close grip bench press for chest?

[phykarm]

I have been working out for years with great results but I occasionally put in close grip bench for my chest. Does it work better? It feels like it works much better. I can contract it a lot better.

[mchalupny]

I have been working out for years with great results but I occasionally put in close grip bench for my chest. Does it work better? It feels like it works much better. I can contract it a lot better.

Actually, close-gripped bench hits the tri's harder for me. Standard to wide grips tend to make me feel it more in the pecs/chest. I like to vary my bench grips on chest days where I'm not looking to come close to max.

[Morolto]

Ive heard people say they have an easier time feeling the contraction in the chest with close grip bench as well. That most likely just means you arent pinching your shoulder blades together and keeping your back tight when you do a normal or wide grip bench press. With a close grip bench, its your body's natural tendency to automatically pinch your shoulder blades together even if you arent conscious of it. You should be feeling it a hell of a lot more in your triceps on a close grip bench. Also if your elbows are your elbows at approximately a 45 degree angle when you do a normal bench press? A lot of noobs sometimes end up doing more of a guillotene press and that could be affecting the lack of contraction as well.

[phykarm]

Actually, close-gripped bench hits the tri's harder for me. Standard to wide grips tend to make me feel it more in the pecs/chest. I like to vary my bench grips on chest days where I'm not looking to come close to max.

I've heard it hits the triceps hard, but I personally do not feel it in my triceps. I can feel it, but only if I try to contract that can I make it a tricep exercise. But still it hits my chest harder than any other exercise.

[phykarm]

Ive heard people say they have an easier time feeling the contraction in the chest with close grip bench as well. That most likely just means you arent pinching your shoulder blades together and keeping your back tight when you do a normal or wide grip bench press. With a close grip bench, its your body's natural tendency to automatically pinch your shoulder blades together even if you arent conscious of it. You should be feeling it a hell of a lot more in your triceps on a close grip bench. Also if your elbows are your elbows at approximately a 45 degree angle when you do a normal bench press? A lot of noobs sometimes end up doing more of a guillotene press and that could be affecting the lack of contraction as well.

thanks for the reply, but if I wanted to do it the way I was for a chest exercise, would it be any more beneficial than just normal or wide? I am fine on tricep exercises

[davisj3537]

It is not an optimal way to work your chest. It is for triceps as already stated.

[Morolto]

thanks for the reply, but if I wanted to do it the way I was for a chest exercise, would it be any more beneficial than just normal or wide? I am fine on tricep exercises

normal or wide is primarily for the chest, close is primarily for the triceps. You need to fix your form on your normal/wide bench presses.

[phykarm]

normal or wide is primarily for the chest, close is primarily for the triceps. You need to fix your form on your normal/wide bench presses.

oh i feel good contraction on normal/wide, just that i get the most from close. when flexing the chest, it pops out the most the closer your arms are, so wouldn't it make sense for close grip to be the best? i am not an expert but that just seems how it would be

[phykarm]

oh i feel good contraction on normal/wide, just that i get the most from close. when flexing the chest, it pops out the most the closer your arms are, so wouldn't it make sense for close grip to be the best? i am not an expert but that just seems how it would be

bump. please reply, i am sure there are thousands of others just as confused and need a final say in this

[nol3afclover]

I don't see where the confusion is. Close-grip bench is primarily aimed at triceps. Standard and wide-grip are aimed primarily at chest. That's all there is to it.

If a person can bench 225lbs with standard grip, he may only be able to bench 115 using close-grip. That's not optimal for chest growth (obviously.) It is a triceps exercise.

/thread

[phykarm]

I don't see where the confusion is. Close-grip bench is primarily aimed at triceps. Standard and wide-grip are aimed primarily at chest. That's all there is to it.

If a person can bench 225lbs with standard grip, he may only be able to bench 115 using close-grip. That's not optimal for chest growth (obviously.) It is a triceps exercise.

/thread

the confusion is why it feels like all the contraction goes to the chest yet it isn't as good as any other exercises. i don't care how much weight i am pushing, sure the weight probably will go down a bit, but i doubt it will be that much. if a mind-muscle connection is so important, this should technically be a very important exercise, no?

[Morolto]

you need to FIX YOUR FORM when you do normal/wide grip. You absolutely should not be feeling more contraction on a close grip bench. you are NOT so different from everyone that you will be the only person in the world that feels better chest contraction on a close grip than a normal/wide grip. Fix your form

[phykarm]

you need to FIX YOUR FORM when you do normal/wide grip. You absolutely should not be feeling more contraction on a close grip bench. you are NOT so different from everyone that you will be the only person in the world that feels better chest contraction on a close grip than a normal/wide grip. Fix your form

lol its not a form issue, I get fantastic contraction on all grips. just the most on close which seems natural. I think ill just do close neutral and wide

[nol3afclover]

lol its not a form issue, I get fantastic contraction on all grips. just the most on close which seems natural. I think ill just do close neutral and wide

It's not about where you 'feel' the contraction. It's about the science behind the exercise. It's a primary triceps workout. If you personally 'feel' it more in the chest, then you're just squeezing your chest really really hard...That means nothing. I can 'feel' contractions in my bicep by squeezing hard without any weight. It's about how 'intense' those contractions are; in other words, its about HOW MUCH weight is on the other end of the bar.

I mean, as Bruce Lee once said: "You must first empty your cup" before you can learn anything new. It seems you're dead set on believing your own incorrect notion that close-grip bench is a chest exercise, despite everyone telling you its not. What more do you want people to tell you?

[Xuaxace]

the confusion is why it feels like all the contraction goes to the chest yet it isn't as good as any other exercises. i don't care how much weight i am pushing, sure the weight probably will go down a bit, but i doubt it will be that much. if a mind-muscle connection is so important, this should technically be a very important exercise, no?

who knows what on earth you are doing when you bench press. Just because you say you are doing cgbp doesn't mean your are doing it right at all.

When it comes to emphasis though, it all depends on the movement is performed. Same way that by changing the way I flare my elbows on a regular benchpress I can shift emphasis from the abdominal head of the pectoralis major to the clavicular head, so how the movement is perform dictates what you are going to get out of it.

[phykarm]

It's not about where you 'feel' the contraction. It's about the science behind the exercise. It's a primary triceps workout. If you personally 'feel' it more in the chest, then you're just squeezing your chest really really hard...That means nothing. I can 'feel' contractions in my bicep by squeezing hard without any weight. It's about how 'intense' those contractions are; in other words, its about HOW MUCH weight is on the other end of the bar.

I mean, as Bruce Lee once said: "You must first empty your cup" before you can learn anything new. It seems you're dead set on believing your own incorrect notion that close-grip bench is a chest exercise, despite everyone telling you its not. What more do you want people to tell you?

thanks everyone who replied! but you are misunderstanding how I am replying. part of what I am asking is if anybody has done this for some time for their chest and has had good results

[Xuaxace]

thanks everyone who replied! but you are misunderstanding how I am replying. part of what I am asking is if anybody has done this for some time for their chest and has had good results

I used to do cgbp when I injured my rotator cuff. I did soft lockouts to take a bit of emphasis away from the triceps and big arch to take emphasis off the front delt

It was ok, that said, nothing compared to my normal wide grip when it comes to pounding my chest.

[phykarm]

I used to do cgbp when I injured my rotator cuff. I did soft lockouts to take a bit of emphasis away from the triceps and big arch to take emphasis off the front delt

It was ok, that said, nothing compared to my normal wide grip when it comes to pounding my chest.

thanks! sorry whoever the other guy was. I am not good at forming my thoughts into words 0:

[Mrduster1981]

It's not about where you 'feel' the contraction. It's about the science behind the exercise. It's a primary triceps workout. If you personally 'feel' it more in the chest, then you're just squeezing your chest really really hard...That means nothing. I can 'feel' contractions in my bicep by squeezing hard without any weight. It's about how 'intense' those contractions are; in other words, its about HOW MUCH weight is on the other end of the bar.

I mean, as Bruce Lee once said: "You must first empty your cup" before you can learn anything new. It seems you're dead set on believing your own incorrect notion that close-grip bench is a chest exercise, despite everyone telling you its not. What more do you want people to tell you?

There is no science behind it. New "science" concludes that close grip pushups recruits more muscle fiber activation than wide/shoulder width grips. Of course feeling the contraction is a great indication of how efficiently a muscle is being worked.

[sebatu]

There is no science behind it. New "science" concludes that close grip pushups recruits more muscle fiber activation than wide/shoulder width grips.

I'm confused, are we talking about push-ups or bench press ITT?

Medium-Wide grip bench press allows for more weight, hence more tension on your chest. Which is why it is better than close grip for chest development.

Of course feeling the contraction is a great indication of how efficiently a muscle is being worked.

Contraction has nothing to do with efficiency. As stated above, I can squeeze my chest with no weight. I'll feel a contraction but I won't grow.