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Exercise guide

Close-Grip Dumbbell Press

How to do the Close-Grip Dumbbell Press with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

CompoundDumbbellBeginnerPush
Primary muscles

Triceps

Secondary

Chest, Shoulders

Equipment

Dumbbell

Step by step

How to do the Close-Grip Dumbbell Press

  1. 1

    Place a dumbbell standing up on a flat bench.

  2. 2

    Ensuring that the dumbbell stays securely placed at the top of the bench, lie perpendicular to the bench with only your shoulders lying on the surface. Hips should be below the bench and your legs bent with your feet firmly on the floor.

  3. 3

    Grasp the dumbbell with both hands and hold it straight over your chest at arm's length. Both palms should be pressing against the underside of the sides of the dumbbell. This will be your starting position.

  4. 4

    Initiate the movement by lowering the dumbbell to your chest.

  5. 5

    Return to the starting position by extending the elbows.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Close-Grip Dumbbell Press set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap — so your triceps volume is visible at a glance — and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Related

More triceps exercises

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