JM Press
- Advanced
- Barbell
The JM press, named after powerlifter JM Blakley, lies between a close-grip bench press and a skull crusher. You take a grip around fifteen to eighteen inches apart, keep the elbows forward and roughly forty-five degrees from the torso, and lower the bar toward the throat until the forearms meet the biceps before pressing back. The triceps are the prime mover with the chest and front delts assisting, and it is a technical lift that punishes an overloaded bar.
How to do the JM Press
- Lie back on a flat bench with your eyes under the bar and your shoulder blades pinched down.
- Grip the bar about fifteen to eighteen inches apart with your wrists stacked over your elbows.
- Unrack the bar and hold it over the upper chest with the arms extended.
- Bend the elbows and roll the bar back toward your throat, keeping the elbows forward of the torso.
- Stop when the forearms meet the biceps, then drive the bar back up by extending the elbows hard.
- Finish the set and return the bar to the rack with the elbows locked.
Muscles worked
- Primary:
- Triceps
- Secondary:
- Chest and Shoulders
Why train it
- Loads the triceps heavily through the lockout range of the bench press.
- Allows more weight than a skull crusher at a similar elbow-extension emphasis.
- Trains the triceps when the chest and shoulders are already fatigued.
Common mistakes
- Loading it like a bench press, which loads the elbow before the triceps are trained.
- Letting the elbows drop behind the torso, which turns the lift into a press and shifts load to the shoulders.
- Gripping too narrow, which destabilizes the bar and puts the wrists in a compromised position.
- Programming it as often as a main press, when it is commonly run once a week as an accessory.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the JM Press work?
The JM Press trains the triceps as the main target. Expect the chest and shoulders to take some of the load as well.
What equipment do I need for the JM Press?
The JM Press needs a barbell. Nothing beyond that is required to run the movement the way it is described above.
Is the JM Press suitable for beginners?
Not as a starting point. The JM Press is rated advanced: it asks for control under load that only comes from months of easier work, and the cost of a bad rep is higher here than it is anywhere else on this page. Build up to the JM Press through the alternatives below.
Can I do the JM Press at home?
Yes, if you own a barbell. That is the whole requirement, and it is the reason this one travels well between a home setup and a gym floor.
How many sets and reps of the JM Press should I do?
Three to four sets of 10 to 15 reps. Isolation work responds to reps and a controlled tempo rather than load, so stop each set a rep or two short of failure and keep the weight honest.
What are good alternatives to the JM Press?
Bench Dips, Cable Bar Pushdown, and Dumbbell Decline Skullcrusher train the same primary muscles as the JM Press. Pick whichever one matches the equipment in front of you.