Barbell JM-Bench Press

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie flat on a bench with your eyes directly under the barbell.
2. Grip the bar with a shoulder-width or slightly narrower grip, ensuring your wrists are stacked over your forearms.
3. Unrack the bar and hold it directly over your upper chest with your shoulder blades retracted and feet driven into the floor.
4. Position your elbows so they are tucked at a 45-degree angle relative to your torso.

How to do it

1. Inhale and lower the bar in a straight line toward your chin or upper chest by simultaneously bending the elbows and allowing them to travel slightly forward toward your feet.
2. Lower the weight until your forearms make contact with your biceps, ensuring the bar stays over your face/neck area rather than your mid-chest.
3. Exhale and drive the bar back to the starting position by forcefully extending your elbows and pushing through the triceps.
4. Maintain a controlled 3-second eccentric phase and a powerful 1-second concentric phase.

Form checklist

• Keep the bar path vertical over the upper chest and neck area.
• Ensure your elbows stay tucked and do not flare out to the sides.
• Keep your wrists neutral and rigid to prevent strain.
• Do not bounce the bar off your chest; maintain total control at the bottom of the rep.

Pro tips

• Think of the movement as a 'folding' action where the bar moves toward your face while the elbows move toward your hips.
• Focus on the mind-muscle connection by 'squeezing' the triceps to initiate the upward drive from the bottom position.

Make it harder

• Add resistance bands to the bar to create accommodating resistance, increasing tension at the lockout.
• Implement a 2-second pause at the bottom of each rep to eliminate elastic recoil and maximize muscle fiber recruitment.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the barbell jm-bench press work?

The barbell jm-bench press primarily targets the triceps, and also works the abs and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the barbell jm-bench press?

The barbell jm-bench press uses barbell.

Is the barbell jm-bench press good for beginners?

The barbell jm-bench press is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Arm Double CrossoverIntermediate · biceps, deltoids, and triceps
• Aztec Push UpIntermediate · pectorals, serratus anterior, and triceps
• Band Assisted DipIntermediate · triceps
• Barbell Bench Press With 1 BoardIntermediate · deltoids, pectorals, and triceps