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Smith Machine Decline Close Grip Bench Press animation

How to do the Smith Machine Decline Close Grip Bench Press

TricepsSmith MachineBeginner

The Smith Machine decline close grip bench press locks in your path of motion so you can zero in on overloading the triceps without fighting balance or stability. Master this movement and you build the dense, powerful upper arms that carry over to every pressing pattern you train.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Triceps
Secondary
Front deltsChest

Step-by-step

  1. Set the bench to a 15 to 30 degree decline, rack the bar at chest level, and grip it with hands 8 to 10 inches apart, thumbs wrapped fully around the bar
  2. Unrack by rotating the bar and lower it under control to the lower chest, keeping elbows tucked at roughly 45 degrees from your torso
  3. Press the bar back to full lockout by driving through the triceps, not the chest, finishing with elbows straight but not hyperextended
  4. Re-rack by rotating the bar back into the safety hooks before releasing your grip completely

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows out wide shifts stress onto the chest and shoulders, so actively keep your elbows tracking close to your sides throughout every rep
  • Using too wide a grip defeats the close grip purpose and reduces triceps activation, so check your hand spacing before every set
  • Bouncing the bar off the chest to grind out reps removes tension from the triceps and risks injury, so pause briefly at the bottom and press with deliberate control

Pro tip — At the top of each rep consciously rotate your wrists very slightly inward as you lock out, this final cue maximizes the squeeze through the lateral and medial triceps heads that most lifters leave completely untrained.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps

Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.

More Triceps exercises

Barbell Close Grip Bench PressBarbell Close Grip Bench PressBarbell Decline Close Grip To Skull PressBarbell Decline Close Grip To Skull PressBarbell Incline Reverse Grip PressBarbell Incline Reverse Grip PressBarbell Lying Close Grip PressBarbell Lying Close Grip PressBarbell Lying Close Grip Triceps ExtensionBarbell Lying Close Grip Triceps ExtensionBarbell Lying ExtensionBarbell Lying Extension
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