Close-Grip Bench Press

Setup

Lie flat on a bench with feet planted on the floor. Grip the barbell with hands positioned slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart, directly above your chest with arms fully extended.

How to do it

1. Lower the bar in a controlled manner to your lower chest, keeping elbows tucked closer to your sides rather than flared out wide
2. Press the bar straight up by extending your elbows, driving through your triceps
3. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and down against the bench throughout the movement
4. Maintain a slight arch in your lower back with your glutes in contact with the bench
5. Exhale forcefully as you press the weight up and inhale as you lower it

Watch out for

• ✗Gripping too narrow, which places excessive stress on the wrists and reduces power output
• ✗Flaring elbows out too wide, which shifts emphasis away from triceps to chest
• ✗Bouncing the bar off the chest instead of using controlled momentum from the stretch position