Landmine Squat & Press
Muscles Worked: Landmine Squat & Press
The landmine squat & press primarily loads the legs through the squat, with the quads extending the knees and the glutes driving hip extension out of the bottom. As you stand and press, the front delts take over to move the bar on its angled path while the triceps finish elbow extension, and the hamstrings help stabilize the hip through the transition. In squat training, using deeper depth has been shown to produce greater increases in gluteal and adductor muscle volume than shallow work (Kubo et al., 2019).
Technique and form
How to perform the Landmine Squat & Press
- Set up a barbell in a landmine attachment with the opposite end loaded with appropriate weight, grasp the end of the bar with both hands at chest height.
- Position your feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider, with toes pointing slightly outward and your core engaged.
- Inhale and begin descending into a squat by pushing your hips back and bending your knees, keeping your chest up and spine neutral.
- Lower yourself until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground, maintaining weight in your heels and midfoot while keeping the bar close to your body.
- Exhale as you drive through your heels to stand back up, extending your hips and knees fully.
- As you reach the top of the squat, continue the upward momentum to press the bar overhead by extending your arms, keeping your shoulders stable.
- At the top of the movement, your arms should be fully extended with your biceps by your ears, while maintaining a neutral spine and engaged core.
- Inhale as you lower the bar back to chest position and repeat the entire movement for the prescribed number of repetitions.
Important information
- Keep your elbows slightly bent at the top of the press to avoid hyperextension while maintaining tension throughout the movement.
- Make sure your knees track in line with your toes throughout the squat portion to protect your joints.
- If you feel pressure in your lower back, check your core engagement and consider using a lighter weight until your form improves.
- The bar path should follow a slight arc—don't try to press straight up as this can strain your shoulders.
Is the Landmine Squat & Press good for muscle growth?
Yes. The landmine squat & press can build muscle well, especially in the quads, glutes, and front delts, because it combines a loaded squat with an overhead press in one continuous rep. Its biggest hypertrophy advantage is that the angled bar path lets many lifters train hard through a deep squat and strong lockout with less balance demand than fully vertical barbell patterns, and in squat training, deeper depth has been associated with greater gluteal growth than shallow squatting (Kubo et al., 2019).
- Deep squat stimulus — The counterbalanced feel of the landmine often makes it easier to reach useful depth without losing torso position. That matters because, in squat training, deeper squatting increased gluteal muscle volume more than shallow squatting, which supports this exercise's lower-body growth potential (Kubo et al., 2019)
- Continuous tension across two phases — Your quads and glutes work hard from the bottom to standing, then the front delts and triceps keep the rep going instead of giving the body a full reset. That longer loaded sequence can raise local fatigue and make moderate loads effective for hypertrophy
- Shoulder-friendly pressing path — The arc of the landmine press usually demands less shoulder external rotation than a straight overhead barbell press. That makes it a practical option for lifters who struggle to load barbell-standing-military-press pain-free but still want front-delt volume
- Easy progression without losing position — Small plate jumps work well, but progression can also come from cleaner transitions and deeper reps. If your goal is more quad emphasis, compare it with the more upright barbell-front-squat, which removes the pressing phase and lets you push squat volume higher
Programming for muscle growth
Do 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps with 90-150 seconds rest, 1-2 times per week. Use lower reps when loading it as a strength-focused compound and higher reps when chasing delt and quad fatigue. Keep most sets 1-3 reps shy of failure so the squat stays deep and the press stays crisp.
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FAQ - Landmine Squat & Press
The Landmine Squat & Press primarily works your quadriceps, front deltoids (shoulders), and triceps. Your core, glutes, and upper back muscles also engage significantly as stabilizers throughout this compound movement.
Yes, the angled pressing path created by the landmine setup typically places less stress on the shoulder joints compared to strict overhead pressing. This makes it an excellent alternative for those with shoulder mobility issues or previous injuries while still effectively training the deltoids.
Beginners can start with a lighter weight and focus on the movement pattern before progressing. For advanced lifters, increase the weight, add a pause at the bottom of the squat, or perform the exercise unilaterally (one arm at a time) to increase the challenge and core engagement.
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 this exercise 1-2 times per week with at least 48 hours between sessions to allow for proper recovery. It works well as part of a full-body workout or on a lower/upper body combination day due to its compound nature.
Scientific References
Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes.
Kubo K, Ikebukuro T, Yata H · European journal of applied physiology (2019)
Sources are peer-reviewed academic publications from PubMed.
Landmine Squat & Press
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