Close Grip Push Up

Close Grip Push Up is an intermediate compound push using bodyweight. It loads Triceps.

Why this lift

The Close Grip Push Up is a intermediate compound push lift. It primarily loads Triceps. Chest, Shoulders, Abs help. You need bodyweight. Most programs place it near the start of a session, while you are fresh. You may also hear it called Close Grip Push Ups.

The triceps finish every press. Isolation work here is for the lockout you keep missing, not for a pump that replaces bench. Once the pattern feels automatic, most programs keep this as a weekly staple.

Muscles worked

• Primary: Triceps
• Secondary: Chest, Shoulders, Abs

Setup

• Set bodyweight. Shoulder blades packed, wrists stacked, feet planted.

How to do it

1. Lower under control, then press. Keep Triceps as the prime movers.
2. Lock out without shrugging the shoulders into the ears.

Coaching cues

• Elbows under the load.
• Press yourself away from the weight.

Common mistakes

• Flaring and losing the lats. Tuck slightly and stay packed.
• Bouncing the bottom. Own the pause, then press.

How to program it

Treat the Close Grip Push Up as a main lift: 3–5 working sets, add load or a rep when the last set still looks like the first. Leave isolation work for after.

If the Close Grip Push Up does not agree with you, Bar Pushdown trains Triceps with a different setup.

Related lifts

• Bar Pushdown Triceps
• Barbell JM Press Triceps
• Barbell Overhead Tricep Extension Triceps
• Barbell Skullcrusher Triceps
• Bench Dip Triceps
• Cable Cuffed Single Arm Tricep Extension Triceps

FAQ

What muscles does the Close Grip Push Up work?

The Close Grip Push Up works Triceps (primary), Chest, Shoulders, Abs (secondary).

What equipment do I need for the Close Grip Push Up?

You need bodyweight.

Is the Close Grip Push Up suitable for beginners?

Not as a first-week lift. The Close Grip Push Up is marked intermediate — learn a simpler variation from the related lifts below, then come back.