28-Days-to-Lean Meal Plan

With a structured plan and unwavering discipline, one can achieve significant muscular definition in a mere 28 days.

Renowned strength and conditioning coach Joe DeFranco—proprietor of DeFranco’s Gym, a private training facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey—has coached martial artists, NFL athletes, and WWE wrestlers, inspiring them to surpass their physical boundaries. However, in a recent Instagram post, the fitness expert elucidated why poor form can derail an athlete’s progress. Regarding the mechanics of the close-grip bench press, DeFranco—known for his astute training insights—emphasizes that injury prevention hinges on proper hand placement. Below is his expert guidance.

“The close-grip bench press is an S-tier triceps exercise,” DeFranco stated during a demonstration for his 178,000 Instagram followers. “Yet the manner in which most lifters execute it relegates it to D-tier effectiveness—avoid this prevalent error.”

“Most lifters adopt an excessively narrow grip,” DeFranco demonstrated, with the insides of his thumbs nearly touching on the barbell. “They believe this intensifies triceps activation. However, an overly narrow grip only places excessive stress on the wrists and elbows.”

DeFranco did not merely critique improper form—he provided a solution to effectively target the triceps. “This is why I prescribe ‘narrow-grip’ bench presses, rather than ‘close-grip’ variations, in my training programs,” he noted.

“I recommend a grip width where the index fingers rest on the smooth section of the barbell,” DeFranco demonstrated, with the remaining fingers on the textured portion. “This width is sufficiently narrow to prioritize triceps engagement without imposing excessive stress on the wrists, elbows, or shoulders. It also allows for adequate loading of the triceps,” as it isolates the triceps muscles instead of recruiting the shoulders—thereby reducing injury risk during load displacement.

“Implement this grip if you aim to develop large, strong, horseshoe-shaped triceps,” DeFranco encouraged. After all, who wouldn’t desire that level of triceps development?

To follow Joe DeFranco on Instagram, click here.