Smith Machine Close-Grip Bench Press
- Works
- Triceps, plus chest and shoulders
- Equipment
- Machine
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Compound
How to do it
Setup. Place a flat bench underneath the smith machine. Place the barbell at a height that you can reach when lying down and your arms are almost fully extended. Once the weight you need is selected, lie down on the flat bench. Using a close and pronated grip (palms facing forward) that is around shoulder width, unlock the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
- As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your middle chest. Tip: Make sure that as opposed to a regular bench press, you keep the elbows close to the torso at all times in order to maximize triceps involvement.
- After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your triceps muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- When you are done, lock the bar back in the rack.
Cues
- Hands shoulder width.
- Elbows tucked to the sides.
- Lower to the lower chest.
- Press and lock out.
Common mistakes
- Grip too narrow, wrists bent.
- Elbows flaring out.
Where to start
A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.
Go easy, or pick an alternative, if you have a sore elbow and sore wrists. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.