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Exercises

JM press: how to do it and where it fits in your triceps training

Published October 19, 2026

The JM press is a barbell triceps exercise that sits between a close-grip bench press and a skull crusher. Lie back on a flat bench, hands shoulder-width on the bar, bend your elbows so the bar travels down toward your chin while your elbows move forward slightly, stop a few inches above your throat, and press back up by straightening your elbows. Most of the work goes to the triceps.

Your last JM press set

How to do the JM press

The JM press lets you load the triceps much heavier than a skull crusher while keeping more of the work on them than a close-grip bench press. That makes it a strong builder for triceps size and the lockout part of your bench press.

Steps

  1. Lie back on a flat bench, unrack the bar with a grip about shoulder-width apart, and hold it over your upper chest with straight arms.
  2. Bend your elbows and let the bar travel down and slightly back toward your chin while your elbows drift forward toward your feet a little.
  3. Stop when the bar is a few inches above your throat and your forearms are close to your upper arms.
  4. Press the bar back up and slightly forward by straightening your elbows, returning it over your upper chest.
  5. Lock out fully and squeeze the triceps before the next rep; rack the bar when you finish.

Cues

  • Bar toward the chin
  • Elbows a little forward
  • Straighten, don't press

Common mistakes

  • Turning it into a close-grip bench: if the bar lands on your chest with elbows tucked at your sides, you lose the extension part; let the elbows travel forward.
  • Turning it into a skull crusher: if the bar goes behind your head with the upper arms still, you lose the load; keep the bar over your chin and throat.
  • Rushing the bottom: the bar is near your face, so lower slowly, use collars, and set safety pins in a rack or use a Smith machine.

Swap for: Close-Grip Bench Press, Dumbbell Skullcrusher, Cable Triceps Pressdown

Muscles the JM press works

The JM press mainly works all three heads of the triceps, with the lateral and medial heads doing the most because the arms stay roughly vertical. The chest and front delts help a little at the start of each press, less than in a close-grip bench press.

Sets, reps and reps in reserve for the JM press

GoalSets × repsRIRRest
Build triceps muscle 3–4 × 8–12 1–2 2 min
Use a weight you can lower to the same spot every rep; add reps before load.
Bench press lockout 3–5 × 5–8 2 2–3 min
Place it after your bench press as the main triceps lift of the day.
Learning the bar path 3 × 10–12 3 90 s
Start with an empty bar or the Smith machine until the groove feels the same every rep.

JM press variations

  • Close-Grip Bench Press start position

    Close-Grip Bench Press

    Bring the bar to your lower chest with elbows tucked when you want heavier pressing with more chest and shoulder help.

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  • Dumbbell Skullcrusher start position

    Dumbbell Skullcrusher

    Lower dumbbells beside your head with fixed upper arms when you want pure elbow extension with a lighter load.

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  • Landmine Lying Triceps Extension start position

    Landmine Lying Triceps Extension

    Use a landmine for a lying extension with a fixed arc when the barbell JM path feels awkward.

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JM press alternatives

Cable triceps

  • Cable Triceps Pressdown start position

    Cable Triceps Pressdown

    Push a cable down to finish your triceps work with high reps and no strain on the elbows from a bar.

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  • Overhead Cable Triceps Extension start position

    Overhead Cable Triceps Extension

    Extend overhead to train the long head of the triceps in a stretched position.

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Bodyweight and machines

  • Chest Dip start position

    Chest Dip

    Dip on parallel bars when you want heavy triceps pressing without a bench.

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  • Machine Triceps Extension start position

    Machine Triceps Extension

    Use the triceps extension machine when you want to push the triceps to failure safely.

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JM press vs skull crusher vs close-grip bench

A skull crusher keeps the upper arms still and moves only at the elbow, so it isolates the triceps but stays light. A close-grip bench press moves at the shoulder and elbow and brings the bar to the chest, so it is heavy but shares the work with the chest and shoulders. The JM press sits in the middle: the bar goes toward your chin while the elbows move forward a little, so you can use a lot more than a skull crusher and still keep most of the load on the triceps.

If your elbows dislike skull crushers, the JM press often feels better because the stretch is shorter.

Barbell, Smith machine or dumbbells?

The barbell JM press is the original. The Smith machine version fixes the bar path, so it is easier to repeat the same spot each rep and safer to push near failure alone. A dumbbell JM press lets each arm find its own path and is gentler on the wrists, but it is harder to load heavily. Pick one and stay with it for a block so your logged weights stay comparable.

Questions

What does JM press stand for?

It is named after JM Blakley, a powerlifter who popularized the lift for bench press lockout strength.

What muscles does the JM press work?

Mainly the triceps, all three heads. The chest and front delts help a little at the start of the press.

Is the JM press better than skull crushers?

It allows heavier loads and is often easier on the elbows. Skull crushers isolate the triceps more. Both work; use the one your elbows tolerate and you can progress.

Where should the bar touch on a JM press?

It should not touch. Lower it toward your chin and stop a few inches above your throat, with your forearms close to your upper arms.

Can you do the JM press on a Smith machine?

Yes. The fixed bar path makes it easier to repeat the same depth and safer to train hard without a spotter.

What is the best triceps exercise?

There is no single best one. A heavy press-style exercise like the JM press or close-grip bench plus an overhead extension covers the whole triceps well.