Dumbbell Close-Grip Bench Press
oec:dumbbell-close-grip-bench-press
A compound horizontal press performed on a flat bench with a pair of dumbbells held together in a neutral grip to target the triceps and inner chest.
Generated by gemini-3.8-flash from the sources below. No person has checked this record. Don't rely on it for safety.
Also called: Dumbbell Squeeze Press, Crush Grip Dumbbell Press, Close-Grip Dumbbell Press, Dumbbell close grip bench press
How to do it
Setup
- Sit on the edge of a flat bench with a dumbbell resting upright on each thigh.
- Lie back smoothly onto the bench, using your knees to assist the dumbbells up over your chest.
- Plant your feet firmly on the floor and retract your shoulder blades into the bench.
- Position the dumbbells side-by-side with a neutral grip (palms facing each other), lightly pressing them together directly over your sternum.
Movement
- Lower the dumbbells under control toward your lower chest or sternum, keeping them pressed together and allowing your elbows to track closely alongside your torso.
- Touch the dumbbells lightly to your chest without bouncing or losing tension.
- Press the dumbbells back up along the same path by extending your elbows and squeezing your chest, maintaining contact between the dumbbells throughout the ascent.
- Lock out your elbows at the top without allowing your shoulders to protract off the bench.
Breathing
Inhale as you lower the dumbbells toward your chest; exhale forcefully as you press them back to lockout.
Cues
- Crush the dumbbells together
- Keep elbows tucked to your ribs
- Drive your feet through the floor
Common faults
- Flaring elbows out wide away from the torso.
- Keep your elbows tucked at roughly 30 to 45 degrees relative to your torso to prioritize the triceps and protect the shoulders.
- Letting the dumbbells drift apart during the movement.
- Maintain constant, deliberate inward pressure pressing the two dumbbells together through the entire repetition.
- Bouncing the dumbbells off the sternum.
- Control the eccentric descent and reverse direction gently at the bottom under active muscular control.
Safety
- Ensure dumbbells are firmly held so they do not slip or drop onto your chest or face.
- When finished, bring the dumbbells to your thighs and use momentum to rock forward into a seated position.
Muscles
Joints
- Elbow: Extension, Flexion
- Shoulder: Flexion, Horizontal adduction
- Shoulder blade: Isometric stabilization
Details
- Movement
- Horizontal push
- Modality
- Hypertrophy, Strength
- Mechanics
- compound
- Force
- push
- Laterality
- bilateral
- Kinetic chain
- open
- Level
- beginner
- Equipment
- Dumbbell; Flat bench or Adjustable bench
- Record
- Repetitions and Load
- Load
- external, per implement
Related
- variation of Dumbbell Bench Press
- substitute for Barbell Close-Grip Bench Press
- substitute for Dumbbell Hex Press
- substitute for Smith Machine Close-Grip Bench Press
- variation of Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press
Sources
- wger: Dumbbell close grip bench press, by Lynn_McIntyre (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.