If you've ever watched a strongman competition and thought "I want to do that," the viking press exercise might be your entry point. It's one of the few strongman staples you can actually recreate in a home gym without renting a cargo ship.
The viking press is an overhead pressing movement that hammers your shoulders and triceps, and once you try it, the standard overhead press is going to feel a little boring by comparison.
What Is the Viking Press?
Great question — and honestly, nobody fully knows. The "viking" in “viking press” is a bit of a mystery. It's possible the movement (or something close to it) dates back to actual Viking-era lifting, but there's zero historical evidence to back that up. So we'll just say it sounds cool and move on.
What we do know: the viking press has earned a permanent spot in strongman and strongwoman competitions over the past couple of decades, including as a pressing event at the World's Strongest Man. So whether the Vikings invented it or not, they'd probably approve.
Curious about getting into the sport yourself? We've got you covered: How to Get Into Strongman Training.
Benefits of the Viking Press Exercise
1. Slabs on Shoulder and Tricep Size
The viking press is a compound movement with a big range of motion, which means more muscle fibres recruited, more time under tension, and more gainz (the good kind). Whether you're chasing boulder shoulders or just want your arms to fill out a t-shirt, this exercise delivers.
2. A Shoulder-Friendly Alternative to the Overhead Press
If the overhead press has been giving your shoulders grief, the viking press is worth a shot. The different bar path and body mechanics take some of the strain off your joints — same pressing muscles, friendlier angle. Your rotator cuffs will send a thank-you card.
3. It's Surprisingly Easy to Set Up
This is where the viking press really earns its keep. Most strongman events require a loading dock and a film crew. The viking press? Just three things:
Really strapped for cash? Substitute the landmine for a tennis ball cut open slightly and wedged into a corner. Not glamorous, but it works, and we respect the hustle.
How to Do the Viking Press Exercise
There are two ways to set up the viking press. Pick whichever works for your setup.
Viking Press with a Landmine Attachment
The classic. Clean, simple, and feels very "strongman athlete warming up in their garage."
Equipment needed:
- One barbell
- One viking press attachment
- One landmine attachment (or the tennis ball hack)
Steps:
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Mount the landmine to a power rack and slide in your bar — or jam the tennis ball onto one end of the bar and wedge it into a corner
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Mount the viking press attachment onto the free end of the bar
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Starting with the bar on the floor, set your feet hip-width apart with toes angled slightly out
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Lean forward and grab the closest handles of the viking press attachment
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Bend your knees and stick your chest out
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In one smooth motion, push the floor away and reverse-curl the bar up to your shoulders
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Once the handles are at shoulder height, adjust your grip if needed
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Dip your knees slightly, then drive the bar forward and up at a 45-degree angle
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Lower it under control back to your shoulders
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Once you've hit your reps, set the bar down on the floor — don't drop it like you just finished a World's Strongest Man event (tempting, we know)
Common Viking Press Mistake: Double Dipping (And Not the Fun Kind)
Double dipping is when you bend your knees a second time mid-rep to "catch" the bar lower, then use your legs to drive it back up. It sneakily offloads the work from your shoulders and triceps, and in competition it earns you an immediate no lift. Judges are not impressed.
The rule is dead simple: knees bend once to start the press, and that's your lot. Think of it as a one-dip policy. Stick to it.
Who Should Do the Viking Press Exercise?
Short answer: pretty much anyone. You don't need to be eyeing up a strongman podium to get something out of this movement. If you want stronger, bigger shoulders and triceps — and let's be honest, who doesn't — the viking press is a legitimate tool to add to the mix. Pick a setup, add weight over time, and watch your pressing numbers climb.
Ready to Press Like a Viking?
Grab our Viking Press Attachment and get to work. No longboat required.
