Intermediate

Landmine Chest Press

With one end of the bar anchored in a landmine, the press travels up and in along a natural arc that spares the shoulder while loading the upper chest. Working one side at a time makes the core fight rotation, so it doubles as anti-rotation training. It suits lifters who want an upper-chest press that is kind to cranky shoulders and easy to set up anywhere a barbell and corner are available.

Equipment
Barbell, Landmine
Body part
Chest
Type
Functional, Strength
Browse by movement
Horizontal Press
Muscles worked
Target
Pectoralis Major Clavicular
Secondary
Pectoralis Major Sternocostal, Deltoid Anterior, Triceps Brachii Long Head, Triceps Brachii Lateral Head, Triceps Brachii Medial Head
Tertiary
Abdominal External Oblique

How to do it

  1. 1

    Anchor one end of a barbell in a landmine or a padded corner and load the free end.

  2. 2

    Stand in a staggered stance and clean the end of the bar up to the front of one shoulder.

  3. 3

    Cup the end of the bar in your hand and brace your core hard.

  4. 4

    Press the bar up and forward along its arc until your arm is nearly straight.

  5. 5

    Lower it back to your shoulder under control without letting your torso rotate.

  6. 6

    Complete your reps on one arm, then switch sides.

Tips

  • Keep your ribs down and squeeze your glutes so the core resists the twisting pull.
  • Press up and in along the bar's arc rather than trying to force it straight up.
  • Stagger your stance with the opposite foot forward for a stable base.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The bar end is balanced on an open palm instead of gripped, and it rolls off sideways as soon as the arm tires; wrap the fingers over the end so it cannot slip.
  • Wrists bend backward under the weight of the sleeve because the hand is not stacked under the load, which is the usual reason this press gets uncomfortable long before the chest is tired.
  • Most lifters stand square to the anchor, so the bar's arc cuts across the body at an awkward angle; set up so the bar runs straight ahead from the pressing shoulder to the anchor instead.
  • Standing too close to the anchor makes the path nearly vertical, and the lift stops being a chest press and becomes a shoulder press on a long lever.
  • The bar gets dropped straight back down at the end of the set, and a loaded sleeve landing on the collarbone is worth avoiding, so lower it the way you cleaned it up.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the landmine chest press should you do when you are new to the exercise?
Three sets of 8 to 12 reps per arm is a good starting dose, and since the bar's own weight is already part of the load, begin with the sleeve empty and add small plates rather than jumping straight to a 10 kg. Do all the reps on one arm, then the other, and rest after the second side. When 12 reps a side look identical and the torso stays square, add the smallest plate available or slow the lowering to three seconds.
What can I use instead of the landmine chest press if I have no landmine attachment?
One end of a barbell wedged into a padded corner is how most people do it, with a towel to protect the wall and a weight against the end so it cannot slide. A single-arm incline dumbbell press covers the upper-chest angle, and a band anchored low and pressed up and across the body matches the arc almost exactly with no barbell at all.
What is the landmine chest press for?
The arc travels up and in, loading the upper chest while keeping the shoulder out of the wide-open positions a barbell forces, which makes it a good pick for cranky shoulders and for adding anti-rotation work to a push day. It is a poor choice as your heaviest press, since one arm and an awkward setup cap the load, and it is not the exercise if you want a symmetrical, time-efficient chest builder.

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