Awesome Gym Tool You Should Use: The Landmine

If I mention the word “landmine” to you, what comes to mind? For most people it would be this:

The landmine I want to discuss is completely different and a lot less threatening.

The landmine is one of my favorite pieces of gym equipment. It is highly versatile and takes up little space, making it a great tool for full-body workouts during busy time at commercial gyms or a great investment for a small home gym. If your gym doesn’t have a landmine, you can build one yourself by putting one end of a barbell into a corner. You will see this setup in some of the videos included below.

This article provides my top five landmine exercises and includes demonstration videos. You can easily group these five exercises into a fantastic full-body circuit. Be sure to use appropriate weights for the different exercises as some are more challenging than others.

Half-kneeling landmine press

The half-kneeling press is the first landmine exercise I introduce with new clients. I love pressing from the half-kneeling position because it makes it much harder for you to arch your lower back as you extend your arm overhead. This position also requires you to engage your core and hips, turning the exercise into a full-body challenge.

Landmine pressing is also a great option for people with a history of shoulder pain or injuries. The angle of the landmine allows you to train your shoulders without having to get into a direct overhead position.

When in half kneeling, ensure you have a straight line from your ear to the knee on the floor. The front leg should be positioned at a 90 degree angle directly in front of your torso. In the bottom position, your elbow should form a 90 degree angle or less when holding the end of the bar in front of your shoulder. Always brace your core before beginning the lift and exhale as you press. Keep your elbow underneath the bar and don’t let it flail out to the side. Start with your weaker side to determine how many reps you can complete with good form.

Landmine reverse lunges

To perform the landmine reverse lunge, simply hold the end of the barbell in front of your shoulder. Make sure your elbow is at a 90 degree angle or less. Next, take the leg on the same side and lunge backwards. Stop just shy of the ground, drive through your front heel, and return to a standing position.

BONUS: Landmine reverse lunge to press

If you are short on time or just looking for a solid combo exercise, you can combine the landmine reverse lunge and the press. Simply add a press from the standing position at the top of your lunge. You will need to use less weight here because your lunge will be stronger than your press. Be careful not to shrug or arch your back as you complete the press.

Landmine bent over row

You can use a landmine to perform bent over rows similar to dumbbell or barbell rows. You should know how to hip hinge before attempting these exercises. This means you can hold a bent over position with a slight knee bend, hips reached behind you, and a tall chest without rounding your back.

You can choose between a 2-arm and a 1-arm version of this exercise. For the 2-arm version, you will need to grab a neutral grip cable attachment to put around the bar. The 1-arm version can be performed by holding onto the bar directly. For both exercises, start from a standing position and hinge back until your torso is just above parallel with the floor. Row up and back until your upper arm is even with your side. Hold the flexed position for one second and try to feel your back muscles engaging. Then, lower the bar until your arms are straight and you feel a stretch in your back. Avoid shrugging or swinging the bar around.

 

Landmine 1-leg RDL

Single-leg Romanian deadlifts are a fantastic exercise to build posterior chain strength and stability through the knee and ankle joints. Unfortunately, many people struggle with this exercise because they have poor balance. Using a landmine as an anchor can help you feel more balanced when performing this fantastic exercise. It’s also a great way to load up lots of weight once you can perform the exercise well.

There are two ways to position yourself when performing 1-leg RDLs with the landmine. The first, shown in the video, is to stand with the landmine to your side in the hand opposite the leg on the ground. I recommend a thumbless grip when holding onto the bar unless you have very large hands. The second method is to stand facing the landmine with the bar in the arm opposite the leg on the ground. Choose whichever method feels best to you.

From a standing position, unlock your knee and reach your hips back behind you. It’s helpful to think about pushing the heel of the back leg toward the wall behind you. You should feel a big stretch in your hamstrings as you move into the exercise. To finish, drive the floor away from you and return to your tall and tight standing position. Add in a big butt squeeze at the top.

Landmine rotation

The fifth and final exercise targets your core. Landmine rotations, sometimes called window wipers, rainbows, or arc, are a challenging way to build rotational strength through your abs, obliques, lower back, and more.

Put both hands on the end of the bar and slowly move it in a large arc from side to side. Keep a slight bend in your elbows to maintain control of the bar. Always move slowly when performing rotational exercises. Keep your core engaged throughout the movement and fight against the pull of gravity. These can be very challenging for many people, so I recommend starting the first set with no weight on the bar.

The landmine is an underrated piece of gym equipment with tons of potential for building strength and muscle. With these five exercises, you can put together a challenging full-body circuit that won’t require you to run all over the gym and use a million pieces of equipment. Check out my youtube channel here for more creative ideas on how to use the landmine.