How many sets and reps of the landmine push press should you do per side when you are new to the exercise?

Three sets of 8 per arm is a solid start. Begin each set with the weaker arm and match that number on the strong side. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between arms. Because the sleeve only takes so much and the arc is forgiving, you can usually add a 5 or 10 pound plate sooner here than on a strict overhead press.

What can I do instead of the landmine push press without a landmine attachment?

Wedge a barbell into a corner with a towel wrapped around the end to protect the wall, and the lift is identical. A single dumbbell push press is the closest free-weight match, though it asks for more overhead range. A single-arm cable or band press from a low anchor keeps the same diagonal path with lighter loading.

Who should use the single-arm landmine push press?

It suits people whose shoulders dislike a fully vertical overhead position and athletes who want explosive pressing with an anti-rotation demand on the trunk, and it is a common way back into overhead work after a shoulder problem once you are cleared to train. It is a poor choice if your sport needs a true vertical lockout, since the arc stops short of overhead, and a poor choice for heavy loading, because one hand on the bar end limits what you can hold.

Intermediate

Single-Arm Landmine Push Press

Adding a dip and leg drive to the landmine press lets you move more load and train overhead power on a shoulder-friendly arc. The single-arm setup forces the core to resist rotation while the legs feed momentum into the pressing arm. It is a great pick for building explosive pressing strength when a heavy barbell overhead is not an option or not desired.

Equipment: Barbell, Landmine
Body part: Shoulder
Type: Functional, Strength
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Anterior
Browse by movement: Vertical Press

How to do it

1
Anchor a barbell in a landmine and hold the free end at one shoulder, feet about hip-width and torso square.
2
Brace your abs and take a short breath.
3
Dip a few inches by bending the knees while keeping your chest up.
4
Drive hard through the legs and use that momentum to press the bar up and forward along its arc.
5
Lock out the arm, then lower under control to the shoulder and reset before the next rep, switching sides after the set.

Tips

Sync the arm punch with the leg drive so the power transfers in one smooth motion.
Keep the dip vertical; leaning forward wastes the drive and pulls you off balance.
Stay square to the anchor so the explosive rep does not twist your torso.

Variations

Common mistakes

Standing too far back with the bar nearly flat makes the press path almost vertical, which is the one thing this lift is not; step in toward the anchor so the bar sits at a steeper angle and its end travels up and forward along its arc.
The fist starts out in front of the chest with the elbow flared wide, so the leg drive pushes the bar away from you rather than up its arc; set the fist at the shoulder with the elbow underneath.
The free hand pushes off the thigh to help, quietly turning an anti-rotation lift into a two-armed one; let it hang or hold it at your ribs.
The bar crosses the midline at lockout and finishes over the opposite shoulder, which loads the pressing shoulder at an angle it cannot stabilize.
Because the arc feels forgiving, the dip gets skipped altogether and the set turns into a slow landmine press; if the bar travels at one speed the whole way, the legs never contributed.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the landmine push press should you do per side when you are new to the exercise?: Three sets of 8 per arm is a solid start. Begin each set with the weaker arm and match that number on the strong side. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between arms. Because the sleeve only takes so much and the arc is forgiving, you can usually add a 5 or 10 pound plate sooner here than on a strict overhead press.
What can I do instead of the landmine push press without a landmine attachment?: Wedge a barbell into a corner with a towel wrapped around the end to protect the wall, and the lift is identical. A single dumbbell push press is the closest free-weight match, though it asks for more overhead range. A single-arm cable or band press from a low anchor keeps the same diagonal path with lighter loading.
Who should use the single-arm landmine push press?: It suits people whose shoulders dislike a fully vertical overhead position and athletes who want explosive pressing with an anti-rotation demand on the trunk, and it is a common way back into overhead work after a shoulder problem once you are cleared to train. It is a poor choice if your sport needs a true vertical lockout, since the arc stops short of overhead, and a poor choice for heavy loading, because one hand on the bar end limits what you can hold.

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