How to do a Landmine Press
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Landmine Press
Barbells
Landmine
Workouts with Landmine Press
Instructions for Proper Form
Landmine Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders. The use of a landmine allows you to press the weight up and forward instead of only up. This can be a huge advantage for developing strength for sports or other functional applications.
- Position your body so the bar is perpendicular to you. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart holding the end of the barbell with both hands directly in front of your chest. Grip the bar by lacing your fingers with your palms facing each other and elbows tucked to your side.
- Keep your core braced as you extend your arms upward and forward raising the end of the barbell.
- Slowly lower the bar back to starting position and repeat.
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Leaning into the Landmine
Although landmines will inherently cause you to press the weight forward, make sure you aren’t relying too much on your body weight as you raise the weight. Drive the weight forward, don’t lean forward.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Landmine Press standards by male, female, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner8reps35lbs1 Rep Max45lbs
- intermediate8reps45lbs55lbs
- advanced8reps50lbs65lbs
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Alternative Exercises to Landmine Press
1. Dumbbell Front Raise
98.6 mSCORESWAPPED 636 TIMESDumbbell Front Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, more specifically the anterior deltoid (front of the shoulder). This is a very common shoulder exercise, and can work well to isolate the shoulders to build strength and muscle mass. By using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
2. Dumbbell Shoulder Press
99.5 mSCORESWAPPED 549 TIMESDumbbell Shoulder Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for slightly more instability than with equipment like barbells. This can help you recruit and develop stabilizing muscles around the shoulders. In addition, by using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
3. Single Arm Landmine Press
33.6 mSCORESWAPPED 505 TIMESA unilateral shoulder and upper body exercise that utilizes the landmine apparatus for a unique pressing angle. By pressing a barbell with one arm at a time, it targets the shoulders, triceps, and core, emphasizing stability and balance. This variation allows for focused strength development on one side of the body, helping to correct imbalances and enhance coordination. Ideal for athletes and individuals seeking to improve shoulder strength, stability, and functional movement patterns, the Single Arm Landmine Press offers a safe and effective way to press overhead while minimizing joint stress.
4. Machine Shoulder Press
92.5 mSCORESWAPPED 477 TIMESis a variation on the more standard shoulder press that utilizes a machine. Like other shoulder presses, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders. The use of the machine restricts your movements, and adds more stability. This allows you to focus more on exertion than stabilization. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to learn the basic movement, and develop the strength needed for other similar exercises or functional applications.
- Beginner
- Shoulders
- Shoulder Press Machine
5. Dumbbell Shoulder Raise
97.8 mSCORESWAPPED 436 TIMESDumbbell Shoulder Raise is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, more specifically the medial deltoid (middle of the shoulder). This is a very common shoulder exercise and can work well for building muscle mass and strengthening the shoulders. By using dumbbells, you can help identify and address any strength imbalances between sides.
6. Barbell Shoulder Press
97 mSCORESWAPPED 405 TIMESBarbell Shoulder Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders. By using a barbell instead of other pieces of equipment, you can add more stability to the movement, which allows you to focus more on exertion rather than stability. This is one of the best exercises for developing vertical pressing strength.
7. Dumbbell Lateral Raise To Front Raise
78.6 mSCORESWAPPED 334 TIMESDumbbell Lateral Raise to Front Raise is a combination of both Shoulder Raise, and Front Raise. Both movements in this exercise are isolation movements that primarily target the shoulder. By performing these exercises together, you can more completely target your shoulders than by using one of these two movements.
8. Arnold Dumbbell Press
93.2 mSCORESWAPPED 332 TIMESArnold Dumbbell Press is a compound movement that primarily targets the shoulders. The difference between the Arnold Press and a standard Shoulder Press is that you bring the dumbbells in front of you at the bottom of the movement rather than stopping when they reach your shoulders. Bringing the dumbbells in front of you can be more a comfortable movement as well as improve muscle activation.
9. Cable Face Pull
96 mSCORESWAPPED 312 TIMESCable Face Pull is a compound exercise that primarily targets your shoulders, more specifically your posterior deltoids (back of the shoulder). By using a cable machine, you have more control over where the resistance is coming from, and can easily make adjustments by either moving towards or away from the cable machine, or by adjusting the height of the pulley.
- Intermediate
- Shoulders
- Hi-Lo Pulley Cable
10. Dumbbell Standing Front Press
64.1 mSCORESWAPPED 283 TIMESDumbbell Standing Front Press is a variation on the more standard Shoulder Press. Similar to other Shoulder Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your shoulders. The standing position helps improve overall balance and functional strength by engaging your core and stabilizing muscles more than a seated version. Using dumbbells ensures that each side of the body works equally, preventing compensating for any strength imbalances between sides.