How to Do Landmine Chest Presses (Form & Benefits)

The landmine chest press is an exercise that does justice to its name. If you imagine your body as a landscape, the landmine chest press is apt to make that landscape explode with huge gains in a variety of muscle groups in both the lower body and the upper body. 

What are Landmine Chest Presses?

The landmine chest press is a weightlifting exercise done with a barbell and a piece of equipment called a landmine. One end of the barbell is connected to the landmine, securing the barbell to one spot on the floor. You hold the other end of the barbell at chest level so that the barbell creates a sloping line from your chest to the floor. 

While there are many variations of the landmine chest press, the most basic form is simple. Grasping one end of the barbell at chest level, you explosively press the barbell overhead.

How to Do the Landmine Chest Press and its Variations

1. Two-Handed Standing Landmine Chest Press:

To do the two-handed standing landmine press: 

• Place one end of the barbell in the tube of the landmine (or alternatively, place one end of the barbell in a secure corner).
• Load the other end of the barbell with weight plates until you have achieved your desired weight. 
• Using both hands, lift one end of the barbell to your chest. 
• While the barbell is at chest level, position your hands so that your two thumbs are interlocking at the bottom. 
• Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees slightly (this power-stance will ground you and give you a firm foundation for the next part of the exercise).
• Using both arms, press the barbell upwards until it is above your head, but make sure that you do not lock your elbows. 
• Then, paying special attention to your back and your core, slowly lower the barbell back down to chest level.
• Repeat as many times as desired. 

2. Landmine Chest Press (Shoulder to Shoulder)

This is a great exercise if you want to increase your range of motion with your landmine exercises.  

It engages muscles all across your chest, your neck, your shoulders and your abdominals, building muscles that you might not engage in more static workouts like the bench press. 

To perform the landmine chest press (shoulder to shoulder):

•  Place one end of the barbell in the tube of the landmine (or alternatively, place one end of the barbell in a secure corner).
• Load the other end of the barbell with weight plates until you have achieved your desired weight. 
• Using Both hands, lift one end of the barbell, letting it rest at your right shoulder.
• While the barbell is at chest level, position your hands so that your two thumbs are interlocking at the bottom. 
• Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart, while slightly bending your knees.
• Push upwards on the barbell from its position in front of your right shoulder. As you push upwards, the motion of the barbell should be moving towards the center above your head.
• From the central position above your head, lower the barbell until it is positioned in front of your left shoulder. 
• This is one rep.
• You can then repeat the exercise going the other way (i.e. lifting from the left shoulder position to the center position above your head, and then lowering the barbell until it rests in front of your right shoulder.)

3. Kneeling Landmine Press

The kneeling landmine press is for you if you want to get your upper body totally shredded.

Instead of standing with your legs shoulder length apart, you sit down on your knees, stripping away the power of your lower body and putting all the pressure on your shoulders, triceps, and core. 

To perform the kneeling landmine press:

• Place one end of the barbell in the tube of the landmine (or alternatively, place one end of the barbell in a secure corner).
• Load the other end of the barbell with weight plates until you have achieved your desired weight. 
• Get into a kneeling position (another variation involves a half-kneeling position).
• Grasp the barbell with both hands and bring the bar to the starting position in front of your chest. 
• Then, as with the two-handed landmine chest press, you simply push the barbell above your head as you extend your arms, and after a few seconds, bring the barbell back down to the starting position in front of your chest. 

4. Single-Arm Landmine Press

The single-arm landmine press is great if you want to isolate one side of your body.

It helps increase the pressure on the muscles, and the muscles engaged on that side while also engaging stabilizing muscles on the other side of your body.  

To perform the single-arm landmine press:

• Place one end of the barbell in the tube of the landmine (or alternatively, place one end of the barbell in a secure corner).
• Load the other end of the barbell with weight plates until you have achieved your desired weight. 
• Using both hands, lift one end of the barbell, letting it rest at your right shoulder.
• Once the barbell is positioned in front of your right shoulder, let go of the bar with your right hand so that only your left arm is supporting the bar. 
• Perform a pressing movement upwards with your right arm until it is extended. Unlike the two-hand landmine press, the barbell should be above your head and to the right (not the middle).
• Still using only your right arm, slowly bring the bar back down to the starting position.
• The same method can be applied to the left side of your body.
• Make sure that you do the same amount of weight and repetitions on each side of your body so you do not create any imbalances. 

5. Landmine Squat to Press

The Landmine squat to press is truly the ultimate full-body strength exercise, and it can be a staple in any serious lifter's strength training routine.

It's an exercise that heavily works the glutes, the lower back, and the upper back without creating the stress on the muscles that workouts like deadlifts and traditional squats entail.

To perform the landmine squat to press:

•  Place one end of the barbell in the tube of the landmine (or alternatively, place one end of the barbell in a secure corner).
• Load the other end of the barbell with weight plates until you have achieved your desired weight. 
• Place your feet shoulder-width apart in a split stance.
• Grasp the end of a barbell end with both hands, with your thumbs interlocked on the bottom. 
• In a squatting position, lift the barbell up to chest level. This is your starting point.
• Explode upward with your legs from the squatting position until your legs are almost straight but not locked. 
• Using the momentum from the leg thrust, propel the barbell end above your head and hold it there.
• Lower the barbell end back down to your chest.
• Then slowly return to the squatting position. That is one rep of this explosive exercise. 

Benefits of Landmine Chest Presses

1. Full-body workout: The landmine chest press is a great addition to a full-body workout. It heavily works your deltoids, triceps, core, and glutes, making sure that you hit all of the major muscle areas. On top of all of that, the landmine chest press engages your back muscles, which work with the core on the stabilization of your body as you perform the motions. 
2. Encourages core stability: As you perform the motions of the landmine chest press, you are significantly engaging your core muscles, especially your obliques on the sides of your abdomen. This will not only help your core look toned and shredded, but will also have many other health benefits. Strong core muscles make it easier for you to do just about any activity, from swinging a golf club to lifting a glass off a top shelf. The core also has a major effect on your stabilization abilities. This can be important in the weight room because it can allow you to lift heavier weights with less chance of injuring yourself, and it can help you in your everyday life.
3. It's a great substitute for the overhead press: Overhead Shoulder Presses are great, but they can put a lot of strain on your muscles. To help muscle recovery, you can try HyperAde. Landmine chest presses work many of the same muscles as Shoulder Presses but the exercise can put less strain on your muscles, allowing you to get huge shoulder gains without causing as much potential harm to your body. 
4. The landmine chest press fixes left right imbalances: The contralateral nature of the landmine chest press can be great for fixing imbalances between the left and the right body since the midline from the neck down is activated during the exercise. 
5. Increases Pressing Strength: The landmine chest press works many of the same muscles as some overhead exercises, like military presses and shoulder presses. It can be a substitute for these exercises, or it can be used as an intermediary stage, strengthening the muscles in preparation for taking on more strenuous exercises like the Military Press. 

Are You Ready to Make Big Gains With the Landmine Chest Press?

Landmine chest presses and all of its variations are an incredible addition to any weightlifter’s repertoire, especially those who are trying to work in more pressing exercises into their routine.

They almost guarantee explosive upper and lower body gains in muscle mass, such as rock hard delts, bulking upper chest muscles, powerful glutes, and a tight core.