10 Best Close-grip Dumbbell Press Alternatives for Triceps Strength
If you can't perform the close-grip dumbbell press, use close-grip barbell bench press, weighted dips, diamond push-ups, dumbbell floor press (neutral grip), or JM press. Keep elbows tucked about 45° and actively extend at the elbow to load the triceps' lateral and long heads while limiting shoulder involvement.
Original Exercise: Close-grip Dumbbell Press
How to Perform Close-grip Dumbbell Press
- Place a dumbbell standing up on a flat bench.
- Ensuring that the dumbbell stays securely placed at the top of the bench, lie perpendicular to the bench with only your shoulders lying on the surface. Hips should be below the bench and your legs bent with your feet firmly on the floor.
- Grasp the dumbbell with both hands and hold it straight over your chest at arm's length. Both palms should be pressing against the underside of the sides of the dumbbell. This will be your starting position.
- Initiate the movement by lowering the dumbbell to your chest.
- Return to the starting position by extending the elbows.
Pro Tips
- Category: Strength
- Force: Push
- Movement type: Compound
Best Close-grip Dumbbell Press Alternatives
1. Dumbbell Close-grip Press
99.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
- 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.
- 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.
- As you breathe in, slowly lower the dumbbells to your side until they are about level with your chest.
- As you exhale, use your triceps to lift the dumbbells back to the starting position.
2. Dumbbell Neutral Grip Bench Press
99.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and your arms extended straight up over your chest.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells down towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the dumbbells back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press
98.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing away from you.
- Extend your arms straight up over your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Lower the dumbbells down towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- As you lower the dumbbells, twist your wrists so that your palms face towards you at the bottom of the movement.
4. Barbell Reverse Close-grip Bench Press
95.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Grasp the barbell with a reverse grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
- Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
- Slowly lower the barbell down towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Pause for a moment when the barbell is just above your chest.
5. Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press
95.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie back on a flat bench. Using a close grip (around shoulder width), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
- As 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.
- After 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.
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
6. Barbell Lying Close-grip Press
95.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Grasp the barbell with a close grip, hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing towards your feet.
- 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, then push it back up to the starting position.
7. Ez Barbell Jm Bench Press
94.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Grasp the ez barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lower the barbell to your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body.
- Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Dumbbell Floor Press
94.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lay on the floor holding dumbbells in your hands. Your knees can be bent. Begin with the weights fully extended above you.
- Lower the weights until your upper arm comes in contact with the floor. You can tuck your elbows to emphasize triceps size and strength, or to focus on your chest angle your arms to the side.
- Pause at the bottom, and then bring the weight together at the top by extending through the elbows.
9. Ez-bar Close-grip Bench Press
94.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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.
10. Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press
94.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on a flat bench with an EZ bar loaded to an appropriate weight.
- Using a narrow grip lift the bar and hold it straight over your torso with your elbows in. The arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
- Now lower the bar down to your lower chest as you breathe in. Keep the elbows in as you perform this movement.
- Using the triceps to push the bar back up, press it back to the starting position by extending the elbows as you exhale.
- Repeat.
Why You Might Need a Close-grip Dumbbell Press Alternative
You may need substitutes for shoulder pain, limited equipment, or to add variety for continued progress. Shoulder impingement often appears when the elbow flares; swapping exercises that keep the elbow tucked reduces anterior shoulder shear. Different substitutes change biomechanics: dips increase long-head stretch via greater shoulder extension, close-grip barbell transfers load symmetrically for higher loading, and floor presses reduce shoulder horizontal adduction. Use cues such as retracting the scapula, keeping a neutral wrist, and avoiding elbow flare beyond 60° to preserve triceps activation while protecting the shoulder.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Choose a substitute based on equipment, shoulder health, and the triceps head you want to target. For maximal load and progressive overload pick close-grip barbell bench press—set feet, retract scapula, and drive through mid-foot for stability. For greater long-head stretch choose dips; lower to 90° of shoulder extension while keeping elbows close. For limited equipment choose diamond push-ups or the dumbbell floor press (neutral grip) and emphasize controlled eccentrics to maintain triceps activation. Match the substitute's range of motion and loading to your training goals and pain profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Close-grip Dumbbell Press work?
The close-grip dumbbell press primarily targets the triceps (lateral, medial, and long heads) through elbow extension, with secondary stress on the pecs and anterior deltoids during shoulder horizontal adduction. Keep elbows tucked to bias the triceps and reduce shoulder involvement.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Close-grip Dumbbell Press?
Weighted or regular parallel-bar dips are the best bodyweight substitute because they load the triceps under a large range of motion and involve shoulder extension that stresses the long head. Cue a slight forward lean, keep elbows close to the body, and lower to roughly 90° of elbow flexion for full triceps activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Close-grip Dumbbell Press?
Yes. You can build triceps mass with alternatives like close-grip bench press, dips, JM presses, and diamond push-ups by applying progressive overload and full-range reps. Prioritize controlled eccentrics and consistent load increases to maintain high triceps activation.
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