Build Bigger, Stronger Shoulders

The landmine press is an effective shoulder exercise that combines pressing strength, core stability, and upper-body muscle development. Its angled pressing path makes it a popular alternative to traditional overhead pressing, particularly for lifters who want to target their shoulders while incorporating their chest and triceps.

However, not every gym has a landmine attachment, and some lifters may want to switch up their training routine with different exercises. Fortunately, there are several effective landmine press alternatives that can help you build stronger shoulders, improve pressing strength, and develop your upper body.

Whether you’re looking for a dumbbell exercise, a machine-based movement, or another compound shoulder exercise, these five alternatives can help you achieve similar training benefits.

Our team at Generation Iron is breaking it down.

What Muscles Does the Landmine Press Work?

Before looking at the best landmine press alternatives, it’s important to understand which muscles the exercise targets.

The landmine press primarily works the deltoids, particularly the anterior (front) deltoids. However, several other muscle groups contribute to the movement.

These include:

• Anterior Deltoids: Help drive the weight forward and upward during the pressing motion.
• Lateral Deltoids: Assist with shoulder movement and contribute to overall shoulder development.
• Triceps: Extend the elbows to complete the pressing movement.
• Upper Chest: Assists with pressing the weight through its angled range of motion.
• Core Muscles: Stabilize the torso and prevent excessive rotation or arching.
• Serratus Anterior: Helps facilitate proper shoulder blade movement during the press.

The best landmine press alternatives will recruit many of these same muscle groups while offering slightly different movement patterns and resistance profiles.

5 Best Landmine Press Alternatives

If you’re looking to replace the landmine press in your workout routine, the following five exercises are excellent options.

1. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

The dumbbell shoulder press is one of the best alternatives to the landmine press for building overall shoulder strength and muscle mass.

This compound exercise allows you to press independently with each arm, helping address strength imbalances while developing your deltoids and triceps. Unlike the landmine press, the dumbbell shoulder press follows a more vertical pressing path, placing greater emphasis on overhead strength.

How to Perform the Dumbbell Shoulder Press:

1. Sit on a bench with back support and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Position the dumbbells at shoulder height with your palms facing forward or slightly inward.
3. Brace your core and press both dumbbells overhead.
4. Extend your arms without aggressively locking out your elbows.
5. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Muscles Worked: Anterior deltoids, lateral deltoids, triceps, and upper chest.

2. Single-Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press

If you enjoy the unilateral nature of the landmine press, the single-arm dumbbell shoulder press is an excellent alternative.

Performing the exercise with one arm at a time forces your core to work harder to stabilize your torso. It also allows you to identify and address strength differences between your left and right shoulders.

How to Perform the Single-Arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press:

1. Sit or stand while holding a dumbbell at shoulder height with one hand.
2. Keep your core tight and your torso upright.
3. Press the dumbbell overhead until your arm is extended.
4. Slowly lower the weight back to shoulder height.
5. Complete your repetitions before switching arms.

Muscles Worked: Anterior deltoids, lateral deltoids, triceps, and core muscles.

3. Arnold Press

The Arnold press is another excellent landmine press alternative that emphasizes shoulder development through a combination of pressing and rotational movement.

Named after bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger, this exercise incorporates a rotation as you press the dumbbells overhead. This creates a different movement pattern than traditional shoulder presses and challenges the deltoids throughout the exercise.

How to Perform the Arnold Press:

1. Sit on a bench with back support and hold two dumbbells in front of your chest.
2. Begin with your palms facing toward your body and your elbows bent.
3. As you press the dumbbells overhead, rotate your wrists outward.
4. Finish with your palms facing forward and your arms extended overhead.
5. Reverse the movement as you lower the dumbbells.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Muscles Worked: Anterior deltoids, lateral deltoids, triceps, and upper chest.

4. Barbell Overhead Press

The barbell overhead press is one of the most effective compound exercises for developing upper-body pressing strength.

Like the landmine press, this movement allows you to progressively overload your shoulders while recruiting your triceps and upper chest. However, the barbell overhead press requires greater shoulder mobility and places the weight directly overhead.

How to Perform the Barbell Overhead Press:

1. Stand with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.
2. Position a barbell at upper-chest height with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
3. Brace your core and squeeze your glutes.
4. Press the barbell overhead until your arms are extended.
5. Lower the barbell under control to your upper chest.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Muscles Worked: Anterior deltoids, lateral deltoids, triceps, upper chest, and core.

5. Cable Shoulder Press

The cable shoulder press is a versatile exercise that provides consistent resistance throughout the movement.

Unlike free weights, which rely on gravity, cables allow you to adjust the direction of resistance. This makes the exercise a useful option for lifters who want to experiment with different pressing angles while maintaining tension on their shoulders.

How to Perform the Cable Shoulder Press:

1. Position two cable handles around shoulder height or slightly below.
2. Stand between the cable stations and grab one handle in each hand.
3. Step forward slightly to create tension in the cables.
4. Position your hands near shoulder level.
5. Press both handles upward and slightly forward.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.

Muscles Worked: Anterior deltoids, lateral deltoids, triceps, and upper chest.

How to Choose the Best Landmine Press Alternative

Not every landmine press alternative will provide the exact same training stimulus. The best option depends on your equipment, training experience, and fitness goals.

Here are some recommendations based on what you’re trying to accomplish:

• For overall shoulder growth: Dumbbell shoulder press and Arnold press.
• For unilateral shoulder training: Single-arm dumbbell shoulder press.
• For maximum pressing strength: Barbell overhead press.
• For consistent cable resistance: Cable shoulder press.

If your goal is to replace the landmine press with an exercise that most closely resembles its pressing mechanics, consider the single-arm dumbbell shoulder press or cable shoulder press.

Can You Build Shoulders Without the Landmine Press?

Absolutely! The landmine press is a useful exercise, but it isn’t necessary for building bigger, stronger shoulders.

Developing your deltoids comes down to consistently training the different heads of the shoulder muscles, progressively increasing training demands, and allowing adequate time for recovery.

A well-rounded shoulder workout should incorporate compound pressing movements alongside isolation exercises that target the anterior, lateral, and posterior deltoids.

For example, you could combine dumbbell shoulder presses, lateral raises, and rear delt flyes to create a balanced shoulder workout without ever using a landmine attachment.

The most important thing is choosing exercises that fit your goals, equipment availability, and individual training needs.

Final Thoughts

The landmine press is an excellent exercise for developing shoulder strength, improving pressing mechanics, and recruiting multiple upper-body muscle groups. However, it’s far from the only option available.

Whether you choose dumbbell shoulder presses, Arnold presses, barbell overhead presses, or cable shoulder presses, there are plenty of ways to achieve similar training benefits.

Experiment with these five landmine press alternatives, find the movements that work best for your body, and focus on progressive overload to continue building bigger, stronger shoulders.

Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

References

Schoenfeld, B. J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2017). Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 35(11), 1073–1082.

American College of Sports Medicine. (2009). Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 41(3), 687–708.

Saeterbakken, A. H., & Fimland, M. S. (2013). Effects of body position and loading modality on muscle activity and strength in shoulder presses. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.