Close Grip Push Up: Why Your Triceps Aren't Growing and How to Fix It

Stop doing hundreds of standard push ups if you want big arms. Seriously. Most people grind away at the classic version thinking it’s a chest-only move, but they’re missing out on the single most effective bodyweight variation for the back of the arm. The close grip push up is honestly a beast. If you do it right, your triceps will feel like they’re literally on fire. If you do it wrong, you’re just begging for a wrist injury or a shoulder impingement that’ll sideline you for months.

It’s not just about moving your hands closer together. That’s the mistake. You’ve probably seen guys in the gym making a "diamond" shape with their hands and bouncing through reps like a pogo stick. That’s okay, I guess, but it’s often suboptimal for the long head of the tricep and can be brutal on the carpals.

The Biomechanics of Why the Close Grip Push Up Works

Standard push ups put a lot of the load on the pectoralis major. When you narrow that base of support, you change the lever. By bringing the hands in, you increase the range of motion at the elbow joint while slightly decreasing the mechanical advantage of the chest. This forces the triceps brachii—specifically the lateral and medial heads—to do the heavy lifting.

Research published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science actually compared different hand positions. They found that the narrow base—where hands are closer than shoulder-width—elicited the highest electromyographic (EMG) activity in both the triceps and the pectoralis minor. It’s science. You aren't just "feeling" the burn; your muscles are objectively working harder.

But here is the thing: your triceps are responsible for elbow extension. In a wide push up, your elbows flare out. In a close grip push up, your elbows should ideally stay tucked. This creates a vertical forearm position at the bottom of the movement, which is the "sweet spot" for muscle tension. If your elbows flare out while your hands are close, you’re putting a weird shear force on your rotator cuff. Don't do that. It hurts.

How to Actually Set Up Without Destroying Your Wrists

Most people just slap their hands down and go. That's a mistake.

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Start in a high plank. Instead of putting your hands directly under your face, aim for them to be under your lower chest or even your sternum. This slightly lower hand placement reduces the extreme extension angle of the wrist. If your wrists still hurt, try using hex dumbbells as handles or push-up bars. This keeps your wrists neutral. It's a game changer for anyone with old sports injuries.

Now, about the "Diamond" vs. "Close Grip" debate.

The diamond push up (index fingers and thumbs touching) is the most famous version. However, many elite trainers, including guys like Jeff Cavaliere or the researchers at the NSCA, often suggest that a "close grip" doesn't have to mean touching hands. Just inside shoulder-width is usually enough to shift the load to the triceps without grinding your joints.

• Hand Position: Slightly narrower than shoulder-width.
• Elbow Path: Think about "shaving" your ribcage with your elbows.
• Core Tension: Squeeze your glutes. Hard. If your hips sag, the lever changes and the exercise becomes easier (and less effective).

The Hidden Importance of the Serratus Anterior

We talk about triceps, but we forget the "boxer's muscle." The serratus anterior is that serrated-looking muscle on your ribs. When you perform a close grip push up, especially during the "protrusion" phase at the top (pushing the floor away as hard as you can), you're engaging the serratus.

Why does this matter? Shoulder stability.

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A weak serratus leads to winging scapula. If your shoulder blades aren't moving correctly, your tricep training will eventually stall because the foundation is shaky. By focusing on a full range of motion—going all the way down until your chest nearly grazes your hands and all the way up until your shoulder blades wrap around your ribcage—you're building a bulletproof upper body. It’s functional strength, not just "mirror muscle" vanity stuff.

Common Mistakes That Kill Progress

1. The "Chicken Neck": People reach for the floor with their chin. This creates a false sense of depth. Keep your neck neutral. Look at a spot about six inches in front of your hands.
2. The Sagging Belly: If your lower back arches, your core has quit. Your triceps won't work as hard because the kinetic chain is broken.
3. Partial Reps: If you only go halfway down, you’re skipping the hardest part of the tricep contraction. You're basically cheating yourself.

Progressive Overload: What Happens After You Can Do 20?

Bodyweight exercises eventually hit a wall. Once you can knock out 20 clean reps of the close grip push up, you need to change something. You can't just keep adding reps forever; that's endurance training, not hypertrophy.

Try elevating your feet. Putting your feet on a bench shifts more of your body weight (roughly 70-75% versus 60% on the floor) onto your hands. It’s harder. Much harder. You could also try "tempo reps." Take three seconds to go down, hold for one second at the bottom, and explode up. This increases Time Under Tension (TUT).

Another trick? The "mechanical drop set." Start with the close grip version. Do as many as you can with perfect form. When you can't do another, immediately move your hands out to a standard width and squeeze out five more. Then move to your knees if you have to. This completely exhausts the muscle fibers in a way that a single set never could.

Real-World Applications and Programming

You shouldn't just do these every day. Muscle grows when you rest.

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If you’re following a Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) split, these belong on "Push" day. If you're doing full-body, put them toward the end after your heavy presses. Heavy bench press or overhead press taxes the central nervous system (CNS). Using the close grip push up as a "finisher" is a great way to ensure the triceps are fully fatigued without needing to load a heavy barbell when you're already tired.

A Sample "Arm Focus" Finisher

• Dips: 3 sets to failure.
• Close Grip Push Up: 3 sets, 2 reps short of failure.
• Overhead Tricep Extension: 3 sets of 12.

Honestly, if you do that twice a week, your sleeves are going to start feeling tight. The tricep makes up about two-thirds of your upper arm mass. Everyone focuses on biceps, but the triceps are what give your arms that "thick" look from the side and the back.

Overcoming the "Plateau"

Sometimes people find that their elbows hurt more than their muscles work. This is usually due to "elbow lockout." While you want a full range of motion, avoid "snapping" your elbows into a locked position with high velocity. Think about a controlled squeeze at the top.

If you feel a sharp pain in the front of your shoulder, you’re likely letting your shoulders "dump" forward at the bottom. Keep your chest proud. Keep your shoulder blades retracted and depressed (pulled down toward your back pockets). This creates a stable "shelf" for the movement.

Actionable Steps for Your Next Workout

Don't wait until Monday.

1. Assess Your Baseline: Drop down right now. How many close grip push ups can you do with your elbows touching your ribs and your chest hitting the floor? If it's less than 10, that’s your starting point.
2. Film Yourself: Set your phone up on the side. Watch your hips. If they're sagging or if your elbows are flaring out like a 45-degree angle, fix it.
3. Incorporate Tempo: For your next workout, don't count reps. Set a timer for 40 seconds. Move as slowly as possible through the eccentric (lowering) phase.
4. Mind-Muscle Connection: Close your eyes for a second during the move. Feel the back of your arm stretching and then shortening. It sounds "bro-sciencey," but internal focus actually increases muscle activation according to several studies in the European Journal of Sport Science.

The close grip push up is a foundational movement. It requires zero equipment, works the entire pushing chain, and builds the kind of tricep strength that carries over to the bench press and overhead movements. Start small, focus on the tuck of the elbows, and stay consistent. Your arms will thank you.