Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press

A beginner compound strength exercise that works the triceps, using an E-Z curl bar.

Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press — Starting position Starting position
Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press — End position End position
Difficulty Beginner
Type Strength
Equipment E-Z Curl Bar
Primary Muscle Triceps
AI Rep Counting Log manually

How to Do Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press

  1. Lie on a flat bench with an EZ bar loaded to an appropriate weight.
  2. Using a narrow grip lift the bar and hold it straight over your torso with your elbows in. The arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
  3. Now lower the bar down to your lower chest as you breathe in. Keep the elbows in as you perform this movement.
  4. Using the triceps to push the bar back up, press it back to the starting position by extending the elbows as you exhale.
  5. Repeat.

Muscles Worked

Front
Back

Primary

Where Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press does most of its work.

Secondary

Assisting and stabilising muscles.

Alternatives to Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press

10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.

  1. 1 Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

    Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the triceps, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell
  2. 2 Close-Grip Dumbbell Press

    Close-Grip Dumbbell Press

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the triceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  3. 3 JM Press

    JM Press

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the triceps, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell
  4. 4 Parallel Bar Dip

    Parallel Bar Dip

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the triceps.

    beginner Not specified
  5. 5 Smith Machine Close-Grip Bench Press

    Smith Machine Close-Grip Bench Press

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the triceps, using a machine.

    beginner Machines
  6. 6 Body Tricep Press

    Body Tricep Press

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, needing no equipment.

    beginner No Equipment
  7. 7 Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension

    Decline EZ Bar Triceps Extension

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell
  8. 8 Seated Triceps Press

    Seated Triceps Press

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, using dumbbells.

    beginner Dumbbells
  9. 9 Triceps Pushdown - V-Bar Attachment

    Triceps Pushdown - V-Bar Attachment

    A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the triceps, using a cable machine.

    beginner Cable Machine
  10. 10 Bench Press

    Bench Press

    The bench press is the most popular upper body exercise for building chest strength and muscle mass. It's a compound movement that also develops the triceps and anterior deltoids.

    intermediate Barbell

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles do close-grip ez-bar press work?

Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press primarily works the triceps. The chest and shoulders assist as secondary muscles.

What equipment do I need for close-grip ez-bar press?

Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press uses e-z curl bar.

Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press: is it suitable for beginners?

Yes. Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.

What can I do instead of close-grip ez-bar press?

Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press, Close-Grip Dumbbell Press, JM Press train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.

Can Fitnit count my close-grip ez-bar press reps automatically?

Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; close-grip ez-bar press can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.

Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.

Track Your Close-Grip EZ-Bar Press with AI

Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.