Landmine Press

The landmine press uses a barbell with one end anchored in a landmine attachment or wedged into a corner. The free end is pressed overhead one hand at a time. Because the bar pivots in a fixed point, it travels along an arc — the press is forward and up rather than purely vertical. That arc reduces the shoulder abduction required compared to a strict overhead press.

The mechanical advantage matters for lifters with cranky shoulders. A full-vertical overhead press demands significant shoulder external rotation and thoracic extension, which not every shoulder tolerates. The landmine's 45-degree path lets most of those lifters still press heavy overhead without the positions that aggravate them. It is not a substitute in transfer terms — the angle differs — but it is a pressing option when strict overhead pressing is not viable.

The unilateral setup also makes it a core exercise. Pressing one arm overhead while standing creates a lateral torque that the obliques and deep core have to resist. Keeping the hips square and the torso upright under that asymmetric load is half the work of the movement. Loading one side at a time also exposes strength imbalances the bilateral press would hide.

• Brace the core hard before each rep — the lift is as much an anti-rotation exercise as a press
• Start with the bar at shoulder height with the elbow tucked close to the ribs
• Press forward and up along the natural arc — do not fight the bar path
• Keep the non-pressing side packed down and stable; do not let that shoulder shrug up for counterbalance

• Twisting the torso at the top — the whole point is anti-rotation; rotating defeats the exercise
• Using momentum from a knee dip to push-press the weight; the landmine press is a strict press unless explicitly using push-press variation
• Letting the wrist cock back under heavy loads — the wrist should stack directly over the elbow

• overhead press→
• push press→
• incline bench press→