Why add a band to a landmine press?

A plain landmine press gets lighter near the top because more of the bar's weight rests on the pivot as it tilts upright. The band stretches as the bar rises, so it adds tension right where the plain version unloads and makes the finish of the press harder. It has not been shown to build more strength than the plain press, so think of it as a way to change where the exercise is hardest.

Where should the band go?

Loop one end around the bar sleeve on the inside of the plate and stand with the middle of your front foot in the other end, on the same side as the pressing arm. Placed there, the band cannot slide off the bar or roll out from under your foot.

How strong a band should I use?

Start with a light band and a little less weight on the bar than you use for the plain Landmine Single-Arm Press. The band is right when the top of the press feels clearly harder but you can still straighten the arm and lower the bar under control.

Which foot should be forward?

The setup shown puts the foot on the pressing side forward with the band under it and the other foot a step back. Some coaches put the opposite foot forward for a wider base against rotation, and either works as long as the band stays under a planted foot and the hips stay square to the bar.

Is it easier on the shoulders than an overhead press?

For many lifters, yes. The angled path needs less overhead range than a vertical Barbell Overhead Press and lets the shoulder blade move freely, so it is often tolerated when straight overhead pressing hurts, but a press that causes pain should still be stopped.

Banded Landmine Single-Arm Press

What Is the Banded Landmine Single-Arm Press?

Banded Landmine Single-Arm Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the shoulders and also engages the upper chest, triceps, serratus anterior and the core muscles that resist twisting. It is an intermediate-level movement that adds a resistance band to the Landmine Single-Arm Press: the band loops around the bar sleeve and runs down under the front foot, so its pull adds to the bar's weight as the bar rises.

The band is there to change where the press is hardest. On a plain landmine press the load feels lightest near the top, because as the bar tilts toward vertical more of its weight rests on the pivot. The band stretches as the bar climbs, adding tension in exactly the part of the arc where the plain version unloads, so the finish of the press and the reach at the top get harder while the bottom stays manageable. Bands are a well-known way to load the top of the bench press and squat, but the banded landmine press has little direct evidence of its own, so treat the band as a way to reshape the resistance rather than a proven route to more strength or power than the plain version.

The angled bar path sits between an overhead press and an incline press. The front of the shoulder does most of the work, the upper chest helps through the lower half, and the triceps take over as the arm straightens. Because the shoulder blade is free to slide forward and rotate upward around the rib cage, the serratus anterior works hard at the top, where the band tension is highest. Pressing with one arm from a staggered stance also asks the obliques to stop the torso from twisting toward the bar.

It suits lifters who already press the landmine with one arm under control and want a harder top half, and it often sits after the main lifts as an accessory press done for moderate reps on each side. Many people who find full overhead pressing uncomfortable tolerate the landmine angle well. If the band makes the lockout a struggle, build up first with the plain Landmine Single-Arm Press or the half-kneeling Landmine Kneeling Single-Arm Shoulder Press.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Deltoid: Primary
Pectoralis Major: High
Triceps Brachii (Lateral Head): High
External Oblique: Medium
Serratus Anterior: Medium
Triceps Brachii (Long Head): Medium
Triceps Brachii (Medial Head): Medium
Erector Spinae: Low
Rectus Abdominis: Low
Upper Trapezius: Low

Instructions

Set one end of a barbell in a landmine and load a plate on the free end.
Loop a light resistance band around the bar sleeve on the inside of the plate.
Step the foot on your pressing side into the free end of the band so it sits under the middle of that foot.
Lift the end of the bar to the front of your shoulder with one hand, gripping the very end of the bar with your elbow tucked below it, and step the other foot back onto the ball of the foot in a staggered stance.
Bend the knees slightly and lean your torso a little forward toward the bar, keeping a straight line from your head to your rear heel.
Brace your core and keep your ribs down and your hips and shoulders square to the bar.
Press the bar up and forward along its arc until your arm is straight, letting your shoulder blade reach forward around your rib cage at the top.
Lower the bar slowly against the band's pull back to the front of your shoulder.
Complete your reps, then switch the band to the other foot and the bar to the other hand and repeat.

Common Mistakes

Leaning back to finish
Arching the lower back as the band tension builds at the top turns the press into an incline chest press and loads the spine instead of the shoulder.
Using too heavy a band
A band so strong that the arm never fully straightens cuts off the top of the press, which is the part the band is meant to train.
Twisting toward the bar
Rotating the hips or shoulders to help the bar up removes the anti-rotation work and shifts strain onto the lower back.
Flaring the elbow
Letting the elbow swing out wide at the start puts the front of the shoulder in a weaker, more irritable position.
Letting the band pull the bar down
Dropping the bar fast as the band snaps it back loses control of the lowering phase and jars the shoulder at the bottom.

Injuries

Banded Landmine Single-Arm Press is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The angled bar path asks for less overhead range than a vertical press, and the load is moderate. The main strain points are the front of the shoulder, when the elbow flares out or the shoulder shrugs toward the ear, and the lower back, when the lifter leans back or lets the ribs flare to finish the rep as the band tension peaks near the top.

The band brings risks of its own. Check it for nicks or tears before each session, loop it around the sleeve on the inside of the plate so it cannot slide off the end, and set it under the middle of the front foot so it cannot roll out. Pick a band light enough that you can still straighten the arm with control, and lower the bar slowly rather than letting the band snap it back down.

To regress, take the band off and do the Landmine Single-Arm Press, or press from half kneeling with the Landmine Kneeling Single-Arm Shoulder Press, which takes the legs and lower back out of the balance problem. To progress, use a stronger band or more weight on the bar, or move on to the Landmine Single-Arm Push Press. Stop the set if you feel a sharp or pinching pain at the front or top of the shoulder, pain or tingling running down the arm, or pain in the lower back.

Overview

Primary Focus: Shoulders
Equipment: Barbell, landmine, and resistance bands
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why add a band to a landmine press?: A plain landmine press gets lighter near the top because more of the bar's weight rests on the pivot as it tilts upright. The band stretches as the bar rises, so it adds tension right where the plain version unloads and makes the finish of the press harder. It has not been shown to build more strength than the plain press, so think of it as a way to change where the exercise is hardest.
Q: Where should the band go?: Loop one end around the bar sleeve on the inside of the plate and stand with the middle of your front foot in the other end, on the same side as the pressing arm. Placed there, the band cannot slide off the bar or roll out from under your foot.
Q: How strong a band should I use?: Start with a light band and a little less weight on the bar than you use for the plain Landmine Single-Arm Press. The band is right when the top of the press feels clearly harder but you can still straighten the arm and lower the bar under control.
Q: Which foot should be forward?: The setup shown puts the foot on the pressing side forward with the band under it and the other foot a step back. Some coaches put the opposite foot forward for a wider base against rotation, and either works as long as the band stays under a planted foot and the hips stay square to the bar.
Q: Is it easier on the shoulders than an overhead press?: For many lifters, yes. The angled path needs less overhead range than a vertical Barbell Overhead Press and lets the shoulder blade move freely, so it is often tolerated when straight overhead pressing hurts, but a press that causes pain should still be stopped.