Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press

Advanced

Triceps

Ez Barbell

Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press pairs a wrist-friendly angled bar with elbow strength that finishes presses — a graduate-level take on the pattern.

How to do Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press

Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
Grasp the ez barbell with a close grip, hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing forward.
Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
Slowly lower the barbell towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.
Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press Sets and Reps by Goal

Strength

5 sets of 2-4 reps with 3-5 minutes of rest. Small collar plates give a usable jump on this bar.

Hypertrophy

4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Keep the wrists stacked before chasing extra load.

Endurance

3-4 sets of 18-25 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Slow the eccentric before you add another plate.

Common Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press Mistakes

Gripping the bar where the wrist bends backwards

Use the angled section that keeps the wrist stacked over the forearm.

Cutting the stretch short at the bottom of the rep

Let the elbow bend fully so the long head actually gets loaded.

Cutting range to keep the load climbing

Protect the full range first; the load can wait a session.

Easier and Harder Than Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press

Easier progression

Close-Grip Bench Press

Swap Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press For

Cable Rope Incline Tricep Extension

Smith Machine Incline Tricep Extension

Dumbbell One Arm Hammer Press On Exercise Ball

Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press?

Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench. Grasp the ez barbell with a close grip, hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing forward. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended. Use an EZ bar and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.

What muscles does the Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press work?

The Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press primarily targets the triceps. It is classified as a arms exercise and is performed with an EZ bar.

How many sets and reps of the Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press should I do?

For muscle growth: 4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Keep the wrists stacked before chasing extra load. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.

Is the Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press good for beginners?

Not usually. The Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press is an advanced movement that assumes existing strength and joint control. Build up through easier arms progressions first, then add this once the basics feel comfortable.

What can I do instead of the Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press?

Try the Cable Rope Incline Tricep Extension, Smith Machine Incline Tricep Extension or the Dumbbell One Arm Hammer Press On Exercise Ball. Each trains the triceps with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.