Close grip vs wide grip curls: The key differences Close grip curls emphasize the long (outer) head of the biceps, whereas wide grip curls prioritize the short (inner) head. You might be able to use a resistance band setup at home, but it's definitely not ideal. The close grip pulldown could be either pronated, supinated (palms facing up or underhand), or neutral (palms facing each other) and could be performed using a straight bar or V-grip attachment. Press the bar back up to the starting position. As you push down keep consistent tension on your wrist to make sure you're pushing through your triceps and nothing. You also got to keep in mind that although pushdowns are great for the side head of the tricep, they don't do much for the long head. Because the wide grip limits the range of motion at the peak of each rep, wide grip dips aim at the lower and outer chest muscles more than routine width dips. My ass was on a dip station this morning. Tricep Pushdown Close Grip/ Narrow Grip; In the same way that a wide grip implies that your hands are more comprehensive than your shoulders, a close grip triceps pushdown 1900 implies that your hands are narrower than your shoulders. Unlike in the close grip lat pulldown, the wide grip variation of the exercise allows the exerciser to pull the handle entirely vertically. For this reason, it's prudent to cycle between them. Step 1: Prepare the Lat Pull Down Machine. Keep your hand placement just outside shoulder width. Bring the weight down just below your chest and contract your triceps to press upwards. How to do a close grip tricep pushdown Connect a straight bar attachment to a high pulley. This positioning helps give you a greater range of motion to allow you to more . Always Walk the Plank Eb says: Like any good pushup, a close-grip pushup starts with strong plank form. 2.Exhale, controlled reduction! If you are really having trouble "feeling" your triceps work during the movement, then yea, go for it. Most guys are disappointed when they don't see much muscle growth over time. The name of the exercise is the "close-grip" bench press, not the "hands together" bench press. In the close-grip bench press, the same numbers are 63% vs. 37%. Whatever your training needs, we have the multi-grip lat bar to match. Shop Fitness Equipement 3. Kneeling Neutral Grip Lat Pulldown. For example, a standard grip barbell bench press activates the pectorals as well as your shoulders and triceps, while a wide grip isolates the outer regions of the chest muscles, according. Close Grip Lat Pulldown Watch on 1.Inhale, contract the latissimus dorsi, pull down the horizontal bar vertically from the top of the head to the chest, tighten the scapula and tighten the latissimus dorsi muscle; pause for 2-3 seconds for peak contraction. Source: Lehman, G. J. In a wide-grip bench press, your chest and shoulders contribute 78% of the force necessary to lift the bar, while your triceps contribute 22%. All versions of the chinup work the same muscles -- the latissimus dorsi, or lats, teres major, rhomboids, trapezius, pectorals, biceps brachii and brachialis. You'll still perform work on all of these essential muscles regardless of which grip you choose. The triceps pushdown is limited to a cable machine. A reverse grip, also called an underhand grip, has your palms facing the ceiling. So it's a great addition to your back workout. You can do close grip and then hit some flyes to work the chest more. The kneeling neutral grip lat pulldown is an awesome exercise to get a full stretch in the lats. As long as you feel like you are working your chest effectively, set up in whatever way gives you the best mechanical advantage. Take an underhand grip of that handle with either hand. Most guys walk into a gym and start their workout with some form of cable pulldowns. Most lifters will also find that they're stronger on a wide grip bench press than on a close grip bench press. In fact, you could include both grip widths in your workout. I get good Medial Head detail (Horseshoe look) this way. You don't get complete muscle contraction. The Close Grip Bench Press is a bench press variation to build triceps strength that does offer some versatility that the triceps pushdown does not. Reverse Grip Single Cable Kickback - Stand in front of a cable station with a low pulley that has a single hand attachment to it. Repeat! Therefore, you must train your shoulder to stabilize heavy loads through a full range of motion. When performing the close-grip pull-up, reach up and grasp the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and your palms facing forward. Similar to using a wide grasp, doing an activity with a close grip tricep pushdown 9900 stimulates different muscle . To what extent the muscles are worked can be altered by your grip. I have noticed that a wider grip on rows hits the inner back more, and a closer grip hits the lats more, and this is due to different grips altering the position of the elbows. The primary muscular emphasis is on the chest. wide grip plus push downs. Grab the bar with a narrow overhand grip, and then take a small step or two away from the machine. For overall triceps mass, skull crushers are likely better than the close grip bench press because they put the long head of the triceps under a greater stretch. Hinge at your hips while keeping your back straight. Wide Grip vs Close Grip Pulldown quick tips for better results. In order to maximize muscle growth, your focus should be on heavy compound movements like the close-grip bench press or dips, because these are the kinds of exercises that allow you to REALLY overload your triceps for future growth. If you go too wide, you're again targeting the chest instead of the tri's. . http://www.instructionalfitness.com Instructional Fitness Spokesman Joe Tong demonstrates close grip tricep pushdowns. Do close grip, then wide grip, then a comfortable shoulder width, each for about 4 to 6 wks, then do a routine where you do each set at a different width. The tricep pushdown is a good exercise for building the tricep muscles, and the best variation is with an underhand grip (or the Reverse Grip Triceps Pushdown) because it keeps the elbow adducted and tucked into the side which allows more extension at the shoulder. What this does is position your palms at an angle so that they're facing slightly inward. Since it is a multi-joint move the benefits are two-fold. The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. The straight 48" lat bar is thoughtfully designed with a wide, medium, and close grip; perfect for everything from wide-grip lat pulldowns, standing bicep curls, close-grip tricep pushdowns, to front cable raises. While both exercises use lat pulldowns, the close grip focuses on targeting your lats and biceps, whilst the wide grip puts more emphasis on the trapezius and rhomboid. Wide Grip Mechanics. It's also possible that just mechanically you favor a closer grip. Overhead cable triceps extensions with rope 3 x 8-12; . The close-grip push-up is all about the triceps. A: The traditional bench press usually refers to a flat-bench press performed with a grip that's shoulder-width or wider. Closer grips emphasize the triceps, wider emphasizes the chest. 11-03-2009, 08:45 AM #6. gun-G. This exercise can be done on a flat, incline or decline bench (decline might be least stressful on your shoulders more on that in a second). Number One - Close Grip Bench Press Number Two Number Three Long Head Number One - Overhead Dumbbell Extensions Number Two - Tricep Kickbacks Number Three - Lying tricep extensions Lateral Head Number One - Rope Pushdown Number Two Continue Reading Christian Pederson CEO/CIO (2008-present) Author has 1.1K answers and 1.4M answer views 1 y Related Utilize your body position to allow the eccentric movement to stretch your tricep. However, the close grip bench press can be done with a . Wide grip doesn't hit the lats harder than close grip. Using a handle attachment that positions the hands at about shoulder-width apart will allow for a greater range of motion and more bang for your buck. by Flex Staff OPENING ARGUMENT DEFENSE Close-grip barbell curls target the long (outer) head of the biceps, which makes up the biceps peak. I use a shoulder-width grip and try to burn out my Medial Head with Skullcrushers. All you need to do for your grip width is grab the barbell just wide enough so that when you lower the barbell your forearms are as close as they can be to your torso. Doing so solves one of the common mistakes of the triceps pushdown which is hyper-extension of the wrist. What is the difference between a close grip bench and a wide grip bench press? I've found dips to be better for my triceps however as you can feel them working more and harder than in the close grip bench, I . When you use the close-grip handles, the position your hands are stuck in forces you to cut off the final 2 to 3 inches of the range of motion. Most of the exercises were triceps isolation lifts (like pushdowns), but the study also included compound lifts, including wide-grip guillotine presses (bench presses to the neck . The main difference between these exercises is that a close grip bench press emphasizes the triceps, whereas the wide grip bench press works more of the chest. But to get to the heart of the differences, we need to define wide in the context of skull crushers. Close grip vs wide grip skull crushers Close grip skull crushers, which is to say regular skull crushers where you grip the bar just inside shoulder-width, typically put less stress on the rotator cuffs than wide grip skull crushers. Wide grip; The wide grip is the most effective grip for the chest. In the conventional tricep pushdown, you take an overhand grip, which means your palms are on top of the handle and facing the floor. wide grip dips are a great way to wreck your shoulders. Pros: The ability to apply some serious weight to your triceps, the close-grip bench press is an excellent compound mass builder. The close-grip bench press, on the other hand, typically refers to any grip that's narrower than shoulder width, which greatly increases the emphasis on the triceps. Edit: Forgot to mention, wide-grip causes my elbows to go out to the side instead of straight back when doing close-grip. Utilize both grip widths in your training to maximize upper body development and bench press strength! Whereas a wide grip places more focus on the lats and triceps, the close grip calls in the mid upper back more so. A great giant set example is: tricep pushdowns; followed by dips between benches; followed by close-grip push-ups. That means the close grip hits your traps, rhomboids, and biceps even harder. Yes, triceps respond extremely well to a fascia splitting pump, which is best achieved via extended, giant, and drop sets. Try them all, and pick the one which works the best for you. But this video demonstrates how the difference in arm position changes some of the supporting muscles. Wide Grip vs. Close Grip Barbell Curls Which one is better? Bend your knees at a 90 angle. But it's not like it's an either/or situation. It *may* hit the teres major harder though, which can contribute to width when looking from the back. Go as heavy as you. Because the pectoral muscles are typically stronger than the triceps, wide-grip lifts tend to be more productive in generating gains on decline, incline and flat bench presses. To hit them I would recommend cable overhead extensions, or anything overhead for that matter. With all that said close-grip bench press and tricep pushdowns are both a part of my tricep work. BEST TRICEPS EXERCISE STUDIES. Regular grip dips are hard enough as it is on shoulder - there are guys who can't even do those safely due to the shoulder stress. Alternatively, you could use an underhand grip on this bar and turn the press-down into a pull-down but this is not recommended in most cases. So instead of going over the basic movement again, . Squeeze at the end of each contraction. Reason #1. Reason #2. You know the close-grip bench press is a great triceps developer, right up there with the dip. Exactly how wide varies from person to person, but in general, you want to place them between 3 and 6 inches wider on each side than you would in a regular push-up. (2005). Place your thighs under the pads and ensure a snug, comfortable fit. An extended set that I'm loving lately includes single handle pushdowns going from a supinate to pronate grip. PROSECUTION Wide-grip barbell curls allow you to use more weight and stress the short (inner) head of the biceps more. The more rigid your torso is and the more you create a straight line from shoulders through. Even though the grip might be similar to the V-bar lat pulldown, in this variation your arms start out to your sides at a wider angle. Brace your core, and then bring the bar down so that it's at chest height. A strong bench requires: Shoulder stability. Wide grip dips for Chest. This version can be made easier by placing your knees on the floor and your hands on an elevated surface or around an elevated, horizontal bar, says ExRx.net. Otherwise, stick with the overhand grip, as it will allow you to press more weight with greater . Explanation of Several Tricep Pushdown Grips. You may also need to spread your fingers wider to accommodate for the extra distance in your hand position. How about you get your ass to a dip station and try both outbadda bing, badda boom. Close-Grip Bench Press The close grip bench press engages your triceps significantly more than the traditional bench press. Answer (1 of 3): Very good question, while both do work the triceps it's predominantly worked as the secondary targeted muscle group, the first being your lower chest. During the more traditional, wide-grip pull-up, your palms also face forward, but in this version you grip the overhead bar so that your hands are a few inches outside the width of . Whether you stand up straight or hunch forward, your chest muscles will be put to the most use. One, less elbow strain like that felt in a lying extension and two, it allows you to use more weight than if you were using an isolation exercise. Wide grip - Place your hand on the outside hand bar and grip firmly. Close grip curls tend to produce a stronger peak contraction because your biceps are in a shorter muscle position. Pin your elbows to your sides. Even though a wide grip gets a little more lat activation, the close grip lat pulldown puts your arms in a stronger position, and you can generally pull more weight. The V-handle triceps pushdown is performed in the same way as the traditional pushdown, except you use a V-handle instead of a straight bar. Like I said, I rarely do narrow grip dips and am wondering if . Wide- and Close-Grip Pull-Ups. If you only want to do one exercise for your triceps , dips are a good choice. The function of the triceps is only to extend the arm. Some simple exercises like Tricep Pressdown, Close- grip bench press, Reverse grip tricep pressdown, Tricep pressdown with V-bar attachment or Tricep rope pressdown can make a real positive impact on your overall health. A wide grip will put more emphasis on your lats, while a narrow grip will put more emphasis on your . This study confirmed the classic theory that a wide grip bench will activate the lower chest more while a close grip bench will hit the triceps harder. You can do both the same day, the same week, or in the same cycle. Flex your triceps for a second and slowly allow the weight to go back down until you return to the starting position. ucallthatbass July 8, 2009, 6:15pm #3. The accessory exercises found here will address all of these areas. Wide dips = chest, narrow dips = triceps for me. This exercise can help you to build a wider back. IMO periodically switching grip width will be the best way to add width to your lats. Straight bar cable pushdowns: palms down 3 x 8-12; A3. Bloobird July 8, 2009, 6:07pm #2. Wide-grip push-ups, as you might expect, use a wider hand placement. If you're up for it meaning strong and fit enough you can increase the difficulty by elevating your feet on a stair riser or bench. A close grip bench favors the triceps over the pec so if you have good tricep development and weakish pecs that could account for it. Everybody is wired a bit differently, and no doubt one grip will be the best for you, while another grip . This enables greater latissimus dorsi activation so long as the exerciser manages to maintain a straight torso, avoiding any bend in their waist or upper chest. The long head, as we established earlier, is by far the biggest head of the triceps, so any exercise that trains it well has excellent size-building potential. Repeat for the desired number of reps. However, this mobility comes at a price-it has a large potential to be unstable. This pushdown variation focuses on how you hold the rope, triangle, or horizontal or EZ bar attachment. Close grip and wide grip pulldowns both work your lats. You can typically lift a bit more weight on wide curls. German researchers conducted a study with 10 resistance-trained young men, measuring, via electromyography (EMG) monitors, the activation of their triceps heads during 11 exercises. EVIDENCE The close-grip bench press results in higher velocity and power, while the wide grip bench press results in a higher force. Conclusion. The wide grip lat pulldown will typically only use a standard straight bar with a pronated (overhand or with your palms facing down) grip. The EZ-bar makes the Narrower grip more wrist-friendly (because of the angles of the bar). Overhead Triceps Extension Assume a standing position with your feet roughly shoulder width apart. forlife July 8, 2009, 6:23pm #4. In summary, the wide grip position will emphasise the chest and shoulder muscles whilst placing a significantly greater stress through the shoulder joint, whilst the narrow grip position will. The straight bar makes the shoulder-width grip more effective (for the Medial Head). Other potential choices: close-grip bench press, skullcrushers, triceps extensions, and maybe pushdowns or kickbacks. Attach a lat pulldown bar with handles to a Lat pulldown machine. Lower the bar down towards your chest while keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body. Anyone who wants to enhance and multiply their natural strength, endurance, resistance and energy can try these exercises. Fix the bar to a level that you can grab from a seated position. Target Muscles. 2. How you grip the bar on Lat pulldowns will determine what areas of the back musculature are t. 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