Arms · Bodyweight
Incline Close Grip Push-up
How to do the incline close grip push-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Place your hands close together, about shoulder-width or narrower, on an elevated surface such as a bench. With your body in a straight line, lower your chest toward your hands keeping your elbows tucked, then press back up to full extension.
- 1Feel your triceps and inner chest driving you back up with elbows tucked
- 2close
- 3Keep your body in a straight line and your core braced
- 4Lower your chest to your hands and press up to full lockout
Common mistakes
- Avoid flaring your elbows wide; keep them close to your sides
- Don't let your hips sag or pike up
- Avoid bouncing; control the tempo down and up
Muscles worked
The incline close grip push-up mainly works the triceps and mid chest, with the upper chest, upper abs, and front delts assisting.
- TricepsPrimary
- Mid ChestPrimary
- Upper ChestSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Lower ChestMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
Kovo programs the incline close grip push-up for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More triceps exercises
- How to do the bent-over tricep extension
- How to do the crossbody tricep extension
- How to do the cable katana tricep extension
- How to do the cable single arm tricep extension
- How to do the kickback
- How to do the lying tricep extension
Last reviewed June 2026.