Single-Arm Linear Jammer
The single-arm linear jammer drives one end of a barbell anchored in a landmine sleeve up and away from your shoulder in a single line. It builds pressing power through one arm while your core and opposite hip work to keep your trunk from twisting off course. It trains the same push pattern as a shot put or a stiff-arm fend, useful for athletes and anyone chasing single-arm pressing strength.
Why it works
Because the bar pivots from a fixed point on the floor, the resistance changes angle as you press, closer to how you'd shove something away from your body in real life than a straight vertical press. Your shoulder drives the bar up and out while your triceps lock the elbow at the top, and your chest contributes early in the press before the changing angle shifts the load onto the deltoid. Pressing with one arm forces your obliques and opposite-side hip to resist rotation, which is why this move shows up often in rotational-power and combat-sport programs.
Set up
- Load a barbell into a landmine attachment or wedge one end firmly into a corner.
- Stand in a staggered stance with the loaded end at roughly chest height.
- Grip the bar with one hand near the loaded end, palm facing in.
- Brace your core and set your feet so your back foot can drive into the floor.
How to do it
- Start with the bar held at shoulder height, elbow tucked in front of your ribs.
- Drive your back foot into the floor and press the bar forward and up in one motion.
- Extend your arm fully as the bar reaches the top of its arc.
- Let the bar's weight pull your arm back to your shoulder under control.
- Finish all reps on one side, then switch arms and stance.
Form cues
- Drive the press from your legs and hips, not just your shoulder.
- Keep your ribs down instead of arching your lower back to finish the press.
- Let your hips rotate a little with the press instead of fighting it stiffly.
- Control the bar's return to your shoulder instead of catching it with a jolt.
Breathing: Exhale hard as you drive the bar up and away, and inhale as you bring it back to your shoulder.
Common mistakes
Pressing with the arm alone while the legs stay passive.
Fix: Load your back leg and drive through the floor to start every rep.
Letting the lower back arch to add range at the top.
Fix: Keep your ribs stacked over your hips and stop the press where your natural range ends.
Catching the bar's return with a stiff, locked elbow.
Fix: Bend the elbow to absorb the bar's weight as it comes back to your shoulder.
How to program it
- This is a loaded, one-sided compound press, so treat it like other single-arm barbell work: 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps per side.
- Only one side works per set, so total stress per session stays moderate even though each rep is demanding, and twice a week is reasonable if it's not sharing a session with heavy overhead pressing.
- Pair it with rotational core work like a pallof press, since both train the same anti-rotation demand.
Safety notes
- Start with a light plate until your footing and rotation feel automatic, the moving bar path is less forgiving than a fixed-path press.
- Keep your non-working hand clear of the bar's path in case your grip slips.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Push
- Mechanics
- Compound
- Category
- Strength
Frequently asked questions
How many sets and reps should I do for the single-arm linear jammer?
3 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps per arm is a solid starting range, since it's a loaded, technical compound press.
Can I do the single-arm linear jammer without a landmine attachment?
Yes. Wedge one end of the barbell firmly into a corner where two walls meet, or have a partner brace it, then load the free end as usual.
Single-arm linear jammer vs regular landmine press, what's the difference?
The two-arm landmine press is more stable and lets you handle a bit more weight per rep. The single-arm version adds a rotational, anti-rotation demand that trains your core and one side's pressing strength on its own.
Why does my lower back feel this exercise?
That usually means you're arching to stretch out the press instead of stopping where your shoulder's natural range ends. Keep your ribs down and shorten the range until your form holds.