How to perform the Bench Press (Narrow Grip)
- 1Lie flat on a bench and grip the barbell with hands shoulder-width apart — narrower than a standard bench press but not so close that your wrists angle inward.
- 2Unrack the bar and hold it with arms fully locked directly over your chest.
- 3Lower the bar slowly to your lower chest (sternum area), keeping your elbows close to your body at roughly 45 degrees from your torso — not flared wide.
- 4Pause briefly with the bar touching your chest, then press back up in a straight line to lockout, contracting your triceps hard at the top.
- 5Reset at the top without hyperextending your elbows, then lower for the next rep.
Coach tips
- Shoulder-width grip is optimal. Going too narrow (hands touching) increases wrist and elbow strain without meaningfully increasing triceps activation.
- Tuck your elbows to about 45 degrees — flaring them wide turns the movement into a chest press and reduces triceps recruitment.
- Touch the bar to your lower chest (not upper) to keep the triceps in their strongest position throughout the press.
- Full range of motion matters — lowering until the bar touches the chest ensures maximum triceps loading through the stretch.
- This exercise also heavily recruits the chest and front deltoid. It is best used as a compound triceps builder, not as the only isolation work.
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One rep, one set. Hypro turns the Bench Press (Narrow Grip) into measurable progress, week after week.
Smart Progression
The right weight, every set
Hypro suggests your next Bench Press (Narrow Grip) weight and reps based on what you actually lifted, your rest, and your fatigue. Choose weight-first or reps-first. The more you log, the sharper it gets.
Weekly Volume
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Every set you log counts toward weekly volume per muscle group. Spot imbalances, avoid junk volume, and program the same way IFBB Pros do.
Coach-Built Plans
Use this exercise inside an IFBB Pro plan
Pick a coach-made program, get a plan matched to your goals, and message your coach for form checks. The Bench Press (Narrow Grip) fits right into proven hypertrophy and strength templates.
For optimal chest hypertrophy: aim for 10-20 weekly sets at 65-80% of your 1RM with 1-2 reps in reserve.
