Barbell Lying Close-grip Press

How to do the Barbell Lying Close-grip Press

1. 1Lie flat on the bench with your eyes roughly under the bar, plant your feet on the floor, and pull your shoulder blades down and together against the bench.
2. 2Grip the bar with your hands about shoulder-width apart, wrapping your thumbs fully around it so the bar sits over the base of your palms.
3. 3Unrack the bar and hold it locked out directly over your chest with your arms fully extended.
4. 4Lower the bar under control toward your lower chest, keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides rather than flared out.
5. 5Let the bar lightly touch your chest without bouncing, keeping your wrists stacked over your elbows.
6. 6Press the bar back up by extending your elbows, driving through your triceps until your arms are fully locked out again.
7. 7Complete your reps, then re-rack the bar safely with control.

Form tips

• Keep your elbows tucked close to your torso throughout the rep — this is what shifts the load onto the triceps and keeps the press a close-grip movement.
• Hold your shoulder blades retracted and your upper back tight to create a stable pressing base and protect your shoulders.
• Lock out fully at the top to finish each rep with a strong triceps contraction, but avoid snapping the elbows.
• Use a spotter or set the safety arms in a rack whenever you press near your limit, since a narrow grip gives you a smaller margin for error.

Common mistakes

• Setting the grip too narrow (hands almost touching), which strains the wrists and elbows without adding triceps work.
• Flaring the elbows out wide, which turns the lift into a regular bench press and shifts load off the triceps onto the chest and shoulders.
• Bouncing the bar off the chest, which removes tension from the triceps and risks injury.
• Letting the wrists bend backward under the bar instead of keeping them stacked over the forearms, which causes wrist pain.

Frequently asked questions