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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:

  1. Incline Bench: Adjust the bench to a 30-45 degree angle.
  2. Barbell Placement: Position the loaded barbell in the rack at a height that allows for a comfortable unrack from the incline position.
  3. 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.
  4. 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:

  1. Controlled Lowering: Take a deep breath and slowly lower the barbell towards your upper chest, keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body.
  2. Touch and Pause: Allow the barbell to gently touch your sternum (breastbone) while avoiding any bouncing.
  3. Press Upward: Exhale and explosively press the barbell back up to the starting position, extending your arms but not locking out your elbows.
  4. 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