Does Close-Grip Bench Press ACTUALLY Work your Triceps More?

Using a close-grip on a flat bench press absolutely will target your triceps more, however it's not to a massive degree. It appears that the lateral head of the triceps is most consistently active in this movement, although I only measured the activity of both the long and lateral muscle heads. The reason a closer grip results in more triceps activation is not specifically because of the closer grip (obviously), but rather because of the elbow position this close-grip naturally puts your body in. With your elbows closer to your sides, you actually get MORE "elbow" range of motion, or shoulder extension. What this means is your elbow goes FURTHER BEHIND your body in the bottom position, which increases the range of motion in the movement and requires the triceps to recruit more motor units to complete the movement, at least that's the explanation a group of researchers gave.
Is the close-grip bench press actually a good movement to train your triceps? Honestly, not at all. The triceps are almost ALWAYS the limiting factor in a typical bench press, meaning they generally fatigue before the chest does. This means that other than perhaps an increased stretch on the triceps from a close-grip, a normal bench press might arguably work them just as well or even better considering you'll be able to use more weight. Other than that, there's just plenty of other exercises that isolate your elbow extension to much better fatigue the triceps near/to failure!

[@yousifbadaway7893]

Tuck your elbows more to get more tricep activation.

[@rcmunro22]

His Elbows are way to far out. They should almost be touching your Torso when your in the Negative part of the movement. If you do this it almost recruits the entirety of the Tricep to the point where the Chest barely gets recruit at all.

[@APR702]

Look at all of us TH-cam experts

[@ayaan9646]

@@APR702i know but they’re right, this is based on science and basic technique if you had a good instructor. Your elbows should point forward for tricep activation.

[@GTLopez85]

I have to do close grip after a shoulder injury years ago from an isolated incident benching wide. Just my advice to anyone who’s worried about shoulder injuries, stay a little closer on grip when in doubt. 💪

[@franzhulk2947]

many people doin close grip like bench press. you can surely use your pecs, but you need a weight where your focus can be purely on the trics.

[@thebigboss2744]

it would have been nice if this guy had better form.

[@mlgwolftrix4708]

But that’s how I normally do bench press lol

[@I-di-nt-do-nuff-in-]

Or does it light up more because neurologically you’re thinking oh now time to work the triceps instead of focusing on the chest

[@FanofRock834]

I really like these science based video thanks boss 👍

[@ClassicKhmer]

Try a reverse grip close grip bench press

[@Verziroo]

Reverse grip by itself is fine

[@slogan0551]

Meh EMG is not credible

[@BaconPants]

I think it also depends on arm length, a longer arm lengthened person would theoretically recruit more tricep activation in comparison to a shorter arm length

[@El_Goblino_]

Then explain why Lee priest who is 1.63m a short guy with short arms who preaches by the ez bar close grip bench press had one of the best if not THE best triceps in bodybuilding also jay cutler short arms with huge triceps and he also did a lot of close grip bench press it's all about the elbow positioning and technique for each person go watch how Lee priest does his close grip bench press with an ez bar I started doing them like him once I found out about it 9 years ago and my triceps blew up

[@BaconPants]

@@El_Goblino_ dog im not disagreeing with you, if anything you're just enforcing my thoughts of a greater elbow bend recruiting the triceps more, they had short arms so they manipulated the movement to increase elbow bend in the arm, longer armed people may not need to do so as they'll always get that greater bend at the elbow...

[@GoodByeSkyHarborLive]

in the close grip?

[@ayaan9646]

His elbows are too wide out.

[@DannyoRaiden]

If you wanna go for triceps dont go lower down to chest stay in mid to up and focus on your triceps this called short range partials

[@AnabolismClass]

Bro, can you compare between incline and flat bench press close grib for triceps

[@dakotahoffman2365]

I do flat on barbell then incline dumbbell

[@moonbeam54321]

Your elbows are way too far out, that's not the right technique

[@rcmunro22]

Your Elbows are way to far out. They should almost be touching your Torso when your in the Negative part of the movement. If you do this it almost recruits the entirety of the Tricep to the point where the Chest barely gets recruit at all.

[@APR702]

Tuck your elbows dude. Cmon

[@dannycee7582]

More triceps if you don’t go all the way down

[@ryanislam5892]

Pretty sure it hits more of the medial head

[@El_Goblino_]

Ah yes the EMG data is lying 💀

[@ryanislam5892]

@@El_Goblino_ are you alright? he hasn’t got anything on the medial head so there is no emg data on it. no idea what you’re talking about.

[@moislord]

Nah you right bruh, if not then both medial and lateral head

[@phantomcreamer]

​@@ryanislam5892no published research has ever said it activates the medial head more.

[@Uzi16_29]

@@El_Goblino_emg data is very untrustworthy sometimes, always changing

[@foxdogs1st]

How much of the pec was activated ?

[@DarkOkamiAlpha]

I was wondering the same. I tend to feel more comfortable with my shoulders doing close grip but I’m worried it might compromise my pec gains

[@foxdogs1st]

@@DarkOkamiAlpha I perfer using a neutral grip if possible.

[@petersoar2886]

Your upper arm moves through a much longer range of motion on close grip so it's actually a very under rated chest builder.

[@corenko]

@@DarkOkamiAlpha Do close grip bench paired with ring push ups and/or dumbbell press and your chest should be fine

[@aborigine777]

I use a thumbs-length close-grip on flat feet up, decline and incline barbell bench pre$$e$.

[@nicevid117]

theres no evidence that activation equals growth.