Master the Close Grip Bench Press Dumbbell: Your Complete Guide

When I first started weightlifting in the gym, I believed that bench pressing with a barbell was the best way to work out my chest muscles.

However

As I became more familiar with weightlifting, I discovered that close-grip bench presses with dumbbells can sometimes be more effective.

This is because it offers more control and maximizes the use of energy.

When you exercise with dumbbells, the muscles on each side are balanced, and you activate more muscle fibers to ensure that there is no imbalance between the two sides.

Unlike when using a barbell, where the stronger side tends to compensate for the weaker side.

Exercising can be tricky, especially when it comes to maintaining the right form. Incorrect forms can lead to injuries.

If you’re having trouble finding the best way to bench press, you might consider switching to close grip bench press dumbbell on your next chest day.

What is the Close Grip Bench Press with Dumbbells?

Close grip bench press is a challenging exercise that works on multiple muscles in your upper body. The exercise can be categorized into three types:

• Traditional clasp grip: This is done with your hands close together inside the handle of the dumbbell. This grip focuses more on the chest muscles.
• Diamond grip: This is done with your hands close together on the outside of the handle. The grip focuses more on your triceps.
• Parallel grip: This is done with your hands parallel to each other on the handle. This exercise is a combination of both grips and focuses more on the shoulder muscles.

Each grip is different and has varying degrees of difficulty depending on your strength and comfort level.

Choosing the right muscle to work on will give you a clear plan for the gym so you don’t look like a newbie.

Muscles Target in Dumbbell Close Grip Press

The close grip bench press with dumbbells targets several muscles in the upper body, such as the:

• Chest: Pectoralis major muscle action is involved in the exercise which helps to build a strong chest.
• Shoulders: Deltoid muscle action is also activated when performing this exercise. This helps to strengthen your shoulder muscles and make them more stable.

• Triceps: The Triceps brachii muscle works hard during the close grip bench press, making it an effective triceps builder.
• Core muscle: Abdominals, obliques, and lower back musculature are engaged during the exercise, helping you develop a strong core.

Benefits of the Close Grip Bench Press with Dumbbells

The close-grip dumbbell bench presses are great exercises to developing strength in your chest, shoulder, and triceps muscles.

Here are some of the key benefits of this exercise:

• Increases muscular endurance: This exercise helps in strengthening multiple muscle groups simultaneously, allowing you to train longer and recover more quickly.
• Improves coordination and strength: The close grip bench press with dumbbells focuses on the same movement patterns used in everyday activities, such as carrying groceries or pushing a door open. This helps in improving your muscle coordination and overall strength.
• Increases flexibility: The close grip bench press with dumbbells also helps increase your flexibility by stretching your chest and shoulder muscles. This can help reduce the risk of injury and improve posture.
• Improved posture and balance: Close grip dumbbell presses not only increase overall strength but also improve posture, and balance, and prevent pain in the neck, shoulders, and back.

Risk Tips For Close Grip Dumbbell Press

Here are some tips to follow when doing the close-grip bench press with dumbbells:

• Start slow and focus on perfect form: Proper form is key to getting the most out of this exercise. Start slowly and focus on good form with each rep before you begin increasing your weight.
• Don’t lock your elbows: Keep a slight bend in your elbows at the top of the motion to prevent injury and maximize muscular engagement.
• Use light weights: This is an isolation exercise, which means lighter weights are better than heavier ones. Start with a weight that you can manage for 8-10 reps and gradually increase over time.
• Keep your shoulders back: Make sure to keep your shoulders back as you perform this exercise to reduce strain on your shoulder joint which may lead to shoulder pain.
• Elbow Care: When lowering the dumbbells, keep elbows close to the torso and avoid going below 90 degrees to prevent elbow joint strain and injury.
• Wrist Alignment: Keep your wrists straight during the press to avoid any discomfort or injury in that area.
• Smart Training: Avoid overtraining, which can lead to fatigue and injury.

How to Perform Close Grip Bench Press With Dumbbells

1. Lie on a flat bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground and your head supported by the bench.
2. Grasp two dumbbells in each hand, palms facing away from you, and press them up into a starting position above your chest.
3. Lower the weights slowly down to just below shoulder level while keeping your elbows tucked into your sides.
4. Once you reach the bottom position, pause for a second and then press back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles at the top of the motion.
5. Repeat for 8-10 repetitions before resting and repeating for 3 sets total.

Close Grip Variation and Alternatives

If you’re bored of the close-grip dumbbell press, try these alternatives that work different muscles.

Incline Close Grip Dumbbell Bench Presses

Incline close grip dumbbell press is a great exercise that targets your upper chest muscles.

To perform Incline close grip dumbbell bench presses:

• It can be done using the same form as described above, except instead of lying on a flat bench, you’ll need to adjust it to an incline angle.
• This will put more emphasis on your upper chest and shoulders.
• Keep the weight lighter than you would for a flat bench press and make sure to keep your elbows close to your torso.
• Perform 8-10 repetitions for 3 sets

Decline Close Grip Dumbbell Press

Decline close grip dumbbell press is an exercise that will help you target the lower part of your chest muscles.

To perform a decline close grip dumbbell press:

• The starting position is the same as above, but your feet on a decline bench and pressing the dumbbells up in the same way described earlier, only with a slight angle towards your head.
• This exercise should be performed for 8-10 repetitions for 3 sets total.

Diamond Push Up

Push-up is the best exercise to work on your chest and arms at the same time.

To perform a diamond push-up:

• Get into a traditional pushup position and then move your hands close together to form a diamond shape with them.
• Make sure not to let your elbows flare out as you lower yourself towards the floor and try to keep your core tight throughout the entire exercise.
• Push back up and repeat for 8-10 repetitions for 3 sets total.

Cable Crossover

Cable crossover is another alternative to close close-grip dumbbell press that works your chest muscles in different ways.

To perform a cable crossover:

• Stand in the middle of two cables and grab each handle with an overhand grip.
• Make sure you don’t lock your upper arms which may lead to overactivation of upper trap muscles.
• Lift the handles outwards until they reach shoulder height, and then slowly pull them back towards you while maintaining tension on the chest muscles.
• Repeat for 8 to 10

This exercise is great but it requires a cable machine to do it. If you don’t have access to a cable machine, you can use a resistance band instead and perform the same motion as described above.

Conclusion

Close grip dumbbell bench press is a great exercise for chest and shoulder development. So if you’re looking to get stronger arms, increase your endurance, or improve your posture and flexibility then the close grip bench press with dumbbells is a great exercise for you!

So give it a try today and experience all of its amazing benefits firsthand.

FAQ for Close Grip Dumbbell Bench Press