- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternPush
- Reps6 to 15 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
- One side at a time
Anchor one end of a barbell in a landmine or corner. Stand facing it in a staggered stance holding the free end at your shoulder in one hand.
First cueBrace your stomach so the torso does not twist.
How to do the Landmine Press
Set up. Anchor one end of a barbell in a landmine or corner. Stand facing it in a staggered stance holding the free end at your shoulder in one hand.
- Press the bar up and forward until your arm is straight.
- Let your shoulder blade move with the arm at the top.
- Lower under control to the shoulder.
- Switch sides after the set.
Form cues
- Brace your stomach so the torso does not twist.
- Press up and away.
- Keep the elbow slightly in.
Common mistakes
- Leaning back to press.
- Rotating the hips.
Muscles worked
Main target: Front delts. The front head of the deltoid caps the front of the shoulder. It raises the arm forward and helps in every press, which is why it is often trained more than its two neighbours.
On the way: Chest and Triceps.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
Its other side: Rear delts, in the front and rear shoulder pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Landmine Press, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Face Pull Superset partner: it trains the other side of the front and rear shoulder pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Upright Row Same push session: it trains the side delts.
- Barbell Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Landmine Press first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Landmine Press 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Face Pull 3 × 12 to 20 reps
- Upright Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Barbell Shrug 3 × 8 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Machine Shoulder Press
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Overhead Press.
Other variations of the Overhead Press: Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Machine Shoulder Press, Push Press, Seated Overhead Press, Z-Press and Smith Machine Overhead Press.
Do before it: Wall Slide (shoulder blades), Shoulder Dislocate (shoulder range) and Thoracic Rotation (upper back range).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Landmine Press is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Landmine Press?
Set up: Anchor one end of a barbell in a landmine or corner. Stand facing it in a staggered stance holding the free end at your shoulder in one hand. Steps: 1. Press the bar up and forward until your arm is straight. 2. Let your shoulder blade move with the arm at the top. 3. Lower under control to the shoulder. 4. Switch sides after the set. Form cues: Brace your stomach so the torso does not twist. Press up and away. Keep the elbow slightly in. Common mistakes: Leaning back to press. Rotating the hips.
What muscles does the Landmine Press work?
It trains the front delts as its main target and works the chest and triceps on the way.
What can I do instead of the Landmine Press?
At home: Dumbbell Shoulder Press. In a gym: Machine Shoulder Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Landmine Press with?
Good partners in the same workout are Face Pull, Upright Row and Barbell Shrug.
How heavy should the Landmine Press be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.