

JM Press is a compound exercise targeting the triceps: several joints work together, it takes heavy loading well and belongs at the start of a session. Secondary muscles: chest, shoulders. Equipment: barbell, dumbbell. Difficulty: advanced, requires solid technique and training history. It takes 5 steps; the most common mistake is covered in the tip below.
Step-by-step
- Lie on your back and hold the bar over your chest with a narrow grip.
- As you lower the bar toward your throat, drift your elbows forward.
- Control the bar along a path between a bench press and a skull crusher.
- As the bar nears your throat, your forearms should be nearly vertical.
- Press the bar back to the starting position using your triceps.
Coaching tip
Caution
How to program it
Sets × reps and rest by goal; load and long rest matter most on compound lifts. Start at the bottom of the range in week one; add 2.5–5% when you hit the top with clean form.
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4 × 4-6 | 180 s |
| Muscle gain | 3 × 6-10 | 150 s |
| Fat loss / conditioning | 3 × 10-15 | 90 s |
FitCi applies this table to your age and goal automatically and writes weekly progression.
Alternatives
- At home, no equipment: Bench Dips, Diamond Push-Up
- Same muscle, different equipment: Triceps Dips, Bench Dips, Cable Triceps Pushdown
More triceps exercises
Add this exercise to your program
Build your own program in FitCi, pick an expert template, or photograph the plan your coach gave you; the app tracks sets, reps and weight.