JM Press on Smith

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Body Part: Triceps

Description

Set the Smith bar just below chest height and lie on a flat bench with your eyes under the bar. Use a close, overhand grip slightly narrower than shoulder width. Unrack the bar and lower it under control toward the upper chest or chin area by bending the elbows while keeping them angled forward. Stop when the forearms approach the biceps, then extend the elbows to press the bar back to the start. Keep your shoulders pinned to the bench, wrists neutral, and avoid flaring the elbows.

How to Perform

Set the Smith machine bar just below chest level and position a flat bench underneath it so the bar will travel over your upper chest and lower face area.
Lie flat on the bench with your feet planted firmly on the floor, your head supported, and your upper back and glutes in contact with the bench.
Grip the bar with a shoulder-width or slightly narrower overhand grip, keeping your wrists straight and stacked over your forearms.
Unrack the bar and hold it above your upper chest with your elbows angled forward rather than flared directly to the sides.
Lower the bar slowly by bending your elbows and allowing them to travel forward, bringing the bar toward the area between your upper chest and chin.
Keep your upper arms relatively close to your torso and stop the descent when your forearms are near vertical and you feel a strong triceps stretch without shoulder discomfort.
Press the bar back up by extending your elbows, following the Smith machine’s fixed path while keeping your wrists neutral and elbows controlled.
Finish with your arms nearly straight without aggressively locking the elbows, then repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
After the final repetition, fully extend your arms and rotate the bar into the Smith machine safety hooks before releasing your grip.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Secondary Muscles:

Tips

Set the Smith bar just below arm’s length when lying on the bench, and position the bench so the bar travels over your upper chest and chin area rather than directly over your forehead.
Use a close, comfortable grip with hands roughly shoulder-width apart or slightly narrower; avoid an extremely narrow grip that causes wrist discomfort.
Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and down against the bench, maintain a small natural arch in the lower back, and keep both feet firmly planted on the floor.
Start with the bar above the upper chest with elbows nearly locked, then bend mainly at the elbows while allowing them to travel slightly forward rather than flaring wide to the sides.
Lower the bar in a controlled path toward the area between your upper chest and chin, aiming to create a deep triceps stretch without letting the shoulders roll forward.
Keep your wrists stacked over your forearms and avoid letting the hands bend backward under the bar.
Press the bar back up by extending the elbows and contracting the triceps, while keeping the upper arms relatively fixed and avoiding a large chest press motion.
Do not bounce the bar off the chest or lower it onto the neck; use a smooth, deliberate tempo and stop the descent if shoulder, elbow, or wrist pain appears.
Use the Smith machine safety stops at an appropriate height, especially when learning the movement or training close to failure.
Begin with a lighter load than you would use for a close-grip bench press, as the JM press places substantial stress on the elbows and requires precise control.

Common Mistakes

Setting the bench too far forward or backward so the bar path does not align over the upper chest and shoulders
Using a grip that is too wide, turning the movement into a standard bench press
Flaring the elbows out to the sides instead of keeping them slightly tucked and pointed forward
Lowering the bar to the mid-chest or abdomen rather than toward the upper chest and chin area
Letting the elbows drift too far behind the bar at the bottom, reducing triceps tension
Turning the movement into a pure skull crusher by bending the elbows excessively while keeping the upper arms fixed
Dropping the bar quickly and bouncing it off the chest
Losing wrist alignment and allowing the wrists to bend backward under the bar
Lifting the shoulders off the bench or shrugging them forward during the press
Using excessive load that shortens the range of motion and causes the elbows to flare
Locking out aggressively and losing control of the bar at the top
Allowing the hips to rise off the bench to compensate for insufficient triceps strength