The landmine side lunge and press is a combination exercise performed with a barbell anchored in a landmine, pairing a lateral lunge with a press of the bar end to train the legs andshoulders. The bar end drops with you into the lunge and rises as you drive back to standing, so the press starts from the leg drive rather than from a dead stop, and the pivot keeps the load in front of your body rather than overhead while one foot is still moving. Coaches program it early in athletic sessions as a lateral power drill.
What Muscles Does the Landmine Side Lunge and Press Work?
- Primary: Quadriceps, gluteus maximus, anterior deltoid (front shoulder)
- Secondary: Adductors (inner thigh), triceps brachii, upper pectoralis major
- Tertiary: Obliques, gluteus medius, forearm flexors
How Do You Set Up for the Landmine Side Lunge and Press?
Wedge one end of the barbell into the landmine sleeve and load the free end lightly. Stand facing the landmine, far enough back that the sleeve sits at your sternum when held in both hands with the elbows tucked. Set your feet hip-width apart, toes forward, weight even. Clasp the collar end against your chest, brace your abs, and pull your shoulders down so the bar rests still before the first step.
How Do You Perform the Landmine Side Lunge and Press?
- Hold the bar at your sternum with both elbows tucked and your feet hip-width apart, facing the landmine.
- Step wide to one side and sit your hips back over that foot, bending that knee while the trailing leg stays straight.
- Reach the bottom when the lunging thigh is near parallel and the sleeve has dropped with your chest; the trailing foot is flat.
- Drive off the lunging foot and, as you rise, press the bar up and away along the landmine arc until the elbows lock.
- Lower the bar to your chest under control while the feet return to hip-width and the weight settles evenly.
- Pause with the bar at the sternum before stepping to the other side or repeating the same side.
What Are the Key Form Cues?
- Push the floor away, then the bar: Let the leg drive start the press so the sleeve leaves your chest as you leave the lunge.
- Sit into the hip, not the knee: Reach the hips back over the lunging heel so the shin stays near vertical and the adductors load.
- Keep your chest facing the landmine through the step; twisting toward the lunging leg pulls the bar off its arc.
- Press toward the ceiling corner in front of you, following the line of the bar.
- Land the returning foot softly and let the plates settle.
What Are the Most Common Mistakes?
- Loading until the lunge shortens: heavy plates keep the step narrow and the press becomes the whole exercise, so choose a weight you can lunge fully with.
- Stepping short and bending the trailing knee: both knees bend and the movement turns into a squat, so step wide enough that the trailing leg stays straight.
- Letting the lunging knee cave inward: the adductors pull the knee across the foot under load and the drive out of the lunge is lost, so track the knee over the middle toes.
- Pressing before standing: the bar leaves the chest while the hips are still low and the shoulders press from a rounded back, so wait for the leg drive.
- Leaning back to finish the press: the lower back arches under the sleeve, so exhale and keep the ribs down through lockout.
What Are the Best Landmine Side Lunge and Press Variations?
- Landmine side lunge without the press: the bar stays at the chest, for a lifter learning the step and the arc.
- Single-arm landmine side lunge and press: the bar held in the hand opposite the lunging leg, adding an anti-rotation demand.
- Landmine reverse lunge to press: stepping back instead of sideways shifts the work to the glutes and quads.
- Alternating side lunge and press: switching direction every rep for a conditioning circuit.
- Dumbbell lateral lunge to press: the same pattern with a dumbbell and a vertical press path.
How Do You Progress the Landmine Side Lunge and Press?
- Add 5 pounds to the sleeve once you finish all sets on both sides with a full lunge and a strict press.
- Build from 6 to 10 reps per side before adding weight again.
- Add one set per session up to 4 sets per side, or a second session per week.
- Pause one count at the bottom of the lunge before driving up, to remove any bounce out of the hip.
How Should You Program the Landmine Side Lunge and Press?
Place the landmine side lunge and press first or second in a full body or athletic session, after a warm-up and before heavy squats or presses drain the legs. Train it 1 to 2 times per week for 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps per side, resting 60 to 90 seconds between sets. Pair it with a landmine row or a pull-up so the session carries a pull.