Help me nail my close grip bench press form-and advice needed on aching wrists

[Boost]

Just started doing cgpb today. a few questions:

1: Should i try to keep my elbows tucked in as close to my sides as possible?
2: Where should i bring the bar down to, my chest? Upper chest, Neck?

also i have noticed my wrists were aching a little after my heavy sets. Is this something i just have to get used to?

help appreciated 

[MisterMagoo]

Just started doing cgpb today. a few questions:

1: Should i try to keep my elbows tucked in as close to my sides as possible?
2: Where should i bring the bar down to, my chest? Upper chest, Neck?

also i have noticed my wrists were aching a little after my heavy sets. Is this something i just have to get used to?

help appreciated 

simple steps to close-grip goodness:

1) go narrow as you can without hurting your wrists. for me, that's putting my index and middle fingers just on the smooth part of the bar.

2) tuck your elbows, absolutely.

3) keep your elbows under your wrists as much as you possibly can. this is a press, not an extension.

4) lower it to wherever it lands as long as you keep the above going. for me it's about sternum level. above that and my form collapses.

[Boost]

Thanks man,

Im trying to pick 2 excercises per bodypart and get as strong as possible on them. i've chosen cgbp and straight bar tricep pushdowns for my tri's, do you think these are the best exercises that i will be able to constantly increase poundages?

[thewickedtruth]

magoo is pretty spot on..my advice would be very similar.. .keep your elbows tucked in as tight as possible..and make sure your grip is about as wide as your shoulders. The reason being..if you go any narrower...you're creating odd angles on your wrists that could lean to problems later on..plus..when your wrists aren't inline perfectly with your elbows/forearm...when you press your power goes in every direction BUT straight up. when you have a narrow grip..for instance hands a couple inches apart....your left hand's power will be pushed up and to the right..and vice versa on your right hand's power. Making the lift harder since your power isn't being generated straight up. if your elbows are tucked to your sides and your grip is shoulder width..everything should like up properly. This is the proper way to close grip bench with no risk of injury and trust me..you'll still feel it in your triceps.

[MisterMagoo]

wicked brings up the best point: physics. sometimes it helps to draw out (if not physically, at least in your head) the way an exercise will work and what direction you'll be pushing.

if you're limiting yourself to two exercises: close-grip and dips. i'm doing the same. take the journey with me!

[Boost]

I doubt i could even do 1 dip 

What do u think about these excercises for other body parts:

Chest : flat bench press, flyes

Back: Deadlifts, Lat Pulldowns

Legs: barbell squats, Lunges

Shoulders: Smith machine shoulder press, Side lateral raises

Biceps : Preacher bench curls, standing alternate dumbell curls

Traps, Upright rows, shrugs

If i am focusing on increasing poundages on the two exercises per bodypart, do you think i should drop or add any excercises that could be more beneficial? 

[The Squadfather]

always get a lift off on close grips, bring the bar down well below the nipple line, closer to the top of the stomach, elbows in and pointed towards the feet, grip doesnt need to be excessively narrow, a couple inches inside shoulder width is OK just make sure to keep those elbows tucked in and always lock out, triceps movements are worthless unless you lock them out.

[The Squadfather]

I doubt i could even do 1 dip 

What do u think about these excercises for other body parts:

Chest : flat bench press, flyes

Back: Deadlifts, Lat Pulldowns

Legs: barbell squats, Lunges

Shoulders: Smith machine shoulder press, Side lateral raises

Biceps : Preacher bench curls, standing alternate dumbell curls

Traps, Upright rows, shrugs

If i am focusing on increasing poundages on the two exercises per bodypart, do you think i should drop or add any excercises that could be more beneficial? 

throw in dumbbell inclines after the flat bench, do some form of rowing after deadlifts, barbell, dumbbell or T bar and do some leg presses after barbell squats, everything else looks good.

[thewickedtruth]

always get a lift off on close grips, bring the bar down well below the nipple line, closer to the top of the stomach, elbows in and pointed towards the feet, grip doesnt need to be excessively narrow, a couple inches inside shoulder width is OK just make sure to keep those elbows tucked in and always lock out, triceps movements are worthless unless you lock them out.

good point SF...

ther's no way to bring the bar down much lower than you normally would almost at the base of your sternum to stay tight.. if you come down much higher than that you'll jam up and run into problems with the movement.

[jpm101]

If you bring the bar down closer to the upper chest or neck than the triceps take the blunt of the work by far. With a closer grip and elbows facing out of course. (with a extra wide grip to the upper chest/neck the upper pec's get most of the work) If bringing  the bar down nearer the lower rib box/abs (as SF suggest), with the elbows close to the body, the triceps as well as the anterior delts will be affected. To a lesser extent the pecs. Grip is generally about the width of the waist or a little closer in. Everyone being built different, apply the grip that gives the best leverage for the push.

The wrist can take undo stress with a BB for most people. (usually the wrist is not limber enough at first) DB's, which allow a more natural hammer style grip, offer less stress and a better focus on the triceps, in my view. If you have an Olympic style tricep bar than you might consider that over a regular bar for closer grip BP's. May or may not work for everyone. Good Luck.

[thewickedtruth]

If you bring the bar down closer to the upper chest or neck than the triceps take the blunt of the work by far. With a closer grip and elbows facing out of course. (with a extra wide grip to the upper chest/neck the upper pec's get most of the work) If bringing  the bar down nearer the lower rib box/abs (as SF suggest), with the elbows close to the body, the triceps as well as the anterior delts will be affected. To a lesser extent the pecs. Grip is generally about the width of the waist or a little closer in. Everyone being built different, apply the grip that gives the best leverage for the push.

The wrist can take undo stress with a BB for most people. (usually the wrist is not limber enough at first) DB's, which allow a more natural hammer style grip, offer less stress and a better focus on the triceps, in my view. If you have an Olympic style tricep bar than you might consider that over a regular bar for closer grip BP's. May or may not work for everyone. Good Luck.

when you do it as you describe..it no longer becomes a close grip bench press but a jm press. Two different exercises..both are just as effective imho.

[MisterMagoo]

when you do it as you describe..it no longer becomes a close grip bench press but a jm press. Two different exercises..both are just as effective imho.

yup. there's a close-grip bench, and there's a JM press. both are great, but don't try and do something halfway between them.

[thewickedtruth]

yup. there's a close-grip bench, and there's a JM press. both are great, but don't try and do something halfway between them.

here's a good idea to tell what yyou're doing..if your wrists stay above and inline with your elbows the whole time.. you're doing a close grip bench..

if your wrist and bar touch higher up on your body and above your elbows... it's a jm press...

take your pick...just don't construe the two as the same exercise.

[jpm101]

Agree with TWT. But as the original post of Boost asked (question #2 mainly), he had some confusion as to where to lower the bar and was that still considered a close GRIP BP. Which I still think it is. The only difference being the position of the elbows in each version. By what any other name, it is still an excellent tricep movement. Can even bring the bar down to touch the forehead, which can also work well on a incline bench.  Just trying to define different methods for somewhat similar exercises.

Some exercises can go by two or more different names, nothing really official in the sub culture of BB'ing. Some like the Zotterman curl. Some like the Zott curl. Same exercise, different name. Lateral raises, side raise, etc. Good Luck.

[wes]

Good advice from all.

Your wrists will/may become more flexible over time,but I usually tape mine if I do close grips because they always kill my wrists bigtime.