What bench press is best for the triceps?

What bench press is best for the triceps?: These exercises work the triceps. This muscle has 3 heads head). The primary function of the triceps is elbow extension and shoulder extension. Elbow extension involves straightening your elbow out of a bent or flexed position.

It can be challenging to remember the shoulder extension. Remember that the shoulder is extended where the forearms are supinated, with the thumbs out and the palms facing the front.

Shoulder flexion involves raising the arm directly at the shoulder. (So, raising the arms straight in front of you with them raised like the top position in a press.) Shoulder flexion involves lowering the arm in line with your torso.

Some people prefer only to include the elbow extension while we perform the exercises, keeping these functions in mind.

You know it and love it. These are sometimes called skull crushers. We perform them by moving the bar safely above and below the head. If you have an EZ-curl, use it. If you don’t have one, use a straight bar.

Start with the bar just above your shoulders. Start by bending your elbows and then flexing them. Finish by flexing the shoulders. On the way down, it’s the opposite: extend your shoulders and then your elbows. [What bench press is best for the triceps?]

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7 consequential types of bench press exercises are best for triceps

1. Close-Grip Bench Press
2. Bench Press with Elbows Tucked
3. Reverse-Grip Bench Press
4. Decline Bench Press
5. Incline Close-Grip Bench Press
6. Dumbbell Bench Press
7. Dumbbell Bench Press

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1. Close-Grip Bench Press

Close-grip bench presses are one of my favorites when my lockout struggles or I need a change from the traditional barbell benches. The close-grip bench press is a great exercise that many lifters overlook.

The close-grip bench is biased towards the triceps so I will usually program it for my lifters with difficulty with lockout.

Close-grip bench presses are a variation of the barbell bench used to strengthen and bias the triceps. 

Lifters use this exercise to overload their triceps and focus on a horizontal pressing pattern.

Establishing a good grip is the first and most important thing when performing the bench press with a close grip. This will help you get the best out of the exercise.

You want to keep your hands about shoulder-width apart. Your hands should not be too close together, as this can cause wrist pain and prevent you from maximizing the potential of your triceps. [What bench press is best for the triceps?]

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2. Bench Press with Elbows Tucked

The bench press reminds me of a dog. Dogs can boost your self-esteem. When you get home, they are always so excited to see you. 

They act as if they haven’t been around you for a long time. If you treated your friend the way you would treat a dog, you’d probably lose their friendship pretty quickly. 

You’d lock them up in the house when you’re not there, give them bad food, ignore them when they’re around, punish them for normal behavior like pooping on the floor, lock them into a crate and sleep with them. You’d also probably be arrested for child abduction.

I don’t treat my bench press with much respect. I don’t enjoy benching. I’m not above skipping bench work for several months. 

My bench press sessions are usually half-hearted. I often swap a bench pressing session for an additional squat workout, reminding myself that the squats make up a more significant percentage of your total powerlifting.

This article will show you how to improve your bench press to be the best at powerlifting. It does not matter who can lift the most significant weight. This is an important distinction. [What bench press is best for the triceps?]

Read Also: Can I grow my triceps with push-ups?

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3. Reverse-Grip Bench Press

The bench press is one of the most popular exercises to build the chest and triceps.

There are many variations of grip for the bench press. Each variation emphasizes slightly different muscles than the standard exercise. The reverse grip bench press is an alternative.

This bench press variation is not as well-studied as the traditional bench press, but it can be used as an alternative for people who experience shoulder pain or have a shoulder injury.

You can also use reverse grip bench presses to vary your strength and muscle development program. This will add stimulus to your chest workout.

This article will cover everything you need about reverse grip bench presses, including proper form, muscles used, benefits, precautions and variations.

The reverse grip bench press is done using the same equipment as a traditional bench press.

You’ll also need weight plates, an Olympic barbell and a flat bench on a rack with J-hooks. Safety pins are a bonus.

You can do the same thing as with the standard bench press, but you’ll need a flat bench and a power rack. Or you could use any other setup that lets you lie down on your back and remove the barbell. [What bench press is best for the triceps?]

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4. Decline Bench Press

The decline bench press will strengthen your lower chest muscles. This is a variation on the flat press.

The bench is set at a 15 to 30-degree decline in a decline press. This angle puts your upper body at a downward slope, which activates your lower pectoral muscle as you push the weights away.

Including a declining bench press as part of your chest routine can help define your pecs.

This article will cover the pros and cons of the decline bench presses and safety tips.

The lower pecs extend the arm during the upward phase of the decline bench press. The triceps, anterior deltoid and biceps are all involved.

The lower pecs and the anterior deltoid flex your arm in the downward phase. The biceps also help this movement.

The decline bench press is less demanding on the shoulders and back than other types. The decline angle forces your lower pecs to work harder because it shifts the pressure to them. [What bench press is best for the triceps?]

Read Also: Can you do triceps with a straight bar?

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5. Incline Close-Grip Bench Press

The incline bench press with a close grip is a variation of the closed grip bench press. It’s an exercise that builds muscle and strength for the triceps. This movement also targets the muscles in the chest and shoulders.

Close grip bench presses are the best way to pack on mass in your triceps. Close grips may cause some discomfort in the shoulders and elbows for some. This exercise is excellent for your triceps workouts, push workouts, and upper body workouts.

Keep the bar as close to your elbows and wrists as possible. Also, make sure it moves in a straight path. If you want more tension in your chest and triceps, stop the repetitions just before lockout. 

This advice comes from gear lifters wearing suits. Some lifters may find tucking their elbows on the way down helpful, but others can benefit from Greg Nuckols’ excellent “Flare & Push” cue. 

You may want to arch your back depending on your goals, but ensure that most of it comes from the mid-to-upper back, not your lower.

For every single repetition, the bar should be touching your chest. Look into board presses or adding resistance using chains or bands if you want to overload specific ranges of movement. [What bench press is best for the triceps?]

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6. Dumbbell Bench Press

Bench press dumbbells are what you lift in your dreams while wearing pink sunglasses with tie-dye and a tank top. Arnold watches in envy as your upper chest develops.

The dumbbell bench presses are a great way to build muscle, even if you’ve never done it before.

We want an active lower body, just like the barbell bench press. We want the entire body to be active, from the traps to the glutes.

Try to get tight and push through the ground using your feet. You will have a much more stable base to work with and can push harder.

Slamming the weights together is unnecessary; you need to move them inside. This signifies that you have brought the weights too far into your body unless you use huge circus dumbbells.

You can perform a pec-fly if you do not think too hard about it.

This dumbbell bench pressing is beneficial because you can get a more excellent range of motion than a barbell Bench Press.

There is no restriction on lowering your hands below your body with dumbbells. [What bench press is best for the triceps?]

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7. Swiss Ball Bench Press

Recently, Swiss balls have been added to traditional exercise programs. Swiss balls have an unstable surface, which can result in a greater need to use trunk muscles for balance or spinal stability. 

The study aimed to determine if adding a Swiss ball into upper-body strength training consistently increases trunk muscle activation.

The myoelectric activities of four trunk muscle groups were quantified while performing upper body resistance exercises on a stable surface (exercise ball) or labile surface (exercise benches). 

The participants performed the supine biceps, shoulder, and chest presses. Repeated measures of ANOVA and post hoc Tukey tests were used to determine whether seated surface type affected muscle activity.

The muscle activity was not statistically different (p.05) between the surface conditions. There was a significant variation between subjects, suggesting that other individuals may respond differently to surface stabilization. 

The findings indicate that using a Swiss ball instead of a bench in upper body strength programs may not be justified solely based on the belief that a more significant spinal stabilizing muscle activity is inherent. [What bench press is best for the triceps?]

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Conclusion:

The Close-Grip Bench Press is the most effective for targeting the triceps, as it shifts the focus from the chest to the triceps by narrowing the grip. Other beneficial variations include the Bench Press with Elbows Tucked, reverse grip Bench Press and Dumbbell Bench Press. Incorporating these exercises into your routine can help maximize triceps development. [What bench press is best for the triceps?]

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What bench press is best for the triceps? FAQ