Best Landmine Exercises & How to Perform

Landmine exercises are a highly versatile and effective form of strength training that utilise a barbell anchored at one end, allowing for a unique arc of movement. This setup opens up a wide range of exercises targeting every major muscle group, making landmine training suitable for athletes, beginners, and anyone seeking to improve functional strength, stability, and joint health. We have put together a detailed guide covering how to perform landmine exercises, the muscles they target, their benefits, and some of the equipment needed.

What Are Landmine Exercises?

Landmine exercises involve using a standard Olympic barbell with one end anchored—either in a specialized landmine attachment or wedged securely into a corner. The free end of the barbell can then be lifted, pressed, rowed, or rotated, providing resistance along an arcing path. This arc creates a blend of stability and freedom, making landmine movements accessible yet challenging.

Equipment Needed for Landmine Exercises

• Barbell: Typically a standard Olympic barbell (20kg/45lb), but shorter or lighter bars can be used for beginners.
• Landmine Attachment: A pivoting sleeve that anchors one end of the barbell to the floor or a weight plate. 
• Weight Plates: To add resistance to the free end of the barbell.
• Optional Handles/Grips: Landmine-specific handles (e.g., T-bar row handles, V-grips) can enhance grip and comfort for certain exercises.
• Protective Mat: If anchoring in a corner, use a mat to protect the floor and barbell.

How to Perform Key Landmine Exercises

Below are detailed instructions for some of the most popular and effective landmine exercises, categorized by muscle group.

Upper Body Landmine Exercises

Landmine Press (Standing or Kneeling)

Muscles Worked: Shoulders (deltoids), chest (pectoralis major and minor), triceps, scapular stabilizers, core, glutes.

How to Do It:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding the free end of the barbell at chest height with one or both hands.
• Brace your core and glutes.
• Press the bar upward and slightly forward, extending your arm(s) fully.
• Pause briefly, then lower the bar back to the starting position with control.
• Repeat for desired reps, then switch sides if pressing one arm at a time.

Variations:

Half-Kneeling Press: Kneel on one knee for increased core activation and stability challenge.

Single-Arm Press: Focuses on unilateral strength and core engagement.

Landmine Row

Muscles Worked: Upper back (trapezius, rhomboids), lats (latissimus dorsi), rear deltoids, biceps, erector spinae, glutes.

How to Do It:

• Stand perpendicular to the bar with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Hinge at the hips, keeping your back flat, and grasp the bar with one hand.
• Pull the bar toward your chest, keeping your elbow close to your side.
• Squeeze your shoulder blade at the top, then lower with control.
• Complete reps on one side before switching.

Variations:

Meadows Row: Stand parallel to the bar, grip with one hand, and row explosively for increased lat activation.

Landmine Lateral Raise & Front Raise

Muscles Worked: Deltoids (shoulders), upper traps, core.

How to Do It:

• Stand facing the bar, holding the end with one hand.
• Keeping your arm straight, lift the bar out to the side (lateral raise) or in front (front raise).
• Pause, then lower with control.
• Repeat for reps, then switch sides.

Lower Body Landmine Exercises

Landmine Squat

Muscles Worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core.

How to Do It:

• Hold the barbell end at chest height, feet shoulder-width apart.
• Brace your core and squat down, keeping your chest up and back straight.
• Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Drive through your heels to return to standing.

Benefits: The landmine squat is joint-friendly, encourages proper squat mechanics, and is easier on the lower back than traditional back squats.

Landmine Deadlift

Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, glutes, lower back, core.

How to Do It:

• Stand over the barbell end with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Hinge at the hips, grasp the bar with both hands.
• Keep your back flat and chest up as you lift the bar by extending your hips and knees.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top, then lower with control.

Landmine Reverse Lunge

Muscles Worked: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, core.

How to Do It:

• Hold the barbell end at chest height.
• Step back into a lunge, lowering your rear knee toward the floor.
• Keep your torso upright and core braced.
• Push through your front heel to return to standing.
• Alternate legs or complete all reps on one side before switching.

Landmine Lateral Lunge

Muscles Worked: Glutes, adductors, quads, core.

How to Do It:

• Hold the barbell end at chest height.
• Step out to the side, bending the stepping knee while keeping the other leg straight.
• Push back to the starting position.
• Repeat for reps, then switch sides.

Core & Rotational Landmine Exercises

Landmine Rotation (Landmine Rainbow)

Muscles Worked: Core, obliques, abs, shoulders.

How to Do It:

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding the barbell end with both hands.
• Keeping arms straight, rotate the bar in an arc from one hip to the other.
• Control the movement with your core, avoiding excessive twisting of the hips.

Landmine Russian Twist

Muscles Worked: Obliques, abs, core stabilizers.

How to Do It:

• Sit on the floor with knees bent, holding the barbell end with both hands.
• Lean back slightly, brace your core, and rotate the bar from side to side.

Landmine Rollout

Muscles Worked: Abs, shoulders, lats.

How to Do It:

• Kneel on the floor, holding the barbell end with both hands.
• Roll the bar forward, extending your arms and hips.
• Use your core to pull the bar back to the starting position.
• Whole Body Landmine Exercises

Landmine Thruster

Muscles Worked: Quads, glutes, shoulders, triceps, core.

How to Do It:

• Hold the barbell end at chest height.
• Squat down, then explosively stand and press the bar overhead in one motion.
• Lower the bar back to your chest and repeat.

Landmine Clean & Power Clean

Muscles Worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, shoulders, traps, core.

How to Do It:

• Start with the barbell end on the floor.
• Explosively pull the bar up to chest height, catching it in a squat or standing position.

Muscles Worked by Landmine Exercises

Landmine exercises can target all major muscle groups, often engaging several at once for compound, functional movements. Here’s a summary table of key exercises and their primary muscle targets:

Benefits of Landmine Exercises

1. Versatility and Full-Body Engagement

Landmine exercises allow for a wide array of movements, from presses and rows to squats and rotational drills, making them ideal for full-body workouts.

2. Enhanced Core Stability

Nearly all landmine movements require core engagement to stabilize the body, leading to improved core strength and stability.

3. Joint-Friendly Movements

The arcing path of the barbell reduces stress on the shoulders, wrists, and lower back compared to traditional free-weight exercises, making landmine training suitable for those with joint issues or injuries.

4. Functional Strength

Landmine exercises mimic real-life movement patterns, improving strength that translates to daily activities and sports performance.

5. Progressive Overload and Adaptability

Easily adjust resistance by adding or removing weight plates, making these exercises suitable for beginners and advanced athletes alike.

6. Improved Range of Motion and Mobility

The anchored barbell enables movements that can enhance flexibility and mobility, particularly in the hips and shoulders.

7. Safe and Accessible

The guided arc of the landmine provides stability, reducing the risk of injury and making it easier to learn proper technique, especially for beginners.

8. Time Efficiency

Many landmine exercises are compound movements, working multiple muscle groups simultaneously for an efficient, effective workout.

Sample Landmine Workout Programs

Here are example full-body landmine routines for various goals:

Beginner Full-Body Landmine Workout

• Landmine Squat: 3 sets x 12 reps
• Landmine Press: 3 sets x 10 reps (per side)
• Landmine Row: 3 sets x 10 reps (per side)
• Landmine Rotation: 3 sets x 12 reps (per side)
• Rest 60–90 seconds between sets.

Intermediate/Advanced Landmine Workout

• Landmine Thruster: 5 sets x 5 reps
• Landmine Power Clean: 4 sets x 5 reps
• Meadows Row: 4 sets x 10 reps (per side)
• Landmine Rollout: 3 sets x 10 reps.

Core-Focused Landmine Circuit

• Landmine Russian Twist: 3 sets x 15 reps (per side)
• Landmine Rollout: 3 sets x 8 reps
• Tall Kneeling Landmine Rotation: 3 sets x 10 reps (per side).

Tips for Safe and Effective Landmine Training

Warm Up Thoroughly: Prepare your joints and muscles with dynamic stretches and mobility drills.

Focus on Form: Maintain a neutral spine, brace your core, and control the bar through the entire range of motion.

Start Light: Begin with minimal weight to master technique before progressing.

Use Proper Footwear: Stable, flat shoes provide a solid base for pressing and squatting.

Order Exercises Wisely: Start with the most demanding, compound movements, then progress to isolation or core drills.

Progress Gradually: Increase weight or reps as strength and confidence improve.

Conclusion

Landmine exercises are a dynamic, joint-friendly, and highly adaptable way to build strength, power, and stability across the entire body. With minimal equipment—a barbell, an anchor, and some weight plates—you can perform a diverse array of movements that challenge every major muscle group. Whether your goal is muscle growth, athletic performance, injury prevention, or simply a more engaging workout, landmine training offers something for everyone. Incorporate these exercises into your routine 2–3 times per week, mixing upper body, lower body, whole-body, and core-focused drills for best results