The Close Grip Bench Press – Build Those Triceps!
The Close Grip Bench Press is one of the best exercises you can do for building triceps size and strength. It’s an easy exercise to do, and you can use a lot of weight. In this edition of Exercise Spotlight, you will find out how to get the most from this great exercise. Plus, I’ve included a sample routine, supplement tips, and nutrition tips. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get going!
What Is The Close Grip Bench Press
The Close Grip Bench Press is like the regular Bench Press except you’re using a closer grip, which puts the focus on the triceps. As you no doubt know, the triceps brachii is the largest muscle of the upper arm (it’s not the biceps, sorry!).
The Muscles Worked
As noted, this is a compound exercise, so you’re not just hitting all 3 heads of the triceps, you’re also hitting the chest and the front deltoids, with the biceps brachii acting as a stabilizer. (1, 2)
The Horseshoe!
You can’t really have a triceps article without mentioning the “horseshoe” shape you will find on any great pair of triceps. So what is the “horseshoe”? Well, first you have to be lean enough to be able to see it. That said, it is the U-shaped look of the triceps, more precisely the lateral and long heads.
Achieving this look comes from making sure you are hitting all 3 heads—especially the lateral head. You should have a balance of exercises in your triceps routine, including a heavy compound lift such as the close grip bench press. Also include overhead extensions, triceps dips, and pressdowns. Always make sure your form is correct, you’re using a full range of motion with enough weight to fail at or near your rep goal, and that you’re using the rep tempo I will suggest soon.
A Quick Look At The Close Grip Bench Press
| Close Grip Bench Press | Muscles Worked | Tempo | Best For |
| Compound exercise | All 3 heads of the triceps | 2 second concentric | Strength |
| You can use a lot of weight | Moderate horseshoe emphasis | 4-6 second eccentric | Size |
| Use first in your routine | 4 second hold in the fullystretched position | Use it with progressive overload | |
How To Do The Close Grip Bench Press
- Grip – Use a grip just shy of shoulder-width apart to maximize triceps involvement and ensure wrist comfort. Don’t go too narrow with your grip, doing so puts stress on the wrist and may affect balance. Having said that, you may have to experiment with hand spacing to get the best results. (3)
- Positioning – Lie on a flat bench with your eyes under the bar, feet planted firmly on the ground, and shoulders pinned back.
- Lowering – This description assumes you’re using a power rack, so you start with the bar at lockout. Slowly lower the bar to the lower part of your chest, keeping elbows tucked close to your torso (not flared out).
- Pressing – Press the bar upward, focusing on engaging your triceps, lower as indicated above, repeat.
How To Use It In Your Routine
Typically, this routine will be performed after chest and shoulders, so your tri’s will be completely warmed up. You can start your triceps routine with this exercise – always perform your heaviest exercises first so you can use enough weight. Save the lighter isolation stuff for the end of your routine.
Sample Routine # 1
Close Grip Bench Press
2 sets – 6-8 reps
One-Dumbbell Overhead Extension
2 sets x 6-8 reps
Tricep Pressdowns
2 sets x 6-8 reps
Performance Notes
Use a full range of motion, no half or quarter reps! I suggest this tempo: 4-6 second eccentric contraction, 2 second concentric contraction, and a 4 second pause in the fully stretched position (just shy of the bottom of the range of motion).
Make sure you understand how to do this exercise. Good form is the key with this and every compound exercise! I see “exercise authorities” claiming that this or that compound exercise is “dangerous”. Nonsense. You simply need to understand how to do it, and then work with a realistic weight. What’s dangerous are the meatheads that have no clue what they’re doing and use way too much weight!
Pick a weight that allows you to fail within the prescribed rep range. If you stop at 8 reps when you could have done 12, you aren’t working hard. Put more weight on the bar and get to work!
Use progressive overload! Add weight when you can do 2 more reps on your last set for 2 workouts in a row.
Rest 60-120 seconds between sets. No sitting on the bench glued to your phone for 10-15 minutes between sets!
Sample Routine # 2
This routine has 2 more sets, and you’re hitting your tri’s with 3 compound exercises in a row, winding it up with pressdowns using a rope attachment. For more advanced lifters, you can add sets if you really think you need to, but I suggest working hard enough on the sets as listed. As noted, if you can just pound out set after endless set, how hard are you really training?
Close Grip Bench Press
2 sets – 6-8 reps
1-Dumbbell Extension
2 sets x 6-8 reps
Triceps Dip Machine
2 sets x 6-8 reps
Tricep Rope Pressdowns
2 sets x 6-8 reps
Performance Notes
Same as above!
Add These Supplements
First, go with a great pre-workout: Gorilla Mind Gorilla Mode. This now legendary Pre took the market by surprise by dosing citrulline much higher than anyone else. The innovative at the time high citrulline dose started the current citrulline dosing wars, and this Pre is the sole reason you now see any serious pre-workout with as much as 10 grams of citrulline per serving. That’s not the only exceptionally dosed ingredient in Gorilla Mode, as it has set the standard for higher dosing across the board. And there is much more to this Pre with its balanced formula!
In 2026, we’re facing high prices on everything. That might mean you’re in the market for a more value-minded pre-workout. That would be the new “core” pre-workout category, which is a value priced Pre with a streamlined yet effective formula. Enter NutraBio Base, one of the best “core” pre-workouts currently on the market. Of course, since it’s made by NutraBio, it has an extremely transparent label. NutraBio pretty much invented the concept of full label transparency. Pick up any NutraBio product container and you can clearly see everything that goes into it, and that includes all the “Other Ingredients” such as the flavoring and sweeteners.
OK, so up next is a high-quality protein powder. I always suggest Hi-Tech Precision Protein. Here we have a hydrolyzed whey protein powder supplying 25 grams of protein per serving. Precision Protein is superior to any other protein powder on the market. Why is that? Because it features a patented technology formulated to release leucine, the most anabolic of any amino acid, in the first stages of protein synthesis. As you most likely know, protein synthesis is a direct trigger of muscle growth, and as it happens, leucine is one of the most potent compounds involved in stimulating protein synthesis.
From there, I recommend adding creatine monohydrate powder to your supplement program. As you know, if you’re using Gorilla Mode (you are, right?) it already provides 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per serving. But you need to take creatine on your off-days, so I suggest AllMax Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate, featuring patented CreaSyn® micronized creatine, an ultra-pure, highly absorbable creatine.
Finally, I suggest using a good multivitamin/mineral formula – which you can think of as very good health insurance. One of the best and most complete multis on the market, Myogenix Myo Vite supplies a whopping 7 nutrient complexes per serving – there aren’t many multis that can touch this!
Workout Nutrition Blueprint – Strategic Carb Intake
I advise focusing on complex carbs, keeping your total daily intake to 1 to 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight. I also recommend eating roughly 50% of your day’s carbs (and all of your day’s simple carbs) in the hours that surround your workout. Of course, you should be eating a clean, low sugar diet, and keeping fat intake in check, focusing on healthy fats. For fats, think 20% of total daily calories.
What about protein? Well, I suggest at least 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight for all serious lifters. In addition, I advise spacing out your protein intake evenly throughout the day. For example, here’s how that could look: 3 main meals and 2-3 protein shakes with, say, an apple or a healthy granola bar. This approach to protein timing makes sense and fits the average person’s daily routine. The shakes are convenient and will work for those of use with busy lifestyles. In fact, if you can’t make a main meal, grab that apple and shake – and if you don’t have time to eat an apple (believe me, I’ve been there), go with the shake.
Summary
The Close Grip Bench Press – it’s a powerful addition to your triceps routine! In this edition of Exercise Spotlight, you have example routines to try, performance tips to adhere to, plus supplement and nutrition tips. Before you hit the gym and blast those tri’s, stop by illpumpyouup.com and stock up on your supps!
References:
- https://exrx.net/WeightExercises/Triceps/BBCloseGripBenchPress
- https://www.physio-pedia.com/Triceps_brachii
- Lockie, R. G., Callaghan, S. J., Moreno, M. R., Risso, F. G., Liu, T. M., Stage, A. A., Birmingham-Babauta, S. A., Stokes, J. J., Giuliano, D. V., Lazar, A., Davis, D. L., & Orjalo, A. J. (2017). Relationships between Mechanical Variables in the Traditional and Close-Grip Bench Press. Journal of Human Kinetics, 60, 19–28. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0109