JM Press Checklist: The Right Way to Build Bigger, Stronger Triceps

If you are looking for improve the size and strength of your tricepslook no further than JM press. It builds triceps strength like few other exercises, making it a favorite among serious lifters looking for stronger horseshoe triceps or a better bench press.

But there is one thing: JM press it is often poorly executed due to technical requirements. This is not a traditional triceps extension or press. This is a hybrid. Small details like elbow position, bar path and point of contact make a big difference. Miss them and your elbows will let you know.

This checklist breaks down these technical steps so you can get the most out of this lift. Learning each step may feel slow, but with repetition it becomes automatic. When it works, the JM press becomes a great tool for building tricep size and improving your bench press.

JM Press Ultimate Checklist

Locking down your setup and knowing where your body is in space will give you more confidence to build the triceps of your dreams.

Step 1: Body position on the chair

The JM press targets the triceps, but like any press-type movement, it starts with your body position on the course. A stable stance keeps your elbows and bar path predictable from rep to rep.

1. Lie back so that your eyes are under the bars or slightly behind the bars
2. Keep your head, back and spine in contact with the chair
3. Designate your upper back as your main point of contact
4. Maintain a slight natural arch without igniting your ribs

Internal code: Feel the weight of your upper back on the chair. External sign: eyes under the bar.

Coach’s tip: If you change or adjust your scapular base after you put it on, stop and lock it.

Step 2: Foot placement and drive installation

The JM press doesn’t require extreme leg drive, but your lower body still needs stability. Incorrect foot placement affects the upper body and makes it more difficult to control the path of the bar. Think of your feet as anchors because they hold everything above them steady.

1. Place your feet firmly on the floor
2. Place the feet where you can maintain constant downward pressure without hip movement.
3. Keep your knees slightly out for better stability
4. Apply tension to the floor while keeping your hips on the bench

Internal code: Feet planted, knees out. External indicator: Remove the floor.

Coach’s tip: If you feel like your legs or hips are shifting at any time, you’re probably overusing a leg drive.

Step 3: Grip width and hand position

Grip width is important for elbow tracking, bar path and amount of tension created. Too wide, and it becomes a press or too tight, and your hands and elbows will let you know. Your ideal grip width allows for better control and, hopefully, bigger triceps.

1. Get a little tighter than your normal press
2. Keep your arms straight – use the knot as a guide
3. Place the bar in your palms, not your fingers
4. Start with your hands above your elbows, but allow a slight deviation as the bar goes towards the face.

Internal code: Crush the bar in your hands. External sign: Bend the bar.

Coach’s tip: If your arms are overextended or you’re out of control, reset your arm position and reset.

Step 4: upper body tension

The JM press does not require the aggressive recovery of powerlifting, but it still requires a strong upper body. Think of this as controlled stability: you want enough tension to guide the bar without restricting movement.

1. Drop your shoulder blades slightly down and back
2. Keep your ribs in line
3. Engage your lats a bit to create a more stable person

Internal code: Tension in your glutes and core External cue: squeeze oranges in armpit

Coach’s tip: If you feel like you haven’t gained control of the bar, your upper body isn’t set. Rebuild your tension before continuing.

Step 5: Breathing and Bras

Strong breathing and a strong core will keep your elbows in a better position to lift. Breathing and bracing will keep your upper body stable so that the prime movers can do their job.

1. Breathe deeply 360°
2. Feel the air in your belly, hips and back
3. Brace your brain as if you are ready to punch

Internal code: Breathe before moving. External Indicator: Turn it in.

Coach’s tip: After completing the repetition, recover your breath and return to the breaststroke.

Step 6: Place the elbow

Correct elbow position is a make or break step. This position creates a distinctive hybrid movement pattern that makes the JM press so effective – part press, part extension. Get it right, and your triceps will thank you.

1. Keep your elbows slightly in front of the bar, neither wide nor tightly bent
2. Limit their side-to-side movement throughout the rep as your elbows move slightly forward.

Internal code: Loop to Elbows External Mark: Bend your elbows toward your feet.

Coach’s tip: Notice excessive elbow movement, excessive weight, or loose adjustments? Reset and monitor before continuing.

Step 7: Bar path and touch point

JM Press is all about the bar way. Lower it like a bench press and you lose focus on the triceps. Lower it like a skull, elbows say no. The middle ground is a controlled and diagonal path. This shortening and angle of movement increases the efficiency of the JM press.

1. Down to the base of the throat/upper chest joint
2. Let the bar go toward your face and “loop” at the elbows into a shortened circle before coming back out.
3. Touch somewhere between your upper chest and chin/throat

Internal code: Feel the tension in your triceps. External cue: Bring the bar to your face.

Coach’s tip: If the string is low across your chest or near your forehead, your bar path is off. Reset and focus on a tighter, more direct path.

Step 8: Green Light Checklist

Before you leave, take a quick second and go through this list.

1. Feet planted
2. Do not drive too much leg
3. Get firm and smooth
4. Hands are folded above the elbows
5. Elbows slightly forward and fixed
6. Lats and shoulders are slightly engaged
7. The brace is closed and the ribs are controlled

If everything is tight and controlled, you’re good to go.

Common JM Press Mistakes That Hurt Your Progress (Fixes)

As the JM press is a hybrid exercise. mistakes happen. Clean them up and you’ll feel it exactly where you need it – your triceps.

Turn it into a skull

Elbows go back and across your face like a traditional extension.

Correction: Bend your elbows slightly forward and keep them moving. Think “brace your elbows and guide the bar diagonally toward your upper chest.

Turn it into a closed press

The bar goes straight to your chest and you press it like a close bench press.

Correction: Lower to the base of the collarbone/upper chest, then press into your shoulder.

Let the elbows go out

Elbows are extended, shifting the load to the chest and shoulders.

Correction: Before the first repetition, bend your elbows slightly forward and hold them there. If you can’t hold it, use a lighter weight.

Not eccentric

The bar drops too quickly, causing excessive elbow movement and loss of tension.

Correction: Slow down the eccentric. Think “way down”. If you can’t control the bar, the weight is too heavy.

Press

The JM press can blast your triceps and grow your bench—but only if you get the hang of it. Control the landing. Adjust your elbows and own the way to the bar. Train it right and your push-up strength and triceps will show the results.