Barbell JM Press
The JM press is a barbell triceps exercise that blends a close-grip bench press with a lying triceps extension: the bar comes down towards the top of the chest as the elbows drift forward, then presses back to straight arms. It loads the triceps more heavily than a skull crusher can and is a common bench-press lockout accessory.
Also called: JM Press, JM Blakley Press, J.M. Press · Equipment: barbell · Pattern: push
Step by step
- Lie on a flat bench with your eyes under the bar and your feet planted. Grip the bar about shoulder width apart, thumbs wrapped, with the bar low in your palm and wrists stacked over the forearms.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and down, unrack the bar and hold it over your upper chest with straight arms.
- Take a breath and brace. Bring the bar down and slightly back towards the top of your chest, letting your elbows drift towards your feet instead of dropping beside your body.
- Keep descending until your forearms close against your upper arms, with the bar just above the top of your chest. Hold this bottom position briefly under control.
- Press the bar back up by straightening your elbows, keeping the path short and the bar over your upper chest.
- Finish with straight elbows, re-brace at the top and start the next rep.
- After the last rep, move the bar back until it touches the uprights, then set it down into the hooks.
- Elbows drift towards your feet as the bar comes down
- Bar to the top of your chest
- Forearms close onto your upper arms at the bottom
- Settle into the bottom, no bounce
- Straighten your elbows to press
- Wrists stacked, bar over the forearm bones
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Triceps brachii: lateral head | Prime mover | C |
| Triceps brachii: medial head | Prime mover | C |
| Triceps brachii: long head | Secondary | C |
| Anterior deltoid | Secondary | D |
| Pectoralis major: sternocostal (mid) | Secondary | D |
| Anconeus | Secondary | D |
| Forearm flexors | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Bar dropping straight down like a close-grip bench
Fix: Let the elbows drift towards your feet and bring the bar to the top of your chest.
Bouncing out of the bottom
Fix: Control the descent and hold the bottom briefly before you press.
Chasing extra depth
Fix: Keep the range short, ending where your forearms meet your upper arms.
Wrists bent back
Fix: Set the bar low in your palm with wrists stacked over the forearms.
Grip too wide
Fix: Grip the bar about shoulder width apart.
What the research says
Muscle growth · first choiceStrengthSport performance
- Role — The JM press is usually programmed as a triceps accessory after the main bench press. There is no outcome research on the JM press itself; its use comes from powerlifting practice.
- Load by goal — Research comparing loads finds maximal strength favours heavier loads, while muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are taken close to failure.
- Arm position — In a 12-week trial, triceps extensions with the arm overhead produced more triceps growth than with the arm at the side (about 20% versus 14%), driven by the long head. The JM press keeps the arms in front of the body, so programmes often pair it with an overhead extension.
- Effort — Studies show sets that finish a few reps short of failure capture most of the size benefit, and failure training shows no strength advantage. Many lifters keep a rep or two in reserve on this lift.
- Volume and frequency — Research links more weekly sets for a muscle to more growth, with diminishing returns, and training a muscle about twice a week is a common way to spread that volume.
- Range of motion — Meta-analyses find full range of motion gives equal or greater gains than partial range. The JM press is a deliberately short-range lift, and no study has compared it directly.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the barbell jm press in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.