How many sets and reps of the split-stance landmine press should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Start with 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side, using an empty or lightly loaded bar until the arc feels natural and your hips stay square. Add a plate at a time once you can finish every rep without your torso twisting toward the working arm.

What can I do instead of the split-stance landmine press without a landmine attachment?

Wedge one end of a barbell into a heavy, stable corner as a makeshift landmine and press it the same way. If there's no barbell at all, a single dumbbell pressed on the same diagonal arc from a split stance trains the same pattern.

What is the split-stance landmine press good for, and when should I choose something else?

It's a shoulder-friendly bridge toward full overhead pressing and a solid single-arm anti-rotation builder. It's a poor choice as a max-strength test, since the arc and stance cap the load you can move, and it's not the right pick if you're specifically training a strict vertical overhead path, since the landmine's forward arc is a different pattern.

Intermediate

Split-Stance Landmine Press

The landmine's arc sends the bar up and slightly forward, a joint-friendly path that many stiff or beat-up shoulders tolerate well while still loading the front delt hard. Setting your feet in a split stance, opposite foot forward, gives a stable base and lets the trunk resist rotation. It is an excellent bridge for lifters not ready for full overhead pressing and a reliable single-arm builder for everyone.

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

How to do it

1
Anchor one end of a barbell in a landmine or corner and stand facing it in a split stance, opposite foot forward from the working arm.
2
Hold the end of the bar at shoulder height with the working hand, elbow in front of the ribs.
3
Brace your abs and keep your torso tall and square to the bar.
4
Press the bar up and forward along its arc until your arm reaches full extension.
5
Lower under control back to the shoulder, keeping your hips and shoulders square, then finish the set and switch sides.

Tips

Let the bar travel on its natural arc up and away rather than fighting it straight vertical.
Brace so the load does not rotate your torso toward the working arm.
Keep the front foot planted and glutes tight for a solid base under heavier presses.

Variations

Common mistakes

The back knee locks straight and rises off its soft bend, turning the split stance into a narrow standing stance with no fore-aft base.
Pressing with the same-side foot forward instead of the opposite foot removes the stable triangle the split stance is supposed to create under the load.
The elbow starts flared out to the side instead of tucked in front of the ribs, so the shoulder takes the first inches of the press instead of the chest and front delt.
The bar end wanders away from the shoulder during the lower, so the next rep starts from an unracked, unstable position instead of a tight one.
Bracing loosens as the reps add up, letting the low back extend to help finish the last couple of presses in the set.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the split-stance landmine press should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Start with 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side, using an empty or lightly loaded bar until the arc feels natural and your hips stay square. Add a plate at a time once you can finish every rep without your torso twisting toward the working arm.
What can I do instead of the split-stance landmine press without a landmine attachment?: Wedge one end of a barbell into a heavy, stable corner as a makeshift landmine and press it the same way. If there's no barbell at all, a single dumbbell pressed on the same diagonal arc from a split stance trains the same pattern.
What is the split-stance landmine press good for, and when should I choose something else?: It's a shoulder-friendly bridge toward full overhead pressing and a solid single-arm anti-rotation builder. It's a poor choice as a max-strength test, since the arc and stance cap the load you can move, and it's not the right pick if you're specifically training a strict vertical overhead path, since the landmine's forward arc is a different pattern.

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