Smith JM Bench Press

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Position a flat bench inside the Smith machine so the bar is aligned with your chin or upper chest when lying down.
2. Lie flat on the bench and grasp the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip.
3. Unrack the bar and fully extend your arms, ensuring your wrists are stacked directly over your elbows.
4. Plant your feet firmly on the floor and retract your shoulder blades into the bench.

How to do it

1. Lower the bar toward your chin or upper chest by hinging at the elbows and allowing them to travel slightly forward toward your feet.
2. Inhale during the descent, continuing until your forearms make contact with your biceps or you reach the limit of your elbow flexion.
3. Exhale and drive the bar back to the starting position by forcefully extending your elbows and squeezing the triceps.
4. Maintain a controlled 3-0-1-0 tempo, focusing on a slow eccentric phase and a powerful concentric press.

Form checklist

• Keep your elbows tucked and pointing toward your feet rather than flaring out to the sides.
• Ensure the bar travels toward your chin or neck area, not your mid-chest.
• Maintain neutral, strong wrists to prevent strain under heavy loads.
• Keep your upper arms at roughly a 45-degree angle to your torso throughout the movement.

Pro tips

• Think of the movement as a 'rolling' extension; the elbows should move forward as the bar comes down to keep the tension strictly on the triceps.
• Focus on the mind-muscle connection by imagining you are pushing the bench away from the bar at the top of the rep.

Make it harder

• Incorporate a 2-second pause at the bottom of each rep to eliminate elastic energy and force more muscle fiber recruitment.
• Set the Smith machine safety pins at the bottom of your range of motion to perform 'dead-stop' reps, building explosive pressing power.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the smith jm bench press work?

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

What equipment do you need for the smith jm bench press?

The smith jm bench press uses smith machine.

Is the smith jm bench press good for beginners?

The smith 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

• Aztec Push UpIntermediate · pectorals, serratus anterior, and triceps
• Barbell Bench Press With 1 BoardIntermediate · deltoids, pectorals, and triceps
• Barbell Pullover-To-PressIntermediate · deltoids, pectorals, and triceps
• Baseball HitAdvanced · biceps, deltoids, glutes, hamstrings, lats, obliques, pectorals, quadriceps, and triceps