EZ Barbell JM Bench Press exercise animation (Male)

EZ Barbell JM Bench Press

Target muscle
Triceps Brachii
Synergist muscles
Deltoid Anterior, Pectoralis Major Clavicular Head, Pectoralis Major Sternal Head
Equipment
EZ Barbell
Body part
Upper Arms
Type
Strength

The EZ barbell JM bench press is a triceps-focused pressing movement that blends a close-grip bench press with a lying triceps extension. Performed lying on a flat bench with an EZ bar, it primarily targets the triceps brachii while the front deltoids and both the upper (clavicular) and lower (sternal) chest assist. It builds heavy lockout strength and is a popular bench-press accessory.

How to do the EZ Barbell JM Bench Press

  1. 1Lie flat on the bench with your eyes under the bar, feet planted, and shoulder blades pulled down and together.
  2. 2Take a close grip on the angled portions of the EZ bar, hands roughly shoulder-width apart, wrists stacked over your elbows.
  3. 3Unrack the bar and hold it locked out over your upper chest with your arms fully extended.
  4. 4Lower the bar toward your upper chest and chin by letting your elbows drift forward, keeping them tucked rather than flaring outward.
  5. 5Stop when your forearms are roughly vertical and the bar is near your upper chest or chin, feeling the stretch through your triceps.
  6. 6Drive the bar back up by extending your elbows, keeping the path short and over your upper chest until your arms lock out.
  7. 7Complete your reps, then re-rack the bar safely with control.

Form tips

  • Keep your elbows tracking forward and tucked toward your feet, not flared out, so the triceps do the work rather than the shoulders.
  • Use a controlled tempo on the way down — the JM press is part extension, so a sudden drop strains the elbows.
  • Keep your shoulder blades retracted and your upper back tight to give yourself a stable pressing base.
  • Start lighter than your close-grip bench until the elbows-forward groove feels natural; it loads the triceps hard.
  • Use a spotter or set the safety arms in a rack whenever you press near your limit while lying on the bench.

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows out to the sides, which turns the movement into a regular press and takes tension off the triceps.
  • Lowering the bar too fast or bouncing it, which spikes stress on the elbow joints and risks injury.
  • Letting the wrists bend backward instead of keeping them stacked over the forearms, which strains the wrists and leaks force.
  • Using too much weight and turning it into a sloppy press, which defeats the triceps-isolation purpose of the JM groove.
  • Lowering toward the mid or lower chest like a bench press instead of the upper chest and chin, which removes the elbow-forward stretch.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the EZ barbell JM bench press work?

It primarily targets the triceps brachii, with the front deltoids and both the upper (clavicular) and lower (sternal) chest acting as synergists. It is mainly a triceps builder.

What is the JM press and how is it different from a close-grip bench?

The JM press is a hybrid of a close-grip bench press and a lying triceps extension. Unlike a close-grip bench, you let your elbows drift forward and lower the bar toward your upper chest and chin, which loads the triceps much harder at the bottom.

Why use an EZ bar instead of a straight barbell?

The angled grips of the EZ bar put your wrists and forearms in a more neutral, comfortable position, which reduces wrist and elbow strain during the close-grip, elbows-forward path of the JM press.

Is the JM press good for beginners?

It is better suited to intermediate lifters who already bench press, since the elbows-forward groove takes practice and loads the elbows. Beginners should master the close-grip bench first and start very light.

How many sets and reps should I do?

As a triceps accessory, 3–4 sets of 6–12 reps with moderate weight works well. Keep the load controlled and the form strict rather than chasing maximal weight.

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