Rebuilding the Reach – How the Landmine Can Help You Press with Confidence Again
If you’ve ever had shoulder discomfort or just felt like overhead pressing isn’t clicking for you, you’re definitely not alone. Whether it’s after an injury or just navigating the complexity of what a “good” overhead press is supposed to feel like, we often see people unsure of how to get back to reaching and pressing in a way that feels strong, confident, and—most importantly—pain-free. That’s exactly why we put together our latest video on using the landmine as a tool to retrain the overhead press. It’s not an exhaustive list of all key pointers but sometimes those videos can be a little overwhelming as far as where to focus.
Let’s zoom out for a second and talk about what’s really going on when we press overhead or reach up. A solid press isn’t just about moving the arm up—it’s a coordinated dance between the humerus (upper arm bone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the glenoid fossa (that shallow socket the humerus fits into) along with their associated counterparts that attach to the clavicle. We will sometimes just refer to the entire grouping of joins that also includes the clavicle as the “shoulder girdle”. As we press, the scapula needs to upwardly rotate and glide along the ribcage, while the humerus moves up and slightly out, staying centered in that glenoid fossa. Surrounding all this is a whole network of muscles, fascia, and soft tissue—like the rotator cuff, traps, serratus anterior, and lats amongst other players—all doing their part.
Understanding that anatomy can be helpful… until it gets overwhelming. And that’s where many folks get stuck—overthinking the movement, trying to “fix” it with too many cues or isolated exercises. At the end of the day, what we’re really after is helping people feel a natural, strong, and supported reach. Whether we call it an overhead press or not, the goal is the same: reconnect with that reaching pattern in a way that feels right in your body.
This is where the landmine comes in. In our video, we break down how a half-kneeling landmine press setup—with the bar angled out in front of you—can guide you into a more natural pressing arc. The landmine path allows for a more diagonal, less strict overhead press for some, which respects your current range of motion and lets your shoulder and thoracic spine do their job. It’s especially helpful for folks who don’t tolerate straight overhead movements well or who are relearning shoulder control after an injury. We love this for also getting some more serratus connection. The half-kneeling position also adds a bit of stability challenge and helps eliminate compensations from the lower back or ribcage flaring. Check out this very simplified demo video below.
Half Kneel on the pad .
Position the arm and hand so the bar is just at outside and in front of shoulder with a little gap between the arm and the ribs (not overly tucked)
Reach through the whole shoulder girdle, spine neutral, letting the shoulder slide and rotate up the rib cage. The elbow will naturally track outward a bit. Let the shoulder shrug up a bit at the top but no need to overemphasize.
Control it down even more (maybe with a slight tuck of the elbow inward toward midline) if you're still learning positions and regaining confidence
Repeat
Finding a Full Reach Again
The shoulder is one of the most complex joints in the body, with more range of motion than any other. That’s amazing—but it also means there are a lot of moving pieces, and sometimes the issue with reaching isn’t just in the shoulder. It might be coming from the neck, thoracic spine, or even how we’re bracing or breathing. It’s complex, but that’s what makes it so interesting—and rewarding—to work on. If you have experienced any discomfort or pain, sometimes it can help to get some extra eyes from a coach or even some hands on from an experienced therapist.
A Few Quick Announcements 📣
Have You Booked An Appointment with Marcin Yet? We’re excited to welcome Marcin, our newest team member and a masterful therapist. He’s incredibly skilled at helping folks work through shoulder pain, stiffness, and movement limitations. We’re lucky to have him on board! If you weren’t able to attend our free mini-session day with him, you can book him for a full session here.
Annadel Race – Sunday, April 6th 🏃♀️
THIS SUNDAY IS THE BIG RACE! Signed up and ready to hit the trail? Our community race is almost here. If you haven’t signed up yet, click here to grab your spot and join us for a great day outside.Join a Class!
Our small group classes are one of the best ways to get hands-on coaching in a supportive, educational setting. Whether you’re working on movement patterns, strength, or just feeling better in your body, we’re here to guide you.
As always, let us know how things are feeling on your end. Tried the landmine press? We’d love to hear how it’s working for you 💬