# Cable Incline Close Grip Bench Press - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/11585/cable-incline-close-grip-bench-press/ - Media ID: 11585 - Primary muscle: Chest - Body part: Chest - Equipment: Cable Machine - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/11585/cable-incline-close-grip-bench-press.mp4 ## Description The Cable Incline Close Grip Bench Press combines an incline bench with cable resistance to build the upper chest and the backs of the arms. You recline on an incline bench set between the pulleys of a cable machine, hold one handle in each hand at shoulder level, and press up and slightly inward until your arms extend over your upper chest. Because the cables pull from behind and below you, the resistance stays smooth and constant through the entire range, including the top of the press where a barbell often feels easiest. The close grip is what sets this version apart. Bringing your hands in toward shoulder-width shifts a large share of the work to the triceps while the incline angle keeps the emphasis on the clavicular head of the chest and the front delts. If your pressing progress has stalled on barbell work, or your elbows complain when you bench with a bar, the cable version is often a friendlier option because each arm moves on its own path and there is no rigid bar forcing your joints into one fixed line. Setup matters more here than in most machine presses. The bench angle, your position on the bench, and the anchor point of the pulleys all determine whether the cables pull against your pressing line or with it. Ideally the cables should run just behind your forearms at the bottom of the press, so the tension challenges the press rather than yanking your arms backward. Sit firmly with your head, shoulders, and hips in contact with the bench and your feet planted on the floor. To perform the movement well, brace your core, draw the handles up to shoulder level with elbows tucked fairly close to your ribs, and press up along a slight inward angle so the handles finish close together over your upper chest. Avoid locking out hard or letting the elbows flare wide, both of which strain the joints and pull tension away from the target muscles. Lower with control until the handles sit just outside your shoulders, then press again. This exercise fits well as a secondary pressing movement on upper-body days, particularly for lifters who want extra upper chest and triceps volume without heavy spinal or shoulder loading. It is also a solid choice for training alone, since the cable stack provides controlled resistance that is easy to bail from at any point in the rep. Start with a weight you can press for ten to twelve clean reps and build from there. ## Instructions 1. Set an incline bench to roughly 30-45 degrees and position it between the low pulleys of a cable machine so the cables run from behind and below your shoulders. 2. Attach a single handle to each low pulley, select your weight, and sit back on the bench with your head, upper back, and hips firmly supported and your feet flat on the floor. 3. Grip one handle in each hand using a close, roughly shoulder-width or slightly narrower hand position, and raise the handles to shoulder level with your palms facing forward. 4. Pull your elbows in so they sit just outside your ribcage at about 45 degrees, and squeeze your shoulder blades gently down and back against the bench. 5. Brace your core and take a breath, keeping your lower back in contact with the bench rather than arching heavily off it. 6. Press the handles up and slightly inward along a straight line, following the direction of the cables, until your arms are extended over your upper chest with the handles close together. 7. Pause briefly at the top without slamming the elbows into full lockout, keeping tension in the chest and triceps. 8. Inhale and lower the handles under control back to shoulder level, letting your elbows travel down close to your sides until they are just below the bench line. 9. Exhale as you press each repetition, maintaining the same path up and down. 10. When the set is finished, guide the handles back toward the pulleys with control before standing up, rather than letting the stack drop and snap the cables forward. ## Tips & Tricks - If the cables drag your arms backward at the bottom, your bench is too far forward or the pulleys are set too high in relation to your shoulder line—move the bench until the cable line matches your pressing path. - Keep the press narrow and linear. Flaring the elbows wide turns this back into a standard press and loads the shoulder joints instead of the triceps and upper chest. - Do not chase full lockout at speed. Snapping the elbows straight against cable tension is the most common cause of elbow soreness in this press; stop just short of lockout and stay tight. - Because each cable moves independently, a weaker side will show itself quickly. Slow down the rep on your weaker arm or train single-arm presses for a few weeks to even things out. - Grip fatigue often limits this exercise before the chest does. Wrap your thumbs around the handles and hold firmly rather than hooking the handles loosely with your fingers. - Keep your shoulders pinned back against the bench through the whole set. Letting them roll forward as you press shortens the chest's range and turns the movement into a partial front delt exercise. - The cable keeps tension at the top, so the stretch at the bottom is where the range is easiest to cut short. Lower until your elbows are clearly below your shoulder line each rep. - Set the bench angle lower rather than steeper. Past about 45 degrees the front delts take over and the exercise drifts toward a shoulder press. - If your hips lift off the bench as you press, the weight is too heavy or your brace is loose. Drop the load and keep your feet driving into the floor instead of pushing through your lower back. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Which muscles does the Cable Incline Close Grip Bench Press work? The primary targets are the upper chest, specifically the clavicular head of the pectoralis major, and the triceps, which handle much of the pressing due to the narrow grip. The front delts assist throughout the press. ### Why use a close grip instead of a normal grip on the incline cable press? The narrow hand position increases elbow flexion and extension demands, shifting more work to the triceps while still training the upper chest. It is a useful way to load the triceps heavily in a pressing pattern without a barbell. ### Is the Cable Incline Close Grip Bench Press suitable for beginners? Yes. The cable provides smooth, adjustable resistance and there is no heavy bar to control, so beginners can learn the pressing pattern safely. Start light and focus on keeping the elbows close to the body. ### What bench angle should I use for this exercise? Around 30-45 degrees works best. A steeper angle shifts the emphasis toward the front delts and turns the movement into more of a shoulder press. ### Why do the cables pull my arms backward during the press? Your bench is probably positioned too far forward relative to the pulleys, so the cable line sits behind your pressing path. Move the bench slightly back or toward the pulleys until the cables run just behind your forearms at the bottom of the rep. ### What can I substitute if my gym has no cable crossover machine? A close-grip barbell or dumbbell press on an incline bench trains the same muscles, though the resistance curve differs. Alternatively, a floor-based close-grip dumbbell press with a slight torso elevation is a reasonable home option. ### Should my elbows touch my sides at the bottom of the Cable Incline Close Grip Bench Press? They should travel close to your ribs but not need to touch them. Let them descend until they are just below shoulder level while keeping the press narrow; forcing them lower than your mobility allows strains the shoulders. ### Can I do this exercise one arm at a time? Yes, single-arm reps are a good way to correct side-to-side strength differences, which the independent cables make obvious. Brace a little harder and keep your torso square to avoid twisting toward the working side. ### Is it safe to press this exercise without a spotter? Generally yes, because the handles can be released or guided back toward the pulleys at any point and the cables cannot fall onto you the way a barbell can. Still, keep the weight honest and return the stack to rest with control after each set. ### How does cable resistance differ from pressing a barbell on an incline? The cable keeps constant tension through the entire rep, including the top where a barbell becomes easy, and each arm follows its own natural path. You will likely use less absolute load than with a barbell but feel more continuous work in the chest and triceps.