The half-kneeling landmine press isn’t a difficult exercise, so why the setup article? Because there is more to it than meets the eye.
Which knee goes down?
How far should you kneel from the landmine?
How far in front of your shoulder should the bar be?
What’s the best way to grip it?
Lifters often skip these details. But when you dial it in, you’ll build bolder shoulders. When you don’t, you’ll spend the set fighting the bar instead of lifting it. The tricky part is that no single setup works for all. Limb length, hand size, and the landmine setup all influence your starting position.
That’s where this pre-lift checklist comes in.
I’ll cover which knee to lower, your grip options, where the bar should sit relative to your shoulder, and how to set up your half-kneeling position.
Let’s dive in.
Step-by-Step Setup: How to Perform the Half-Kneeling Landmine Press
Follow this setup guide to get the best out of your half-kneeling landmine press. Let’s begin with the knees.
Step 1: Choose Which Knee Goes Down
Which knee goes down?
It depends.
When you’re pressing with the right arm, you can place your left knee down and your right foot forward, which is known as an ipsilateral setup. Or you can place your right knee down and your left foot forward, which is known as a contralateral setup.
Both are good, but they affect how you stabilize your body
- Contralateral (Same-Side Knee Down): This is the version we’ll use. You’ll get more assistance from the back hip, and it gives the shoulder greater freedom to move overhead.
- Ipsilateral (Opposite Knee Down): Positioning the opposite arm with the opposite leg creates a diagonal force across your body and challenges you to resist rotation while pressing.
Coach’s Tip: Start with the contralateral version and once you feel comfortable, try the ipsilateral setup. If one gives you a stronger press without compensations, use it.
Step 2: Set Your Front Foot, Back Knee, and Hips
Now let’s refine your half-kneeling stance.
Start by planting your front foot with your ankle under your knee, and keep your back knee under your hip rather than letting it stretch too far behind you. Keep a wider lateral base between your front foot and back knee to better resist rotational forces.
- Position your front knee over your ankle.
- Place your down knee under your hip.
- Maintain some lateral space between your front foot and back knee.
- Keep your hips level and facing forward.
- Lightly squeeze the glute on the down-knee side.
Internal cue: Squeeze the down-knee glute.
External cue: Make two railroad tracks with your legs.
Coach’s Tip: With a reduced base of support, tension is key to stability. Squeeze your glute on the down knee and “feel” your whole front foot on the ground.
Step 3: Choose Your Grip
You can grip the end of the barbell in more than one way, and the best option depends on your hand size, sleeve thickness, and what feels most secure.
Cupped End-of-Bar Grip: Cup the end of the barbell in your palm with your fingers wrapped around the end of the sleeve.
Sleeve Grip: Instead of cupping the end, wrap your hand around the sleeve itself. You can place your thumb at the end of the bar or wrap it around with the rest of your fingers.
Regardless of which option you use:
- Grip the bar tightly.
- Keep the wrist as neutral and stacked as possible.
- Use the grip that gives you the best combination of comfort and control.
Internal cue: Crush the bar.
External cue: Knuckles to the ceiling.
Coach’s Tip: A wrist-over-forearm position gives you the most power. Use the grip that allows this.
Step 4: Find Your Distance
How far should you kneel from the landmine attachment?
You should be close enough to control the barbell without reaching for it, but far enough away that the bar doesn’t require you to lean backward. You’re looking for your sweet spot where you can stay tall and keep your ribs stacked over your hips.
- Bring the end of the bar toward the working shoulder.
- Stay tall rather than leaning into the bar.
- Move closer if you’re reaching for it.
- Move a little farther away if the bar crowds you.
Internal cue: Leave room to let the shoulder breathe.
External cue: Ribs over hips.
Coach’s Tip: Take your time finding your sweet spot.
Step 5: Adjust Your Pressing Position
Your elbow should sit underneath and slightly in front of your hand, keeping your forearm stacked to follow the bar’s angled path.
- Keep your elbow under and slightly in front of your hand.
- Keep your wrist stacked and your grip secure.
- Set your shoulder down without forcing it back.
- Keep your chest up.
Internal cue: Shoulder down, chest up.
External cue: Visualize where you’re pressing the barbell.
Coach’s Tip: Once you’ve followed the steps above, your body should be aligned and ready to press.
Step 6: Brace Before You Press
Breathe into your belly, then brace your core. Maintain pressure on your front foot while lightly squeezing the glute on your down-knee side. This builds tension from the ground up and gives your working arm a firm foundation for pressing.
- Take a deep breath into your belly.
- Brace your abs
- Keep your hips and shoulders facing forward.
- Maintain your ribs-over-hips position.
Internal cue: Stay square and tight.
External cue: Keep your zipper facing forward.
Coach’s Tip: Many lifters don’t take the time or skip the brace part. Don’t be that lifter.
The Green Light Checklist
Run through this checklist before your first rep:
- Knee position chosen: ipsilateral or contralateral.
- Base established: enough lateral width between front foot and back knee to maintain stability.
- Distance dialed in: close enough that you’re not reaching for the bar, but far enough that it doesn’t crowd you out.
- Grip secure: choose the grip that gives you the best stability and comfort.
- Bar positioned: slightly in front of your working shoulder, with your elbow under and slightly ahead of your hand.
- Shoulder set: shoulder down, chest up.
- Ribs stacked: rib cage over your hips.
- Core & Glute engaged: lightly squeeze the glute on your down-knee side and breathe and brace.
- Body square: hips and shoulders facing forward.
If that’s all dialed in, you are good to go.
Half-Kneeling Landmine Press Setup Mistakes
Take time to set it up right because when you hurry, this is what happens.
Kneeling Too Close or Too Far Away
Set up too close, and the bar crowds your shoulder, making it hard to establish a comfortable elbow and hand position. Set up too far away, and you’ll reach or lean forward to grip the end of the bar.
- The Fix: Take the time to find your sweet spot and adjust until you can stay tall while supporting the end of the bar slightly in front of your working shoulder.
Using an Awkward Grip
Hand size and sleeve thickness matter. Forcing yourself to grip the thick end of the sleeve when you can’t may leave your wrist hyperextended before you even start pressing.
- The Fix: Choose a grip that gives you the most secure hand position while keeping your wrist neutral.
Starting With an Arched Lower Back
This often happens if you kneel too close to the landmine. When it does, your ribs flare, and your lower back extends before the first rep; pressing the bar away makes it worse.
- The Fix: Adjust your distance from the landmine, stack your ribs over your hips, and squeeze the glute on the side of your down knee.
Starting Without Whole-Body Tension
The half-kneeling position requires tension because your base of support is reduced. If you don’t create it, you’ll leak power and say goodbye to gains.
- The Fix: Before the first rep, create tension through your feet, core, hips, and grip.
The Final Rep
The half-kneeling landmine press looks straightforward, but not fine-tuning your setup will cost you.
If you overlook building a stable half-kneeling base, finding your distance, securing your grip, positioning the bar slightly in front of your shoulder, stacking your ribs over your hips, and creating tension before pressing, you’re leaking gains before you begin.
Finding your optimal position involves trial and error, but aren’t your gains worth it?