Why I Stopped Teaching Overhead Press (And What I Do Instead)

Let me start with a confession that might ruffle some feathers: I haven't taught a traditional overhead press in over two years.

Yep, you heard that right. No military press, no strict press, no "core engagement while driving through your heels" nonsense that sounds great on paper but leaves half my clients nursing sore shoulders.

Before you write me off as some sort of fitness heretic, hear me out. This shift didn't happen because I got lazy or started following TikTok trainers. It happened because I got tired of watching good people get hurt doing movements their bodies simply weren't ready for.

The Overhead Press Problem Nobody Talks About

Here's what the fitness industry won't tell you: most people have no business pressing weight directly overhead. I'm not talking about elite athletes or people who've spent years building perfect shoulder mobility. I'm talking about you – the person who sits at a desk, drives to work, and maybe plays recreational sports on weekends.

Your shoulders are probably a mess. Not broken, not necessarily painful, but definitely not in the position they need to be to safely handle heavy loads straight up in the air. When you force yourself into that overhead position anyway, you're essentially playing Russian roulette with your shoulder joint.

I learned this the hard way. Three years ago, I was all about that overhead press life. Military press was king in my programming. Then I started noticing a pattern – clients would make progress for a few weeks, then suddenly they'd show up complaining about shoulder "tightness" or that weird pinching sensation when they reached overhead.

That's when I discovered what became my secret weapon: the landmine push press.

Enter the Game Changer

If you haven't seen a landmine setup, picture this: one end of a barbell stuck in a corner or landmine attachment, the other end loaded with weight. You grab the loaded end and press it at roughly a 45-degree angle instead of straight up.

Sounds simple, right? It is. But simple doesn't mean ineffective.

The landmine push press takes everything good about overhead pressing – the full-body coordination, the explosive power development, the functional strength – and removes most of the stuff that gets people hurt. It's like overhead pressing with training wheels, except the training wheels actually make you faster.

Why Your Shoulders Will Thank You

Let's get nerdy for a second. When you press straight overhead, your shoulder blade needs to rotate upward while your arm bone sits perfectly in the socket. This requires a specific amount of thoracic spine extension, shoulder flexion, and about seventeen other things that need to happen in perfect sequence.

Miss any one of these mobility requirements, and your body starts compensating. Maybe your lower back hyperextends to fake shoulder mobility. Maybe your shoulder blade tilts forward, jamming up the joint. These compensations work... until they don't.

The landmine press gives your shoulder complex a break. That 45-degree angle? It puts your arm in what's called the "scapular plane" – basically the most natural position for your shoulder to produce force. It's like the difference between trying to throw a baseball with your arm straight out to the side versus in that natural throwing position. One feels awkward and weak, the other feels powerful and smooth.

The Coordination Factor

But here's where it gets really interesting. The landmine push press isn't just easier on your shoulders – it actually teaches better movement patterns than traditional overhead pressing.

Think about it: when you're holding the end of a long barbell, that weight wants to wobble in every direction. Your core has to fire like crazy to keep you stable. Your legs need to drive perfectly straight up, or the bar path goes wonky. All those little stabilizing muscles around your shoulder blade are working overtime to keep everything tracking properly.

It's like the exercise is forcing you to move well. Try to cheat or use sloppy form, and the bar will literally drift away from you. The movement self-corrects in a way that rigid overhead pressing simply can't.

Let's Get Practical

Alright, enough theory. Here's how to actually do this thing without looking like you're making it up as you go.

First, setup. If your gym has a landmine attachment, great. If not, just wedge one end of a barbell into a corner where it won't damage anything. Load the other end with weight – start lighter than you think you need.

Grab the loaded end with both hands, cupping it right against your chest. Your feet should be about shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. This isn't a narrow military stance; you want a stable base.

Here's where the magic happens. Dip down like you're about to jump as high as possible. Keep your chest up, knees tracking over your toes. Then explode up, driving through your feet while simultaneously pressing the bar away from you at that 45-degree angle.

The timing takes practice. You want to catch the momentum from your leg drive and use it to launch the bar. Done right, it should feel almost effortless – like the bar is floating up rather than being muscled into position.

Common Screw-Ups (And How to Fix Them)

Most people mess this up in predictable ways. The biggest mistake? Trying to muscle it with just your arms. This isn't a chest press. The power comes from your legs, travels through your core, and finishes with your arms. If your shoulders are burning but your legs feel fresh, you're doing it wrong.

Another issue I see constantly: people dip too deep or not deep enough. The dip should feel like a vertical jump prep, not a squat. Quick down, explosive up. If you're hanging out in the bottom position, you've lost the stretch reflex that makes this movement so effective.

And please, for the love of all that's holy, don't try to lower the weight slowly on every rep. This is an explosive movement. Let the bar drop back to your chest (under control, but not slowly), reset, and go again. Trying to perform a slow negative on every rep is a fast track to fatigue and form breakdown.

The Single-Arm Game Changer

Once you've got the two-handed version down, the single-arm landmine press opens up a whole new world. Hold the bar at shoulder height with one hand and perform the same dip-and-drive pattern.

This variation is absolutely brutal for your core and incredibly revealing about imbalances you might have. Most people discover they have a definite strong side and weak side. That's valuable information you can't get from bilateral movements.

The single-arm version is also my go-to for people coming back from shoulder injuries. You can work each side independently, load the healthy side more aggressively while the injured side catches up, and build unilateral strength that transfers better to real-world activities.

Why This Matters More Than You Think

Look, I get it. The landmine press doesn't look as impressive as throwing plates overhead. It doesn't have the same gym cred as a heavy military press. But here's the thing – sustainability beats ego every single time.

I've watched too many lifters peak with their overhead press, get hurt, take time off, come back weaker, and repeat the cycle. Meanwhile, the people doing landmine variations just keep getting stronger year after year. They're playing the long game, and they're winning.

Plus, the carryover to real life is actually better. When do you ever press something straight overhead in daily life? Almost never. But pressing at an angle – like putting something on a high shelf, pushing a heavy door, or throwing a ball – that happens all the time.

Making It Work for You

Here's how I program this for most people. Start with 3 sets of 5-8 reps, focusing purely on technique. The weight should feel light enough that you can really focus on the timing and coordination.

Once the movement pattern clicks, you can start loading it more aggressively. I've had clients work up to seriously impressive weights on the landmine press – weights they never could have handled overhead.

For most people, I like to use this as either a main movement early in the workout when you're fresh, or as a dynamic finishing exercise after your main strength work. It fits just about anywhere in a program.

The Bottom Line

I'm not saying you should never press overhead again. If you've got the mobility, the shoulder health, and the technique to do it safely, go for it. But for most people, most of the time, the landmine push press is simply a better choice.

It builds the same qualities as overhead pressing with less risk and often better results. Your shoulders stay healthy, your performance improves, and you get to keep training consistently instead of cycling through injuries.

Sometimes the best solution isn't the most obvious one. Sometimes it's the exercise that nobody's talking about, hiding in the corner of the gym, waiting for someone smart enough to give it a try.

What's your experience with shoulder-friendly pressing variations? Have you tried the landmine setup, or are you still battling through traditional overhead work? Drop a comment and let me know – I'm always curious to hear what's working (or not working) for people in the real world.