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Exercise Guide
How to do barbell incline close grip bench press
Master the setup, range of motion, and tempo for safer, more effective reps.
This exercise combines the benefits of incline pressing with the triceps focus of a close grip. By pressing on an incline, you target the upper chest, while the narrow hand placement shifts significant load onto the triceps. It is an excellent compound movement for building upper body pressing power, enhancing the size of the arms, and improving lockout strength for standard bench press variations.
Stats
TIER
3
DIFFICULTY
Intermediate to Advanced
EQUIPMENT
Barbell, Bench Press
TARGET MUSCLES
Triceps, Front Shoulder, Chest
Instructions for Proper Form
Setup:
- Incline Bench: Adjust the bench to a 30-45 degree angle.
- Barbell Placement: Position the loaded barbell in the rack at a height that allows for a comfortable unrack from the incline position.
- Close Grip: Lie back on the bench and grasp the barbell with a close grip, hands roughly shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower. Ensure your wrists are in a neutral position.
- Unrack and Position: Unrack the barbell and hold it directly above your shoulders with your arms straight. Engage your core and retract your shoulder blades.
The Lift:
- Controlled Lowering: Take a deep breath and slowly lower the barbell towards your upper chest, keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body.
- Touch and Pause: Allow the barbell to gently touch your sternum (breastbone) while avoiding any bouncing.
- Press Upward: Exhale and explosively press the barbell back up to the starting position, extending your arms but not locking out your elbows.
- Repeat: Hold the barbell briefly at the top, reset your position, and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tips:
- Foot Placement: Plant your feet firmly on the floor for stability and power.
- Maintain Tension: Keep your muscles engaged throughout the entire movement, avoiding any relaxation at the top or bottom of the lift.
- Elbow Position: The close grip will naturally bring your elbows closer to your body throughout the movement.
- Breathing: Remember to breathe deeply, inhaling as you lower the bar and exhaling forcefully as you press it back up.
Common mistakes: Bouncing the bar off the chest, flaring the elbows out wide which strains the shoulders, and unevenly pressing the bar.
Alternatives
Bench
dumbbell incline triceps extension
Triceps
Cable
cable one arm tricep pushdown
Triceps
Cable
cable pushdown(with rope)
Triceps
Cable
cable one arm side triceps pushdown
Triceps
Bench
barbell incline triceps extension
Triceps
Cable
cable bent overhead tricep extension
Triceps
Cable
cable overhead triceps extension
Triceps
Dumbbell
dumbbell incline two arm triceps extension
Triceps
Cable
cable lying triceps extension(low)
Triceps
Cable
cable reverse grip triceps pushdown(sz-bar)
Triceps
Bench
barbell seated overhead triceps extension
Triceps
Dumbbell
dumbbell seated triceps extension
Triceps
Dumbbell
dumbbell one arm tricep extension
Triceps
Cable
cable lying triceps extension
Triceps
Bench
barbell lying triceps extension
Triceps
Triceps Extension Machine
machine triceps extension
Triceps
Cable
cable triceps pushdown(SZ bar)
Triceps
Decline Bench
ez-barbell decline triceps extension
Triceps
Dumbbell
dumbbell one arm kickback
Triceps
Bench
dumbbell triceps kickback
Triceps
Dip Bar
weighted triceps dips
TricepsChest+1
None
dips on chair
TricepsChest+1
Barbell
barbell incline close grip bench press
TricepsFront Shoulder+1
None
kneeling triceps extension
Triceps
Dumbbell
dumbbell lying triceps extension
Triceps
Ez Barbell
ez-barbell incline triceps extension
Triceps
Dumbbell
dumbbell seated triceps extension
Triceps
Cable
cable triceps pushdown(v-bar)
Triceps
Smith Machine
smit-machine close grip bench press
TricepsChest+1
Bench
barbell close grip bench press
TricepsChest+1