Dumbbell Close Grip Press

Target muscle

Triceps

Also works

Chest, shoulders

Equipment

Dumbbell

Body part

Upper arms

How to do the dumbbell close grip press

1. Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
2. Using your thighs to help raise the dumbbells, lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you can hold them in front of you at shoulder width.
3. Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This will be your starting position.
4. As you breathe in, slowly lower the dumbbells to your side until they are about level with your chest.
5. As you exhale, use your triceps to lift the dumbbells back to the starting position. Make sure to use only your triceps and do not use your forearms or biceps to help lift the dumbbells.
6. After a second pause at the contracted position, repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

Sets and reps

For muscle growth, 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps with 60–90 seconds of rest is a proven starting point. For strength, use a heavier weight for 3–5 sets of 3–6 reps and rest 2–3 minutes. Add a little weight once you hit the top of your rep range on every set.

Muscles worked

The main muscle is the triceps. The chest and shoulders work as secondary muscles. See all triceps exercises or every dumbbell exercise.