Smith Incline Close Grip Bench Press
Smith Incline Close Grip Bench Press Exercise Description
The Smith Incline Close‑Grip Bench Press is a triceps‑focused pressing variation performed on a low‑to‑moderate incline bench under a guided bar path. The closer, shoulder‑width (or slightly narrower) grip increases elbow‑extension demand on the triceps brachii, while the incline also recruits the clavicular (upper) fibers of the pectoralis major and the anterior deltoids. The Smith machine’s fixed rails help you concentrate on consistent bar path and joint alignment, provided the bench is positioned so the bar tracks over the shoulder joint with forearms vertical. The movement pattern is a controlled press from the upper chest region, keeping the shoulder blades retracted and depressed to create a stable base. Emphasis is on maintaining neutral wrists, vertical forearms, and elbows tucked near the torso to load the triceps while reducing unwanted shoulder flare.
- Muscle Groups: Triceps
- Target Muscles: Triceps Brachii - Lateral Head
- Assisting Muscles: Deltoid - Anterior, Pectoralis Major - Clavicular Head
- Stabilizing Muscles: Infraspinatus, Rhomboid Major, Subscapularis, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Arms, Upper Arms
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bench, Smith Machine
- Exercise Patterns: Push
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Elbow Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Outer Tricep
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Smith Incline Close Grip Bench Press Exercise
‘- Set the bench to a low–moderate incline (about 15–30°) and center it so the bar travels in line with your shoulder joint. Set safety stops just above chest level.
– Lie back with eyes under the bar, feet flat and planted. Maintain a neutral spine with glutes and upper back in contact.
– Grip the bar shoulder‑width or slightly narrower; wrap thumbs; keep wrists neutral stacked over forearms.
– Retract and depress scapulae; lightly brace your trunk.
– Unrack by rotating the bar. Position it above the upper chest/shoulder line with elbows tucked roughly 30–45° from the torso.
– Inhale and lower the bar under control to lightly touch the upper chest (just below the collarbones), keeping forearms vertical and wrists neutral.
– Press straight up by extending the elbows, maintaining your scapular set. Exhale near the top without aggressively locking out.
– Re‑rack by rotating the bar onto the hooks.
– Form checks: no bouncing, no shoulder shrugging, no flaring elbows; keep feet planted and bar stacked over mid‑forearm throughout.
Smith Incline Close Grip Bench Press Tips
‘- Set the bench at a low–moderate incline (about 15–30°) and center it so the bar path lines up with your shoulder joints.
– Position yourself with eyes directly under the bar, feet flat and planted, and maintain a neutral spine with glutes and upper back in contact with the bench.
– Use a shoulder‑width or slightly narrower grip, wrapping your thumbs and keeping wrists neutral, stacked directly over your forearms.
– Retract and depress your shoulder blades before unracking and keep them set throughout the movement to create a stable base.
– Start with the bar over the upper chest/shoulder line, keeping your elbows tucked roughly 30–45° from your torso.
– Lower the bar under control to lightly touch the upper chest just below the collarbones, without bouncing.
– Keep your forearms vertical and wrists neutral while lowering and pressing so the bar stays stacked over the mid‑forearm.
– Press the bar straight up by extending your elbows, maintaining your scapular position and avoiding aggressive lockout at the top.
– Avoid shoulder shrugging, flaring your elbows, or lifting your feet; re‑rack by rotating the bar fully onto the hooks.
Smith Incline Close Grip Bench Press Beginner Introduction
The Smith Incline Close‑Grip Bench Press is a guided barbell press that blends triceps work with help from the upper chest and front shoulders. Performed on a slightly raised bench inside a Smith machine, it uses a relatively narrow hand placement to put extra emphasis on straightening the elbows, which challenges the triceps. The inclined bench angle shifts part of the effort toward the top portion of the chest and the front of the shoulders, creating a distinct feel compared with a flat close‑grip press.
Because the bar travels on rails, the path is predictable, highlighting alignment and body positioning rather than balance. The lifter lies back so the bar moves roughly in line with the shoulder joint, with the arms stacked under the bar throughout the motion. The press starts from the upper chest area and moves upward in a smooth, controlled line. Shoulder blades are pulled back and down to form a solid base, while the wrists stay in line with the forearms and the upper arms stay relatively close to the torso, keeping tension centered on the triceps.