Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press
Close-grip bench press shifts much of the load onto the triceps. It works mainly the triceps, with help from the chest and front deltoid.
In Flawless, a man aged 23–39 reaches Gold, the third of eight ranks, at 1.2× bodyweight (95 kg at 80 kg). For a woman it is 0.85× (50 kg at 60 kg).
How to do Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press
- Lie on the bench as for a normal bench press, shoulder blades pulled together and down, and grip the bar about shoulder width, not narrower.
- Unrack the bar and hold it over your lower chest with straight arms.
- Lower the bar with control to the lower chest, keeping the elbows tucked close to the body.
- Press back up while exhaling and lock the elbows at the top to finish with the triceps; a very narrow grip only strains the wrists.
These are the same steps you see in the exercise guide in the Flawless app.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle | Anatomical name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Triceps | Triceps brachii |
| Secondary | Chest | Pectoralis major |
| Secondary | Front deltoid | Deltoideus anterior |
Muscle data from StrengthLog.
Why do it
- Triceps with bench-press weight
- Strongest lockout you can build
- Chest and delts get trained alongside
Strength standards for Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press
| Rank | Men | Women | Man, 80 kg | Woman, 60 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | start | start | – | – |
| Silver | 0.8× | 0.55× | 65 kg | 32.5 kg |
| Gold | 1.2× | 0.85× | 95 kg | 50 kg |
| Platinum | 1.6× | 1.1× | 127.5 kg | 65 kg |
| Diamond | 2× | 1.4× | 160 kg | 85 kg |
| Obsidian | 2.5× | 1.75× | 200 kg | 105 kg |
| Painite | 3× | 2.1× | 240 kg | 125 kg |
| Antimatter | 4× | 2.8× | 320 kg | 167.5 kg |
Ratios are one-rep max ÷ bodyweight for ages 23–39; kilograms are rounded to 2.5 kg.
Flawless takes your best set of Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press, estimates your one-rep max with the Brzycki formula (reps are capped at 12) and divides it by the bodyweight in your profile, so you never have to test a true max. Women’s limits are 30 % lower than men’s. For other ages the app lowers every limit: by 8 % under 23 and from 40 to 49, by 18 % in your 50s, 28 % in your 60s and 38 % from 70.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press work?
It works mainly the triceps, with help from the chest and front deltoid.
How do you do Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press?
Lie on the bench as for a normal bench press, shoulder blades pulled together and down, and grip the bar about shoulder width, not narrower. Unrack the bar and hold it over your lower chest with straight arms. Lower the bar with control to the lower chest, keeping the elbows tucked close to the body. Press back up while exhaling and lock the elbows at the top to finish with the triceps; a very narrow grip only strains the wrists.
What is a good Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press for my bodyweight?
In Flawless, Gold starts at 1.2× bodyweight for men aged 23–39 and 0.85× for women, Diamond at 2× and 1.4×. For an 80 kg man that is a 95 kg and a 160 kg one-rep max.
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