit down on the bench, place the end of the dumbbell on each knee. When grasping the dumbbell, wrap your thumbs around it tightly. Have your bench angled between 30 and 45 degrees. Step 2: To get into position...
Step 1: Place dumbbells at the end of the bench. Pick the dumbbells off the floor using a neutral grip (palms facing in) and, as you sit down on the bench, place the end of the dumbbell on each knee. When grasping the dumbbell, wrap your thumbs around it tightly. Have your bench angled between 30 and 45 degrees. Step 2: To get into position...
Step 1: Place dumbbells at the end of the bench. Pick the dumbbells off the floor using a neutral grip (palms facing in) and, as you sit down on the bench, place the end of the dumbbell on each knee. When grasping the dumbbell, wrap your thumbs around it tightly. Have your bench angled between 30 and 45 degrees. Step 2: To get into position...
Step 1: Place dumbbells at the end of the bench. Pick the dumbbells off the floor using a neutral grip (palms facing in) and, as you sit down on the bench, place the end of the dumbbell on each knee. When grasping the dumbbell, wrap your thumbs around it tightly. Step 2: To get into position, rock back slightly, lifting up each leg to give...
Step 1: Place dumbbells at the end of the bench. Pick the dumbbells off the floor using a neutral grip (palms facing in) and, as you sit down on the bench, place the end of the dumbbell on each knee. When grasping the dumbbell, wrap your thumbs around it tightly. Step 2: To get into position, rock back slightly, lifting up each leg to give...
Step 1: Place dumbbells at the end of the bench. Pick the dumbbells off the floor using a neutral grip (palms facing in) and, as you sit down on the bench, place the end of the dumbbell on each knee. When grasping the dumbbell, wrap your thumbs around it tightly. Have your bench angled between 30 and 45 degrees. Step 2: To get into position...
Step 1: Place dumbbells at the end of the bench. Pick the dumbbells off the floor using a neutral grip (palms facing in) and, as you sit down on the bench, place the end of the dumbbell on each knee. When grasping the dumbbell, wrap your thumbs around it tightly. Step 2: To get into position, rock back slightly, lifting up each leg to give...
Step 1: Attach a single handle to the top pulley of both cable attachments and then stand in the middle of the cable machine. Firmly grasp each handle with your palms facing each other. Step 2: While standing in the middle, take a slight step forward (it doesn’t matter which foot) and slightly bend your torso forward from the waist....
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