Landmine presses, 30 degree DB shoulder shrugs

Goldenrod

Well-known member
Staff member
Curious how many people incorporate this exercise into their workouts.
I was first introduced to it in different sports like boxing and kickboxing, but stopped doing it for years. Not sure why, but did.
I have been doing it on my forearm day/4th workout which is mostly forearms but includes abs, few exercises I do twice a week.
The standing or kneeling press works your shoulders, upper chest, triceps, and stabilizing muscles.
Often I do the traditional shoulder press with a machine (shoulder injuries are something anyone who lifts long enough and hard enough have to deal with), and then finish off with 1 arm landmine presses. I believe it was @The Old Guy who mentioned using machines recently. There are a few great ones I prefer over free weights / no change in progressive overload/growth but less apt to get injured.
For people with shoulder issues, landline presses are easier on the shoulders in general - at least I find they are.

I do not see many people doing this except for the guys who spend a lot of time in the MMA room, almost everyone of them do this exercise in different variations.
Any tips, ideas to make the most out of this exercise from people who perform this exercise.

Another exercise I find great for a change/less shoulder joint strain/more growth, which requires you to check your ego at the door, is performing shrugs while holding the DB's away from your body around 30 degrees. There is a study, which is only valid if you see a difference in yourself which I do, listing the best trap exercises and by recollection this was number 1 for muscle activation. If desired, I can find it again and post it.
Most people can shrug significant weight, many gyms don't have DB's that are heavy enough so you can use a trap bar shrug (which is also mentioned).
Anyway, my point is if you can't keep your arms out, use less weight for your rep range. Often a change produces results, I have noticed since swapping DB shrugs with arms hanging straight down vs. 30 degrees I am seeing more growth.
The days of doing the exercises that I can lift the most weight with are gone. If I can lift less weight, that is easier from an injury standpoint, but are harder to perform and get more growth, it is a win/win.

Again, curious if anyone has tried this exercise and their results.

thanks
 
I do incorporate single arm land mines in my routine and it was recommended by my physio at slow tempo. I do enjoy it and the angle protects the shoulder and help develop multiple parts. I cannot comment on the angle shrugs but I’m curious and will look at it.
I do have a long history with my shoulders and also an ongoing battle. Thanks for the recommendations.
 
Worth a try again. I have some extensive reconstruction in my sholder joints. I am curious if this an exercise that will provide some load and reduces aggrevaton. I will let you know!
 
Hey @Goldenrod, I can't comment on the landmine presses, but I like working traps a lot, they got big from deadlifts but I keep doing shrugs and variations to keep them happy and gorilla-like. I do the angled DB shrugs as you mentioned, bringing in some shoulders with the angle, but another one that I've found really activating is to grab your rack or something and lean over at a side angle you can manage and do one arm shrugs with the heavy Dbs. This really seems to light them up with the added angle. I also do side laterals with this same lean angle and you might as well to both at the same time or alternate. You won't be raising your arms overhead much for a while afterwards. Don't schedule ceiling painting or drywall.
 
Curious how many people incorporate this exercise into their workouts.
I was first introduced to it in different sports like boxing and kickboxing, but stopped doing it for years. Not sure why, but did.
I have been doing it on my forearm day/4th workout which is mostly forearms but includes abs, few exercises I do twice a week.
The standing or kneeling press works your shoulders, upper chest, triceps, and stabilizing muscles.
Often I do the traditional shoulder press with a machine (shoulder injuries are something anyone who lifts long enough and hard enough have to deal with), and then finish off with 1 arm landmine presses. I believe it was @The Old Guy who mentioned using machines recently. There are a few great ones I prefer over free weights / no change in progressive overload/growth but less apt to get injured.
For people with shoulder issues, landline presses are easier on the shoulders in general - at least I find they are.

I do not see many people doing this except for the guys who spend a lot of time in the MMA room, almost everyone of them do this exercise in different variations.
Any tips, ideas to make the most out of this exercise from people who perform this exercise.

Another exercise I find great for a change/less shoulder joint strain/more growth, which requires you to check your ego at the door, is performing shrugs while holding the DB's away from your body around 30 degrees. There is a study, which is only valid if you see a difference in yourself which I do, listing the best trap exercises and by recollection this was number 1 for muscle activation. If desired, I can find it again and post it.
Most people can shrug significant weight, many gyms don't have DB's that are heavy enough so you can use a trap bar shrug (which is also mentioned).
Anyway, my point is if you can't keep your arms out, use less weight for your rep range. Often a change produces results, I have noticed since swapping DB shrugs with arms hanging straight down vs. 30 degrees I am seeing more growth.
The days of doing the exercises that I can lift the most weight with are gone. If I can lift less weight, that is easier from an injury standpoint, but are harder to perform and get more growth, it is a win/win.

Again, curious if anyone has tried this exercise and their results.

thanks
I found two handed land mine presses over the chest a great upper chest exercise.

I would not train these really heavy just something to hit the upper chest if I don’t feel it’s taken enough of a beating.
 
Hey @Goldenrod, I can't comment on the landmine presses, but I like working traps a lot, they got big from deadlifts but I keep doing shrugs and variations to keep them happy and gorilla-like. I do the angled DB shrugs as you mentioned, bringing in some shoulders with the angle, but another one that I've found really activating is to grab your rack or something and lean over at a side angle you can manage and do one arm shrugs with the heavy Dbs. This really seems to light them up with the added angle. I also do side laterals with this same lean angle and you might as well to both at the same time or alternate. You won't be raising your arms overhead much for a while afterwards. Don't schedule ceiling painting or drywall.
I’ve been doing cable shrugs.

Seated row bench with a medium 14 inch ish wide slightly pronated grip. Leaning back ack 30-45 These completely target traps.

The bar below

IMG_0778.jpeg
 
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