Close-Grip Bench Press VS (Weighted) Dips | WHICH BUILDS BIGGER TRICEPS FASTER? – ScottHermanFitness

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In this week’s episode of the VERSUS SERIES we’re going to be comparing the CLOSE-GRIP BENCH PRESS VS WEIGHTED DIPS!

Now when it comes to showing off BIG ARMS most people instinctively go for a double bicep flex and while big biceps are very impressive, to have truly massive arms you need to pay a bit more attention to your triceps. This is because the triceps make up the majority of your arms and if you’re looking to fill out the sleeves in your t-shirt, training your triceps is what’s going to do it!

But before we get started, if you missed the my last versus series article where we compared the Dumbbell Shoulder Press VS the Barbell Shoulder Press to find out which exercise is best for building BIGGER BOULDER SHOULDERS, be sure to check it out HERE!

ANATOMY OF THE TRICEPS
The first thing I want to discuss before we dive into our comparison is a quick breakdown of the triceps. The triceps contain the prefex “tri” because they are made up of three muscles, the lateral head, medial head and long head and to get the most growth out of these muscles you need to be incorporating exercises in your workout that target all three heads. For those of you who don’t know, most isolation movements like pushdowns, pulldowns, kickbacks and overhead extensions usually place more emphasis on one or two of the triceps heads. In fact, most people who have under developed triceps is usually because they ONLY use isolation exercises and this is mainly because they are easier to set-up and less taxing on the rest of the body. That is why they’re called “isolation” movements, because the majority of the work is being done by the triceps.

Now, as we know in order to build muscle we need to be able to continuously place larger loads on the muscles we’re trying to grow and that’s where compound movements like the Close-Grip Bench Press and Weighted Dips come in!

CLOSE-GRIP BENCH PRESS
Let’s first take a look at the close-grip bench press. Now this is a compound movement that will target all three heads of the triceps, but ONLY if you’re set-up correctly. Too many people in the gym grab the barbell SUPER CLOSE and end of placing a lot of unwanted pressure in their wrists and elbows.

The name of the exercise is the “close-grip” bench press, not the “hands together” bench press. 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.

To perform this movement, you’re going to lay down on a bench just like you would for a normal bench press. However, if you want to isolate your triceps as much as possible I want you to perform the movement with your legs in the air. This will take the stability your lower body provides out of the exercise making sure your upper body is doing all the work.

Remember, we’re performing this movement for TRICEP GROWTH, not to see who can close-grip bench the most weight with bad form. What I mean by this is that with your feet on the ground you will be able to lift more weight because you’re pushing through your feet, glutes and core and in most cases, especially when fatigued, 99% of you will start to flare your elbows and bring more chest into the movement. This defeats the entire purpose of this exercise being a TRICEP BUILDER. However, if you’re an experienced lifter and know your limits and how to train heavy with proper form, then you can definitely close-grip bench press with your feet on the ground. But if you’re a beginner or new to the exercise, keep your feet in the air for now to help you increase your mind-muscle connection during the movement.

So, first things first, let’s lay down on the bench grabbing the barbell shoulder width apart. Once in place you’re going to lower the barbell to your TORSO, not your chest, and this is the BIGGEST mistake people make with this movement. You need to visualize creating 90 degree angles with your elbows when at the bottom of the movement. This is the best way to fully engage your triceps. Also, make sure you CONTROL the reps. Don’t just drop the barbell on the way down.

*CONTINUE READING HERE*

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