Close-Grip Push-Up off a Dumbbell
A close-grip push-up with both hands stacked on a single upright dumbbell under the chest.
How to do it
- Stand one dumbbell on its end on the floor under your chest.
- Place both hands on the top head, side by side, and step back into a high plank.
- Brace the trunk so the body is a straight line from head to heels.
- Lower the chest toward the dumbbell with the elbows tracking close to the ribs.
- Stop just short of the top head, then press back to straight elbows.
- Keep the dumbbell still; if it rocks, reset your hands and the plank before the next rep.
Key technique cue
Keep the dumbbell still: elbows along the ribs, body in one line.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Flaring the elbows, which turns a close-grip press into a standard push-up.
- ✕ Letting the dumbbell rock, which dumps the wrists and the shoulder.
- ✕ Piking or sagging the hips, which breaks the plank the chest is supposed to press from.
- ✕ Locking the elbows hard at the top, which dumps tension off the triceps.
Benefits
- ✓ The narrow hand set loads the triceps more than a shoulder-width floor push-up.
- ✓ One dumbbell is enough kit for a close-grip press at home.
- ✓ The raised head gives a little extra chest travel without a pair of push-up handles.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 3 You are here - Close-Grip Push-Up off a Dumbbell
About the exercise
This close-grip push-up uses one dumbbell stood on end as the only hand support. Both palms share the top head, which parks the hands inside shoulder width and keeps the elbows close to the ribs. That narrow set loads the triceps more than a shoulder-width floor push-up; the chest still assists as the body stays a rigid plank. Elevating the hands a few centimeters also lets the torso travel slightly deeper than a floor diamond push-up, so the implement is not just a grip cue.
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