ExRx.net

I've started doing this recently, never really trained it before.

I know it's supposed to be a triceps move but I feel it 100% in my shoulders, and it seems to be a really good move for developing strength off the chest.

The other thing that surprised me is that my strength on the close grip is pretty much the same as my bench! For example, I can hit 100k for 7 reps on the bench, and I can hit it for 4 on the close grip!

How does everyone else feel about close grip benching? Who uses it, and how does your strength on it compare to your bench?

Where do you have your hands on the bar for both grips?

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What if the Hokey Cokey really IS what it's all about?

pinkies on the wee ring for bench, index fingers on the smooth bit in the middle for close grip

I did them while doing the 5x5. Hands would be completely on the smooth area with the pinky touching the edge of knurling. I really only did them because they were part of the routine. If I had known I could do 5x5 with dips, I would have done dips instead. I don't feel like either of them really do anything for triceps. I always feel both of them more with my chest and shoulders.

I'm not a big fan of isolation triceps exercises like pressdowns or extensions - they irritate my elbow if I go heavy with them. Movements like CGBPs and dips are staples of my triceps routines. They don't bother either my shoulder of my elbow.

Just out of curiosity, what triceps exercises were you using before you tried the CGBP?

There wasn't much difference between what I could bench close grip or regular. Note the use of the past tense: I no longer do regular benches - too hard on my shoulders. Besides, dumbbell presses and flies give me a much better chest pump.

BTW - try doing CGBPs with a reverse grip. Supposedly it makes your triceps work harder, but you won't be able to use as much weight

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Thanks, TimD

I haven't pressed in a while but I remember close grip weight was like 50% - 60% of my normal bench press weight. I do these with dumbells at the moment and did 10x10 the other day, my anterior delts were so painful the next day but at the time it fatigues my triceps.

You'll feel it in the shoulders because your elbows go lower than on a regular bench. Also, do you keep your elbows close?

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Thanks TimD.

@ shawn - that's the same as me, chest and shoulders all the way

@ Stephen - My staple triceps exercises are pushdowns and PJR Pullovers. Everything else bothers my elbow. I think if I flared my elbows a bit more on the close grip I'd get a bit more triceps activation but I doubt my elbows could cope. Reverse grip benching sounds cool but pretty dangerous!

@ Nevage - that's interesting, I thought I was weird for my lifts being so similar but now I'm not so sure...

@ Hoose - that makes sense about the shoulders. Yeah I keep my elbows close because I don't think they'd survive otherwise.

Funny, i have the same 3 rep difference on my close vs regular bench and was wondering too if theres something wrong with that. Its pretty consistant too, whether its 10-7, 15-12...its almost always 3 apart. I do wonder though if its a sign that maybe im not doing something right on regular grip....like maybe my elbows are flaring out more than they do on close grip and thats whats costing me some reps.