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JM press alternatives

Lying triceps extensions and pushdowns provide other elbow-extension setups. A close-grip bench press offers a broader compound pressing option.

The original bends the elbows and lets them move slightly forward as the bar approaches the upper chest, stopping before contact. These choices change upper-arm movement, bar endpoint or pressing demand; do not reuse the JM-press load.

Anatomical illustration of a man performing a JM press on a flat bench in two frames, lowering a barbell toward the upper chest with the triceps highlighted.
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Choose everything you have. Some exercises need two items, such as dumbbells and a flat bench. Choose floor space for options without equipment.

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These options need different equipment. Use the finder above to show only the setups you can use.

  • Anatomical illustration of a lying barbell triceps extension, two frames side by side. A man lies face up on a flat bench set inside an upright rack, feet flat on the floor, holding a loaded barbell with a close overhand grip. In the left frame the elbows are bent and the bar is lowered toward his forehead, the upper arms angled back over his head; in the right frame the arms are pressed to straight above his chest. Skin is cut away to show the muscles, and in both frames the triceps along the back of each upper arm is shaded red while everything else stays grey.

    Similar movement

    Lying triceps extension

    You need: EZ bar and plates + Flat bench or Barbell and plates + Flat bench

    Why it fits
    Keeps a lying elbow-extension exercise.
    What changes
    The written guide angles the upper arms toward the head and lowers the bar behind it while those arms stay still. This differs from the JM press’s moving elbows and upper-chest path.
    See exercise guide
  • Anatomical illustration of a cable triceps pushdown, drawn as two frames side by side on white. A muscle-anatomy figure in shorts stands facing a cable tower, seen from his left side, holding a black angled bar with an overhand grip on a cable running from a pulley at the top of the tower. In the left frame the elbows are bent past a right angle and the bar is at chest height, with the weight stack down. In the right frame the elbows are straight and the bar is down at the front of the thighs, with the stack raised. In both frames the upper arm stays down at the side and the back of the near upper arm is highlighted in red, from the shoulder to the elbow — the triceps.

    Similar movement

    Triceps pushdown

    You need: Adjustable cable pulley set high + Cable rope attachment or Adjustable cable pulley set high + Short cable bar attachment

    Why it fits
    Keeps elbow extension against external resistance.
    What changes
    Stand facing a high pulley with the upper arms beside the ribs. The guide permits a rope or an overhand bar; its picture shows the bar. This replaces the lying bar path and slightly moving elbows.
    See exercise guide
  • Two anatomical illustrations of a man performing a close-grip barbell bench press on a flat bench against a white background. In the left frame, the loaded bar is lowered to the lower chest with the elbows bent close to the torso. In the right frame, the bar is held above the chest with the arms straight. The hands are set roughly around shoulder width, visibly closer than on a standard wide-grip bench press. Red shading is strongest over the triceps on the backs of the upper arms, with additional shading across the chest and front shoulders. A bench rack is visible behind the bar in both frames. The feet and legs are visible, but their placement is not clear enough to demonstrate a standard planted-foot setup.

    Different movement

    Close-grip bench press

    You need: Barbell and plates + Flat bench + Squat rack with safeties

    Why it fits
    Offers a compound press using a close free-bar grip.
    What changes
    Lower to a light chest touch and press back up with the shoulders helping. Use suitable rack safeties; chest contact and the full pressing path differ from the JM press.
    See exercise guide
See the original exercise guide

How we choose replacements

These are curated alternatives, chosen for the movement and the job the exercise does in a workout. A shared muscle group is not enough. Read what changes before choosing: support, range of motion, balance and resistance can all differ. If your goal is to improve a specific lift, alternatives do not replace practice of that lift.

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