Close-Grip Smith Press
Close-Grip Smith Press is a compound horizontal push exercise for the triceps. Use a controlled range that keeps the target muscles loaded and the joints comfortable.
Illustration: Smith Machine Close-Grip Bench Press · closest available open illustration of the same or equivalent movement. Follow the written setup for this equipment variation.
Set up
- 1Set the safety stops just below the bottom of your range.
- 2Place the body so the fixed bar path matches your natural joint path.
- 3Arrange the bench, cable, or handles so the upper arms remain stable and the elbows move comfortably.
- 4Use a grip that keeps the wrists stacked and start with the triceps under a controlled stretch.
How to perform it
- 1Place a flat bench underneath the smith machine. Place the barbell at a height that you can reach when lying down and your arms are almost fully extended. Once the weight you need is selected, lie down on the flat bench. Using a close and pronated grip (palms facing forward) that is around shoulder width, unlock the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
- 2As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your middle chest. Tip: Make sure that as opposed to a regular bench press, you keep the elbows close to the torso at all times in order to maximize triceps involvement.
- 3After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your triceps muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
- 4Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- 5When you are done, lock the bar back in the rack.
Breathing
Inhale and brace before the lowering phase, then exhale gradually through the hardest part of the repetition without losing trunk position.
Technique cues
- •Let the fixed rail guide the load; adjust your stance instead of fighting its path
- •Chest tall; shoulders down
- •Press through the whole hand
- •Control the final third of the lowering phase
Common mistakes
- •Shrugging toward the ears
- •Letting the shoulders roll forward at the bottom
- •Bouncing or cutting the range short
Machine busy?
See equivalent alternatives
These options train the same main muscle group and prioritize a similar movement pattern. Match the effort and rep target rather than trying to match the exact load.
Safety note: This training reference is educational, not medical advice. Use pain-free ranges and seek qualified care for persistent pain, dizziness, or other concerning symptoms.