Exercise
Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press
How to Perform - Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press
- Set up a landmine station by securing one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment or corner of a wall, then kneel on both knees about arm's length away from the free end of the bar.
- Place both hands on the end of the barbell, positioning your palms on either side of the bar with thumbs pointing upward and elbows tucked close to your torso.
- Brace your core and squeeze your glutes to maintain a tall, neutral spine position while keeping your knees hip-width apart on the floor.
- Inhale deeply and create tension throughout your body, actively squeezing the bar between your palms to engage your chest muscles.
- Press the bar away from your upper chest by extending your arms forward and slightly upward, following the natural arc of the landmine while maintaining the squeeze between your palms.
- Exhale as you press, keeping your shoulder blades stable and avoiding any rounding of your upper back or excessive arching.
- Reach full extension of your arms at the top of the movement, continuing to squeeze the bar while maintaining a strong braced position through your core.
- Inhale as you slowly return the bar to the starting position at your upper chest, controlling the descent and maintaining tension in your chest throughout the lowering phase.
Important information
- Keep your elbows slightly tucked rather than flared out to protect your shoulders and maximize chest engagement.
- Maintain constant pressure between your palms throughout the entire movement to intensify chest activation.
- If you feel strain in your lower back, check your core bracing and consider adjusting your distance from the landmine.
- Focus on pressing along the natural arc of the landmine rather than trying to push straight up against the bar's path.
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The Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press stands as a powerful intermediate chest-building movement that delivers impressive results for those seeking to develop their pecs, front delts, and triceps simultaneously. This versatile exercise finds its home in both bodybuilding routines and high-intensity interval training sessions, offering the perfect blend of controlled resistance and functional strength development.
What makes this exercise particularly effective is the unique angle of resistance created by the landmine setup, which provides a natural arc of movement that many lifters find more shoulder-friendly than traditional pressing patterns. The kneeling position eliminates lower body involvement, forcing your upper body musculature to handle the entire workload while simultaneously engaging your core as a stabilizer.
The "squeeze" component – actively pressing the weights together throughout the movement – adds a distinctive intensity to the exercise by creating constant tension across the chest fibers. This isometric element transforms what might otherwise be a standard press into a muscle-building powerhouse, particularly for developing that coveted inner chest definition that many bodybuilders pursue.
From a strength development perspective, the Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press offers significant benefits for athletes looking to improve pressing power from various positions. The exercise builds resilient shoulder joints and creates functional strength that transfers well to sports performance and daily activities requiring pushing movements from a variety of angles.
For those who find traditional bench pressing uncomfortable or have reached plateaus in their chest development, this exercise provides a fresh stimulus that often recruits muscle fibers that might be undertrained with conventional movements. The unilateral option also makes it excellent for addressing strength imbalances between sides. As with any pressing movement, proper bracing and shoulder positioning remain crucial for maximizing results while minimizing injury risk.
FAQ - Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press
The Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press primarily targets the pectoral muscles (especially the inner chest), anterior deltoids (front shoulders), and triceps. The squeezing motion particularly emphasizes inner chest development, while your core acts as a stabilizer throughout the movement.
Many lifters with shoulder discomfort find the Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press more comfortable than traditional bench pressing due to its natural arc of movement. The angled press follows a more joint-friendly path, but start with lighter weight to assess your individual response before progressing.
To make it easier, reduce the weight and focus on mastering the squeezing technique with perfect form. For a greater challenge, increase the weight, slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase, add a pause at the bottom position, or try the unilateral (single-arm) variation which increases core stabilization demands.
The most common mistakes include rounding your lower back, rotating your hips instead of keeping them square, rushing through the movement, and not hinging properly at the hips. Focus on maintaining a neutral spine, moving with control, and keeping your standing knee slightly soft rather than locked.
Incorporate the Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press 1-2 times weekly as part of your chest/push training. It works well as either a primary chest movement or as a secondary exercise after heavier pressing, and pairs effectively with flye movements for complete chest development.
