TRX Chest Press (Close Grip)
What Is the TRX Chest Press (Close Grip)?
TRX Chest Press (Close Grip) is a compound exercise that primarily targets the triceps and chest and also engages the shoulders and core. It is an intermediate-level movement, done standing at an incline with the hands held close together in the suspension handles and the elbows tucked beside the ribs.
Bringing the hands together moves the emphasis from the chest toward the triceps. That is the main difference from the standard TRX Chest Press, where the hands sit wider and the elbows travel out to the sides. It is also a pressing movement rather than the elbow-hinge of the TRX Triceps Extension, so the chest and front shoulders still share the load. In a study of 20 young men doing floor push-ups, a diamond hand position produced higher relative muscle activation than a wide one, and the triceps worked harder than the pectoralis major in every hand position tested.
Resistance comes from your own body weight and is set by the angle of your body. Stepping your feet forward, away from the anchor point, makes the press easier, and walking them back toward the anchor makes it harder. Because the handles move freely, your shoulders, core and hips also work to keep the body in one straight line.
It suits lifters who can already do a clean TRX Push-Up or TRX Chest Press and want more triceps work without equipment beyond a suspension trainer. Beginners can build up with an upright angle first, or with an Incline Push-Up on a stable surface. It fits well after heavier pressing, or as a finisher for the triceps and chest.
Muscles Worked
- Pectoralis Major
- Primary
- Deltoid
- High
- Rectus Abdominis
- Medium
- Serratus Anterior
- Medium
- Gluteus Maximus
- Minimal
Instructions
- Adjust both suspension handles to the same length, about mid-chest height, and stand facing away from the anchor point.
- Hold the handles close together in front of your lower chest, palms facing each other, with your wrists straight.
- Walk your feet forward until the straps are taut and your body leans forward at an angle, with your weight on the balls of your feet.
- Brace your abs and glutes so your body forms one straight line from head to heels.
- Lower your chest between your hands by bending your elbows, keeping them tucked close to your ribs and pointing back.
- Stop when your hands are beside your lower chest and your elbows are bent to about 90 degrees.
- Press the handles forward and straighten your arms, keeping the hands close together and the elbows close to your body.
- Finish with your arms extended in front of your chest and your body still in a straight line, without letting your hips sag.
- Lower under control and repeat for the planned number of reps.
Common Mistakes
Sagging hips
Letting the hips drop or pike breaks the straight line, strains the lower back and takes load off the working muscles.
Flaring the elbows
Elbows that swing out to the sides turn the close-grip press into a wide press, shift the work to the chest and stress the shoulders.
Bending the wrists
Letting the wrists fold back or sideways loads the joint, so keep the forearms in line with the handles.
Pushing too deep
Lowering past a comfortable depth pinches the front of the shoulder, so stop when the hands reach the lower chest.
Starting with slack straps
Straps that are uneven or loose let the body drift and make the first inches of each rep unstable, so set both to equal length with tension on.
Rushing the lowering phase
Dropping fast makes the handles swing and puts sudden load on the elbows, so lower under control for two to three seconds.
Injuries
TRX Chest Press (Close Grip) is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The straps move freely, so the shoulders, elbows and wrists have to control the path without the fixed surface of a floor push-up.
The elbows and the front of the shoulders take most of the strain. A narrow grip puts a lot of load through the triceps tendon at the elbow, so build volume gradually and avoid jumping straight into high-rep sets. Keep the wrists straight and the elbows close to the ribs, and avoid letting the hips sag, which pulls on the lower back. If the straps rub your arms or shoulders, raise the handles slightly and keep the shoulder blades set.
Choose a body angle you can control through the full range. A more upright body is easier, and a more horizontal one is harder. If you cannot hold a straight line, step your feet forward to stand taller or use the TRX Chest Press with a wider hand position as a regression. Stop the set if you feel sharp elbow, wrist or shoulder pain, and build up again from a more upright angle once it settles. Anyone with an existing elbow or shoulder injury should check with a clinician first.
- Equipment
- Suspension trainer and body weight
- Modality
- Strength
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Alternative Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: How is this different from the standard TRX Chest Press?
The hands stay close together and the elbows stay tucked beside the ribs, which shifts more of the work to the triceps. The wider TRX Chest Press lets the elbows travel out and puts more load on the chest.
- Q: How do I make it easier or harder?
Change the angle of your body. Step your feet forward, away from the anchor point, for a more upright, easier press, or walk them back toward the anchor for a lower, harder one.
- Q: How many reps and sets should I do?
Most people work well with 8 to 15 reps for 2 to 4 sets, choosing an angle where the last two reps are hard but still clean. Slow the lowering phase before you move to a harder angle.
- Q: Should the handles touch each other?
They can touch or sit a hand's width apart, whichever keeps your wrists straight and your elbows comfortable. The point is a narrow hand position with the elbows close to your body.
- Q: Is it a replacement for triceps isolation work?
It is a pressing movement, so the chest and shoulders also work. For direct elbow-extension work, add the TRX Triceps Extension.