Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press
Reviewed by Dylan Maurick, Physiotherapist
The Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press is a joint-friendly pressing exercise that builds chest, shoulder, and triceps strength with added core control.
Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press
Muscles Worked: Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press
The Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press mainly works your chest and front delts because you press the bar up and slightly forward while actively squeezing your hands together on the sleeve. That squeeze makes your pecs work harder than a standard straight press, while the front of your shoulders helps drive the bar through the middle and top of the rep. Your triceps finish each press by straightening your elbows. You should feel your chest and front shoulders doing most of the work, especially if you keep steady pressure inward and avoid rushing your reps.
Technique and form
How to perform the 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.
Is the Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press good for muscle growth?
Yes. The Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press can be very good for muscle growth because it trains your chest, front delts, and triceps with a press path that is usually easier on the shoulders than flat barbell pressing. It also gives you a built-in chest cue: squeezing inward as you press, which helps keep tension on the pecs through the whole rep.
- Constant chest tension — The squeeze is the whole point of this lift. Instead of only thinking about moving the bar, you also try to crush your hands inward on the bar sleeve. That extra inward pressure makes your chest stay switched on from the bottom to the top, so the rep feels more like a press and a chest squeeze combined.
- Shoulder-friendly pressing angle — The landmine path is angled, not straight overhead or straight out from your chest. For many lifters, that means less shoulder irritation while still letting the front delts and pecs work hard. If flat pressing bothers you, this can be a smart option alongside barbell-bench-press or barbell-incline-bench-press.
- Easy to load and progress — Like other barbell-based presses, it is simple to add small plates over time. That matters because progressive overload is still the main driver of muscle growth. Keep the squeeze strong first, then add load once you can hold that chest tension for every rep.
- Works well with moderate rest — Because this is still a pressing movement that depends on repeat performance across sets, rest matters. Research on bench press performance showed longer rest periods helped lifters maintain reps and output better across sets, which is useful when you want quality chest and triceps work instead of rushed, sloppy pressing.
Programming for muscle growth
Do 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with 90-150 seconds rest, 1-2 times per week. Use a load that lets you keep pressing and squeezing inward on every rep. If your chest stops feeling involved and it turns into only a shoulder press, the weight is too heavy or your set is done.
Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press Variations
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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.
Landmine Kneeling Squeeze Press
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