Saturday, December 1, 2012

Barbell Close-Grip Bench Press


The Close-Grip Bench Press is a basic, multi-joint, push exercise. It is mainly used in improving strenght and size of the triceps muscles. It can be performed with different grips and variations.


Contraindications:

The Barbell Close-Grip Bench Press is not recommended for people with shoulders, elbows and wrist injuries. Consider using a Smith-machine if you've got traumatized joints. muscle

Involved muscles:

Target


  • Triceps Brachii

Synergists


  • Deltoid, Anterior
  • Pectoralis Major, Sternal
  • Pectoralis Major, Clavicular

Dynamic Stabilizers


  • Biceps Brachii

Variations

According width and type of the grip and elbow position.



  • Narrow overhand grip with opened elbows:

Forces internal shoulder rotation and lets the elbows, reducing the load on the long head and the force of the extension. The movement starts with opened elbows which leads to shoulder and chest muscle group usage in the starting stages of the movement. I.e. It is a form of cheating. Here the thumbs are placed over the bar, also known as the suicide grip. This variation is to be performed with a short barbell.

  • Shoulder width, overhand grip elbows are slightly open: 

Emphasis on middle heads. This is undoubtedly the most popular variant of the exercise that stimulates strength, endurance and an increase in muscle mass. The thumbs are placed along the length of the bar or bottom, but not next to the index fingers. Best performed with an EZ bar.

  • Shoulder width, neutral grip with parallel elbows: 

The natural grip for the Barbell Close-Grip Bench Press. In neutral grip the three muscle heads work in synergy and the results are in the highest efficiency. Although less popular, this is the option with the highest efficiency, in which the triceps are the leading dynamists.

  • Shoulder width, underhand grip with parallel elbows and wrists: 

The focus is on long heads. Requires partial amplitude in 3/4 of the movement. Performed best on the Smith machine.

  • Shoulder width, underhand grip with hands closer together.

Emphasis on long heads and this variation allows full range of motion, but hampers control of the bar in the upper range of motion of the exercise.

According to the slope of the bench


  • Horizontal - classic optimal.
  • Small incline slope - facilitates control of the shoulder girdle for people with stronger push movements, but decreases load on the triceps in the bottom parts of the range of motion. Shortens amplitude it's lower parts. Increasing the assisting role of the shoulders.
  • Small decline slope - hinders shoulder girdle control for people with stronger push movements and vice versa, but load on the triceps in the upper parts of the range of moiton and simultaneously shortens the amplitude in the lower parts. Movement is short and creates conditions for a higher load on the  long heads. Training to failure and full range of motion are not recommended. A spotter here is a must.

Method of execution


Preparation


  1. Lie on bench and grasp barbell from rack with shoulder width grip.


Execution


  1. Lower weight to chest with elbows close to body,while being careful not to shift elbows from their initial position.
  2. Push barbell back up until arms are straight. 
  3. Repeat.

Recommendations


  • Keep hands at shoulder width or narrower, but no less than the width of both your thumb stretched along the axis of the bar. Any closer grip shortens the range of motion and puts unnecessary load on the wrists.
  • A wider than shoulder grip reduces the load on the triceps and increases the load on the chest muscles.
  • While performing the Barbell Close-Grip Bench Press exercise, keep your elbows close to your body and do not diverge. Otherwise, the load will shift to the chest and triceps will perform less work.
  • Do not bounce the bar of your lower chest.
  • Do not lock-out your elbows. This will reduce the load triceps and puts unnecessary load on the elbows. When using heavy weights that might even traumatize them.
  • Make sure your warm-up before performing this exercise with working weight.Do 1/2 warm up sets with light weight first.

Relevancy

The Barbell Close-Grip Bench Press is one of the best exercises to build strength and mass in the triceps muscles, along with dips and diamond push ups. Implement it as a first or second a exercise in a triceps workout.
(sources:exrx.net)
(pictures:menshealth.com)


2 коментара:

  1. I love this triceps exercise....The best for moving heavy weight and adding mass

    ReplyDelete
  2. nice and good information...
    thnx admin
    http://wilinks.blogspot.co.uk/

    ReplyDelete