Single Arm Landmine Press

Quick Intro

Single Arm Landmine Press, also called the Landmine Shoulder Press or Half-Kneeling Landmine Press, is a compound strength exercise performed by pressing one end of an angled barbell overhead with a single arm, typically from a half-kneeling stance. It’s a shoulder-friendly pressing exercise that demands core anti-rotation stability, using a barbell as the only equipment.

Equipment Needed

Single Arm Landmine Press needs a Barbell, with one end anchored in a landmine attachment or wedged securely into a corner, the one required piece of equipment. Wedging the bar into a sturdy corner works as a substitute if a dedicated landmine attachment isn’t available.

Why Single Arm Landmine Press Matters

Pressing one end of an angled bar overhead trains the front of the shoulder (deltoid, anterior) and chest (pectoralis major) along with the triceps brachii, but the anchored end changes the bar’s path into a natural arc that tends to feel considerably easier on the shoulder joint than a straight vertical press. Because only one side is loaded, the serratus anterior, rotator cuff and deep core (transverse abdominis) all have to work hard to keep the torso from twisting toward the working arm. Muscular strength is the main demand, with endurance next and some balance and coordination asked for by the one-sided load.

When to Do It

Single Arm Landmine Press works well as a main or secondary pressing exercise early to mid-session on a shoulder or push-focused day, particularly useful for anyone whose shoulder doesn’t tolerate a straight overhead press comfortably. A single-arm angled press draws on the same shoulder and pressing muscles as other overhead work, so two sessions a week fits comfortably within a typical week’s recovery.

Anyone with a current shoulder impingement can often still work with this exercise more comfortably than a straight-bar press, though building up the weight gradually is still the safer approach. Anyone with a lower back or hip issue should approach the half-kneeling stance cautiously, since holding that position under load asks for stability from the hips and core.

Getting Ready

A few minutes of arm circles and hip circles prepare the shoulder and hips this exercise leans on from the half-kneeling stance. A few unloaded reps of the pressing motion, arm simply pressing an empty end of the bar or a light dowel, rehearse the arc before any weight is added.

A lighter warm-up set with the bar loaded gives the shoulder and core a chance to adjust to the anti-rotation demand before the working sets begin.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. The setup. Kneel in a half-kneeling stance with one knee down, holding the loaded end of the bar at shoulder height with one hand.

2. The press. Press the bar upward and slightly forward along its natural arc until the arm is fully extended, bracing the core hard against rotation.

3. The lower. Lower the bar back down under control to the starting position at the shoulder.

How Many, How Often

Single Arm Landmine Press is dosed by reps, sets and the weight on the bar, with the working weight chosen relative to how well the torso resists rotating toward the working arm through a full set.

Level	Where you’re at	What to do
Beginner	New to the half-kneeling landmine setup	3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per arm with a light weight, focused entirely on resisting rotation.
Intermediate	Anti-rotation stability stays consistent through a full set	3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per arm with a weight where the last 2 reps challenge the shoulder while form holds.
Advanced	Comfortable with a heavier, controlled press	3 to 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps per arm, keeping the torso square throughout.

Bracing the core hard against rotation as the single-side load presses overhead matters more here than the weight on the bar, since allowing the torso to twist toward the working arm defeats the anti-rotation stability demand that makes this exercise valuable.

Modifications and Variations

Single Arm Landmine Press has one easier entry point and one two-arm alternative.

For an alternative with a different technique and equipment, Barbell Overhead Press presses a straight bar overhead with both arms from a standing position instead of a single anchored arm from a kneeling stance, trading the shoulder-friendly arc and anti-rotation demand for a more traditional bilateral press.

For an easier entry point with lower intensity and complexity, Dumbbell Shoulder Press presses two dumbbells overhead from a standing or seated position, removing the anti-rotation demand and the half-kneeling stance while still training the shoulders unilaterally in feel.

Progression path: Dumbbell Shoulder Press as an easier entry point → Single Arm Landmine Press once the half-kneeling anti-rotation position feels solid, with Barbell Overhead Press as a bilateral alternative for a more traditional pressing pattern.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Letting the torso twist toward the working arm. Allowing the torso to rotate as the single-side load presses overhead defeats the anti-rotation stability demand that makes this exercise valuable in the first place. Bracing the core hard for the entire rep keeps the torso square and the exercise doing its job.

Using a stance that’s too narrow or unstable. A narrow or poorly set half-kneeling stance makes it harder to resist the rotational pull of a single-arm press. Setting a stable base, with the down knee and the opposite foot providing a solid, wide enough platform, supports the anti-rotation bracing this exercise depends on.

Pressing straight up instead of following the bar’s natural arc. Fighting the anchored bar’s natural path to force it into a vertical line adds unnecessary strain to the shoulder. Letting the bar travel along the arc it naturally wants to follow is part of what makes this exercise easier on the shoulder than a straight-bar press.

After Your Set

The kneeling, single-arm pressing effort raises the heart rate moderately, so a short pause is worth taking before stretching begins. Standing side-on to a wall with the palm flat behind shoulder level and turning the chest away opens the shoulder and chest that just pressed through the arc. Sliding the down-knee leg back into a long lunge and sinking the hips lengthens the hip that held the half-kneeling stance.

Going Deeper

Single Arm Landmine Press usually sits early to mid-session on a shoulder or push day, added specifically as a shoulder-friendly pressing option for anyone whose joint doesn’t tolerate a straight overhead press. Pairing it with Barbell Overhead Press across different sessions covers both the anti-rotation, kneeling version and the bilateral, standing version of overhead pressing.

Progress here tends to stall on core bracing, not raw shoulder strength: a lifter can have plenty of pressing strength and still lose stability by letting the torso twist under a heavier single-side load. Dropping the weight and rebuilding a square, braced torso through the whole rep tends to unstick a stalled landmine press faster than adding more plates to a pattern that’s already rotating.

Someone new to this lift generally needs a session or two to find a comfortable half-kneeling stance and bar angle, and continues adding weight over the following several weeks as the shoulder and core adapt to the anti-rotation demand.

How to Know You’re Improving

A square, stable torso maintained through the entire press
A stable half-kneeling stance held without shifting
A heavier bar pressed on both arms without rotation creeping in
Less shoulder discomfort compared to a straight overhead press

A square, braced torso through the whole set, not the weight on the bar, is what marks progress here.

Muscles Worked

Anterior Deltoid (the front of the shoulder, pressing along an angled path that spares the joint)
Pectoralis Major (the chest muscle, contributing because the bar travels up and forward together)
Triceps Brachii (the back of the upper arm, extending the single working elbow)
Serratus Anterior (a muscle along the side of the ribcage, rotating the shoulder blade forward as the arm reaches)
Rotator Cuff (the small muscle group deep at the shoulder joint, stabilizing a joint pressing on its own)
Transverse Abdominis (a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset, resisting the rotation one-sided pressing creates)

FAQ

Why does this exercise feel easier on my shoulder than a regular overhead press? The anchored end of the bar creates a natural arc rather than a straight vertical path, which tends to feel considerably more comfortable for shoulders that don’t tolerate a straight overhead press well (see Why Single Arm Landmine Press Matters above).

Do I need a dedicated landmine attachment for this exercise? Not necessarily; wedging one end of the bar securely into a sturdy corner works as a substitute if a landmine attachment isn’t available.

Why does my torso want to twist during this exercise? Pressing a load on only one side naturally pulls the torso to rotate toward that arm, which is exactly the demand the core has to resist; using a lighter weight and focusing on bracing removes the temptation to let it happen.

Is the half-kneeling stance necessary, or can I press standing? The half-kneeling stance is the more common and more stable setup for this exercise, since it narrows the base in a way that makes the anti-rotation demand more manageable to learn before attempting it standing.