Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Smith Close-Grip Bench Press: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The smith close-grip bench press is a compound exercise performed on a smith machine, targeting the triceps with secondary emphasis on the chest and shoulders. It involves pressing a barbell with a close grip, which increases triceps activation.

Primary muscles
Triceps
Secondary muscles
Chest , Shoulders
Equipment
Smith Machine
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the smith close-grip bench press
Front view: muscles worked by the smith close-grip bench press. Primary: triceps. Secondary: chest and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the smith close-grip bench press. Primary: triceps. Secondary: chest and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the smith close-grip bench press

  1. Step 1: Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the bench with your feet flat on the ground.
  2. Step 2: Grasp the barbell with a close grip, slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Step 3: Lower the barbell towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the barbell back up to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the smith close-grip bench press by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Smith Close-Grip Bench Press alternatives

More exercises that train the triceps as their main target:

More triceps exercises

See the best tricep exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.