Landmine Press Guide: How to Master the Landmine Press

The landmine press is a weightlifting exercise characterized by lifting one end of a barbell. Landmine exercises use a piece of equipment that attaches to the other end of the barbell and keeps it in place during the exercise. The standard landmine press involves the lifter raising the barbell overhead from chest-level.

Performing the landmine press has three benefits.

1. 1. Works multiple muscle groups: Landmine presses activate muscles in your upper body like the deltoids and triceps, while also activating lower body muscles like the glutes. The landmine press works many of the same muscles as the traditional overhead press, but with less strain on your shoulder joints.
2. 2. Encourages core stability: The position of the landmine press emphasizes stability by engaging your core, specifically the obliques on the sides of your abdomen.
3. 3. Increases pressing strength: Landmine presses are a useful exercise for building strength for more advanced press variations like the military press or bench press.

For the landmine press, begin by using a weight that you can control for 2–3 sets of 8–12 repetitions. Choose a weight that allows you to maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions.

1. 1. Place the end of the barbell into the landmine device, and stand facing the barbell. Your posture should be tall with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Your shoulders should be directly over your hips with a neutral head and neck position. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin. The weight on your feet should be evenly distributed along each entire foot. Grip the floor with your feet to create a stable foot position.
2. 2. Using a full grip (with your thumbs wrapped around the bar), clasp the lever of the barbell with both hands. Your elbows should be close to your ribcage. Engage your core. All repetitions should begin from this position.
3. 3. To initiate the upward movement, push the barbell away from your body by squeezing your chest and straightening your elbows.
4. 4. Your shoulder blades should protract as you push the barbell away from your body.
5. 5. Pause for second at the top of the movement.
6. 6. Bring the barbell down by pulling your elbows back to the starting position. Your shoulder blades should retract as your elbows finish alongside your ribcage.

Once you’ve mastered the traditional landmine press, consider these five landmine press variations.

1. 1. Single-arm landmine press: Perform this unilateral variation by placing your feet in a split stance and lifting the barbell with one arm.
2. 2. Kneeling landmine press: This variation involves the same motion with your upper body—but in a kneeling position, placing even more emphasis on the muscles in your arms and chest.
3. 3. Landmine squat to press: This dynamic variation incorporates a squatting movement at the bottom of the exercise, emphasizing your lower-body muscles and creating a greater range of motion.
4. 4. Banded landmine push press: Banded landmine push presses are a more difficult variation involving a resistance band. One end of the band wraps around your feet while the other wraps around the end of the barbell, adding more resistance, particularly at the top of the movement.
5. 5. Landmine shoulder-to-shoulder press: This variation adds rotation to the downward movement. On the first repetition, bring the barbell down toward your shoulder on one side of your body. Then, on the next repetition, bring it down on the other side of your body. Continue to alternate between sides.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

In order to see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

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