Landmine Press: How to Do It, Variations and Benefits

The landmine press uses a barbell anchored at one end to press in an angled, arcing path. It is a popular shoulder and upper chest exercise for lifters who want an alternative to straight overhead pressing.

What Is a Landmine?

A landmine is an attachment that holds one end of a barbell on the floor while letting it pivot. You can also wedge the end of the bar in a corner wrapped with a towel.

Muscles Worked

• Front delts and upper chest.
• Triceps.
• Serratus anterior.
• Core: especially in standing and single-arm versions.

How to Do a Half-Kneeling Landmine Press

1. Load the free end of the bar and kneel on one knee beside it.
2. Hold the end of the bar at shoulder height in the hand on the same side as the down knee.
3. Brace your core and squeeze the glute of the down leg.
4. Press the bar up and forward until your arm is straight.
5. Lower under control.

Variations

• Standing two-hand landmine press.
• Single-arm standing landmine press.
• Landmine push press: add a small leg drive.
• Landmine squat to press: a full body option.

Benefits

• Angled pressing path that many lifters find comfortable.
• Core and anti-rotation work in single-arm versions.
• Easy to learn.

Common Mistakes

• Leaning back.
• Shrugging the shoulder.
• Twisting to finish the press.

Sets and Reps

3 sets of 8 to 12 per arm. Use it on shoulder day or push day after your main press.

Gear

Landmine presses are friendly on the wrists, but many lifters still wear wrist wraps for heavier pressing. Bay Gear Co. wraps are 18" and $28.99. The landmine is also great for T-bar rows, where lifting straps help.

Why the Landmine Press Feels Different

A barbell overhead press travels straight up. The landmine press travels up and forward in an arc, because one end of the bar is anchored. This angle sits between a bench press and an overhead press. Many lifters find it a comfortable way to press, and it lets you train the shoulders and upper chest when straight overhead pressing does not feel right on a given day.

Grip and Hand Position

Hold the end of the bar in your palm, either cupping the end or wrapping your fingers around the sleeve. Keep your wrist stacked over your elbow. Your elbow should start in front of your body rather than flared out to the side.

Stance Options

Half-kneeling

Down knee on the same side as the pressing hand. This is the most stable for the hips and makes it hard to cheat with leg drive.

Tall kneeling

Both knees down. This challenges the core even more.

Split stance standing

One foot forward and one back. A natural, athletic position.

Parallel stance standing

Feet side by side. Allows the heaviest loads with two hands.

Reach at the Top

At lockout, let your shoulder blade move forward slightly as you reach the bar away from you. This "punch" at the top trains the serratus anterior and makes the end of the rep feel strong.

Loading Tips

The landmine press feels heavier than the weight on the bar suggests at first, because you are pressing at an angle with a long lever. Start with just the bar or a 10-pound plate and add small plates over time. Use smaller plates so the bar can travel through a fuller range without the plates hitting the floor at the bottom.

Landmine Press Programming

• Strength: 4 sets of 6 per arm.
• Hypertrophy: 3 sets of 10 to 12 per arm.
• Power: landmine push press, 5 sets of 3 per arm.

Other Landmine Exercises

Once you have a landmine set up, you can train your whole body:

• Landmine squat: hold the end of the bar at your chest and squat.
• Landmine Romanian deadlift: stand next to the bar and hinge.
• Landmine row: straddle the bar and row with a V-handle under the sleeve, like a T-bar row.
• Landmine rotation: hold the end with both hands and rotate side to side for the core.
• Meadows row: stand beside the bar and row the end with one hand.

Sample Landmine Workout

1. Landmine squat: 3 x 10
2. Half-kneeling landmine press: 3 x 8 per arm
3. Landmine row: 3 x 10
4. Landmine Romanian deadlift: 3 x 10
5. Landmine rotation: 3 x 8 per side

This is a great full body option when the gym is busy and you only have one bar and a corner.

Landmine Press for Beginners

New lifters often find the landmine press easier to learn than the overhead press, because the angled path and anchored bar provide a guided feel. It can be a good introduction to pressing from the shoulders before moving to dumbbells or a barbell.

Tracking Landmine Progress

Record the weight on the bar, your stance and reps per arm. Since the stance changes the difficulty, compare sessions using the same setup. Add a rep or a small plate each week.

FAQ

Is the landmine press good for shoulders?

Yes, it trains the front delts along with the upper chest and triceps.

Can I do it without a landmine attachment?

Yes. Wedge the bar end in a corner protected by a towel.

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Wraps and straps for every press and row, with free shipping on orders over $49 and a 30-day return policy.