Close Grip Push Ups

Muscles worked by the Close Grip Push Ups

Primary

ChestPectoralis MajorTricepsTriceps Brachii

Secondary

Front DeltsAnterior DeltoidSerratusSerratus Anterior

Also called: pec, pecs, pectoralis major, pectoralis, chest muscles, tricep.

Equipment

No equipment — this is a bodyweight exercise.

How to do the Close Grip Push Ups

1. Assume a push-up position with hands directly under your shoulders.
2. Keep your elbows tucked close to your ribs.
3. Lower your chest toward the floor.
4. Press back up to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Form tips

• Keep your elbows tracking backward, not flared out.
• Maintain a rigid plank position throughout.
• Slow the descent for greater triceps activation.

At a glance

Close Grip Push Ups in German & Spanish

Descriptions, instructions and tips ship in all three languages in the JSON.

Related exercises

• Archer Push Ups
• Clap Push-Ups
• Decline Push-Up
• Deficit Push Ups
• Diamond Push Ups
• Handstand Push Ups
• Incline Push-Up
• Knee Push Ups

Exercise data (JSON)

The record below is exactly what exercises.json ships for this exercise — names, descriptions, instructions and tips in English, German and Spanish.

{
  "id": "close-grip-push-ups",
  "name_en": "Close Grip Push Ups",
  "name_de": "Enger Liegestütz",
  "name_es": "Flexiones con Agarre Cerrado",
  "description_en": "A push-up variation with hands placed close together to emphasize the triceps.",
  "description_de": "Eine Liegestütz-Variante mit eng zusammenstehenden Händen, die den Trizeps betont.",
  "description_es": "Una variante de flexión con las manos juntas que enfatiza el tríceps.",
  "category": "strength",
  "force_type": "push",
  "mechanic": "compound",
  "difficulty": "intermediate",
  "body_part": "chest",
  "primary_muscles": [
    "pectoralis_major",
    "triceps_brachii"
  ],
  "secondary_muscles": [
    "anterior_deltoid",
    "serratus_anterior"
  ],
  "goals": [
    "hypertrophy",
    "strength"
  ],
  "tags": [
    "knee_safe",
    "no_axial_load",
    "lower_back_safe",
    "shoulder_safe"
  ],
  "variation_group": "push-up",
  "is_unilateral": false,
  "is_bodyweight": true,
  "instructions_en": [
    "Assume a push-up position with hands directly under your shoulders.",
    "Keep your elbows tucked close to your ribs.",
    "Lower your chest toward the floor.",
    "Press back up to the starting position.",
    "Repeat for the desired number of reps."
  ],
  "instructions_de": [
    "Nimm eine Liegestützposition mit den Händen direkt unter den Schultern ein.",
    "Halte die Ellbogen eng am Rumpf.",
    "Senke die Brust in Richtung Boden ab.",
    "Drücke dich zurück in die Ausgangsposition.",
    "Wiederhole für die gewünschte Anzahl an Wiederholungen."
  ],
  "instructions_es": [
    "Adopta una posición de flexión con las manos directamente bajo los hombros.",
    "Mantén los codos pegados a las costillas.",
    "Baja el pecho hacia el suelo.",
    "Empuja de vuelta a la posición inicial.",
    "Repite el número de repeticiones deseado."
  ],
  "tips_en": [
    "Keep your elbows tracking backward, not flared out.",
    "Maintain a rigid plank position throughout.",
    "Slow the descent for greater triceps activation."
  ],
  "tips_de": [
    "Führe die Ellbogen nach hinten, nicht seitlich abgespreizt.",
    "Halte den Rumpf während der gesamten Bewegung stabil.",
    "Senke langsam ab für mehr Trizeps-Aktivierung."
  ],
  "tips_es": [
    "Lleva los codos hacia atrás, no hacia los lados.",
    "Mantén el cuerpo rígido como una tabla durante todo el movimiento.",
    "Baja despacio para mayor activación del tríceps."
  ],
  "met": 5.0,
  "images": {
    "flat": {
      "start": "images/flat/close-grip-push-ups-start.webp",
      "peak": "images/flat/close-grip-push-ups-peak.webp"
    }
  }
}

Fetch just this exercise

const { exercises } = await fetch(
  "https://exercise-dataset.com/exercises.json"
).then(r => r.json());
const ex = exercises.find(e => e.id === "close-grip-push-ups");

Free for personal and commercial in-app use with attribution (“Exercise data by RepDB”) — see the license and ready-made attribution snippets. Redistributing the data as a dataset or API is not permitted.