Bench press close grip is an excellent multi-joint exercise that will increase the volume and strength of the triceps. I believe that without this exercise it is impossible to achieve truly serious hypertrophy of the muscles of the arms, since in it the athlete can work with quite serious weights, which is the main growth factor for our muscles, of course, subject to the correct technique for performing the movement. This exercise has undeniable benefits for both men who want to gain muscle mass and women who want to keep their muscles in good shape and just look good.
Difference from the classic version
In addition, this exercise is an excellent aid to the classic bench press. The lion's share of the load in the bench press falls on the triceps, about half of the movement of the barbell passes precisely due to its work, so it seems to me advisable to work out this aspect separately in order to increase the maximum result in the bench press. Remember what it depends on: on the competent distribution of the load within the entire training process, the recovery of injured muscle fibers and the whole body, and the performance of exercises auxiliary to the main movement.
So for all powerlifters and bench press, the close grip bench press is a must have.
In our article on bench press with a narrow grip, we will cover the following aspects:
- The benefits of doing this exercise;
- How to do a narrow grip bench press;
- Common mistakes beginners make;
- Recommendations for girls.
The benefits of exercise
The benefits of the exercise are obvious - the bench press with a narrow grip perfectly loads the medial head of the triceps, making it stronger and larger, due to which the visual volume of the hand is created, and the triceps just creates about 60% of its total volume. In addition, in this exercise, part of the load falls on the anterior deltas and the inner part of the pectoral muscles, the static load is borne by the muscles of the press and upper back.
Working in this exercise with decent weights, we also strengthen the ligaments of the elbow joints., which increases our record in the classic bench press. Having strong ligaments and tendons, it is easier for the athlete to control the apparatus throughout the entire approach, since he does not spend energy on stabilizing the bar and keeping it in balance. In addition, strong triceps allows you to pass the last precious 20-30 cm of amplitude in the bench press with a wide grip, which, as practice shows, is usually the most difficult. Therefore, all athletes who are fond of powerlifting and bench press will benefit from paying special attention to this exercise.
Correct exercise technique
Your entire result depends on how unquestioningly you follow the technique of performing the bench press with a narrow grip and "catch" the contraction of the required muscle groups, whether it is aimed at developing strength indicators or gaining muscle mass.
Let's look at the most common option in gyms for doing this exercise correctly on a horizontal bench.
Initial position
Sit on a bench so that the bar is at about eye level. We try to bring the shoulder blades together, the back of the head and pelvis are tightly pressed to the bench, for more control over the position of the body on the bench, statically tighten the buttocks. We rest our feet firmly on the floor, it is advisable to do this with the whole foot, focusing on the heels - this way your position will be more stable, but this moment depends on the flexibility of your ankle joints. Grasp the bar tightly with your hands, use a closed grip. The grip width is slightly narrower than shoulder width. The elbows should be slightly bent.
Straighten your elbows and remove the bar from the racks using the force of the triceps. This moment is the most traumatic for our wrists.
When working with serious weights in the bench press with a narrow grip, I recommend using special wrist supports made of stiff but stretchy material.
Now place the barbell over your lower chest, just short of your solar plexus.
Begin to smoothly lower the bar down until the bar touches your chest, taking a deep breath. The elbows should move as close to the body as possible, while placing them to the sides or trying to bring them in is fraught with injury.
Barbell bench press
When you touch the chest bar, start squeezing the bar up, making a powerful exhalation, pause on the chest in the bench press with a narrow grip is optional, since here we are pursuing slightly different tasks than developing the explosive strength of the pectoral muscles and the shoulder girdle. At this point, you will feel the contraction of the inner part of the chest and the medial triceps bundle. Perform one repetition, fully straightening your elbows and locking yourself for a second at the top, then lower the bar to your chest again, trying to work in the same trajectory.
If you want to increase the intensity of this exercise, try doing the bench press with a narrow grip, not fully straightening your elbows at the top and working non-stop in any position.
There is another variation of the narrow grip barbell press - lying on an incline benchhowever, this exercise has not gained mass popularity among gym goers due to its technical complexity. Indeed, it is quite difficult to "catch" the contraction of the muscle groups we need, with the right technique, the load is focused on the middle of the upper chest, the so-called "collar".
The main technical difference here is that you should try to put the barbell not on the lower part of the chest, but practically on the collarbone. In this case, it is not necessary to do the exercise in full amplitude (before touching the chest with the bar), it is necessary to catch the point at which the section of the pectoral muscles of interest to us will be stretched as much as possible, and try to stay in this position for a second or two - so the contraction of the "collar" will be most noticeable ... If you have a good feel for the biomechanics of the incline bench press with a narrow grip, the upper part of your pectoral muscles will look really powerful and massive.
Common beginner mistakes
We figured out the correct technique for performing the bench press with a narrow grip, but some athletes manage to make technical mistakes completely from scratch. Let's take a look at the most popular ones together.
Wrong elbow position
For inexperienced athletes, elbows tend to "move apart" to the sides during the lowering of the bar, which can lead to serious injuries to the elbow joints. To avoid this, try to mentally concentrate on the position of your hands, as if trying to press them against your ribs.
Open grip
Many athletes perform open-grip barbell presses, citing the fact that this way they can better feel the contraction of the pectoral muscles. The statement is very controversial, I think if there is a difference, it is mainly at the level of self-hypnosis. Be that as it may, working with an open grip, even an experienced athlete risks dropping the barbell on his chest at any time, and the outcome can be disastrous.
Warm up
The exercise should begin with warm-up sets. No matter how strong you are, any pressing exercise should begin with warm-up sets with minimal weights, such as an empty bar. So you will not only warm up all the joints and ligaments well before performing work approaches, but you will also mentally better concentrate on hard work, which will make your workout even more productive.
Grip width
Many short-sighted athletes take the phrase "narrow grip press" too literally and put their hands almost close to each other. This should not be done, with such a narrow position of the hands, you will not be able to hold your elbows and trunk. The optimal width is slightly narrower than shoulder level, usually at about the level of the inner edge of the notches on the neck.
Separation of the pelvis
The buttocks should be firmly pressed against the bench throughout the entire set. Removing them, you create unwanted compression on the intervertebral discs of the lumbar spine and lose concentration on movement. The situation is similar with the back of the head - it should also not be torn off the bench.
Competent load distribution during training
Remember that heavy, basic exercises like the close grip bench press are enormous energy and recovery resources. Therefore, if your workout already contains, for example, a heavy classic bench press, you should not go out of their way to show the maximum result even in the press with a narrow grip, this idea will not turn out to be anything good in the end. Practice this exercise with less weight and more reps for optimal results.
Forced repetitions
Don't get carried away with forced reps... Working in the negative phase with the help of a partner is a great help for the bench press, but we would not recommend doing the same in the press with a narrow grip - too much stress on the elbow joints.
Recommendations for girls
Weak triceps are the trouble of many girls who lead a sedentary lifestyle. If the muscles are not in good shape, and at the same time the girl is also overweight, the skin in these places becomes flabby, and the hands look ugly and not well-groomed. To visually minimize this effect, I advise girls to include the narrow grip bench press in their training program. Work with light weights over a wide rep range (12 and up), gradually increasing the load. Do not worry: this will not pump up huge muscles, but your arms will quickly get in shape.
It is even more effective for gaining good muscle tone in the arms to do a narrow grip bench press in conjunction with another isolated triceps exercise, for example, a French press with a dumbbell or push-ups with an emphasis on the back. So you will work all three bundles of the triceps muscle of the shoulder and give it good stress.
