7 Best Landmine Exercises for Building Strength and Power

Arguably the most underappreciated and underutilized piece of equipment in the gym is the landmine attachment. If you’ve been a fitness enthusiast for some time, odds are you’ve seen this contraption gathering dust in the corner of at least one weight room. But that shouldn’t dissuade you from wiping it off and putting it to use!

And if you’re not familiar with the landmine attachment, it’s a versatile training apparatus with a barbell holster capable of rotating a full 360 degrees. By inserting one end of a barbell into it and adding weight plates to the “exposed” end, you can perform numerous compound and isolation exercises.

In fact, you can use a landmine attachment to target every muscle in the body just like you can with free weights. Exercises like the landmine row are among the most common landmine exercises due to their effectiveness in targeting multiple muscle groups.

If you’re unsure how to use a landmine attachment or which exercises to try, you’ve come to the right place. This article will cover seven of the best landmine exercises and step-by-step instructions for performing them safely and effectively. We’ll also review alternatives to a dedicated landmine attachment for mimicking landmine exercises.

With that in mind, let’s get to it!

What is a Landmine Attachment?

A landmine attachment, also known as a T-Bar, is a versatile piece of equipment that can transform your workout routine. This device allows you to anchor one end of a barbell to a stable point, such as a wall, squat rack, or a free-standing landmine base. The beauty of the landmine attachment lies in its ability to pivot and rotate, providing a unique range of motion that traditional free weights can’t offer. This makes it an essential tool for landmine training, enabling you to perform various exercises that target different muscle groups with ease and stability.

Benefits of Landmine Exercises

There are many benefits of landmine exercises for resistance trainees, but the following are particularly noteworthy:

• Joint-Friendly Movements. The trajectory of the bar during landmine overhead presses contrasts with that of dumbbells or barbells. Moreover, landmine squats and deadlifts necessitate an upright posture throughout the movement. The landmine deadlift, in particular, is beneficial for the lower back, hamstrings, and glutes, emphasizing its joint-friendly nature. Collectively, these factors render landmine exercises more accommodating for joint health.

• Increase in Exercise Diversity. Engaging in a repetitive set of exercises can become monotonous over time. Landmine exercises introduce variety, providing opportunities to perform movements from standing, kneeling, or even supine positions.

• Great for Improving Grip Strength. Typically, landmine exercises require gripping the bar’s sleeve, which is thicker than the standard bar. This aspect improves grip strength, which is beneficial for various other exercises.

Getting Started with Landmine Exercises

Getting started with landmine exercises is straightforward and can add a new dimension to your fitness routine. First, you’ll need a landmine attachment and a barbell. These can be purchased online or at your local fitness equipment store. Once you have your equipment, follow these steps to incorporate landmine exercises into your workouts:

1. Set Up the Landmine Attachment: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to securely set up your landmine attachment. Ensure it’s anchored to a stable point to prevent any movement during your exercises.

2. Load the Barbell: Add the desired weight to the barbell. Start with a lighter weight to get accustomed to the movements and gradually increase as you build strength.

3. Choose Your Exercise: Begin with a fundamental exercise like the landmine squat or landmine row. These exercises are great for familiarizing yourself with the landmine setup.

4. Perform the Exercise: Follow the step-by-step instructions provided in this article for each exercise. Focus on maintaining proper form and technique.

5. Progress Gradually: As you become more comfortable with the movements, gradually increase the weight and complexity of the exercises.

With these steps complete, your landmine setup is ready for “makin’ gains,” as some gym-goers might say.

7 Best Landmine Exercises for Strength and Power

Now that you know how to use a landmine attachment, here are seven of the best landmine exercises to include in your training routine:

1. Landmine Row (aka T-Bar Row)

The landmine row, also known as the T-bar row, is a staple of landmine workouts. This rowing exercise effectively targets several upper-body muscle groups, including the latissimus dorsi (lats), rhomboids, posterior deltoids, and biceps. Compared to traditional barbell rows,  the landmine variant allows for greater load management and is generally less taxing on the lumbar spine. 

How to Do the Landmine Row: 

1. Secure the barbell with weight plates as per your strength level.

2. Adopt a broad stance with the bar positioned centrally between your feet, facing away from the landmine attachment. Ensure that your body is situated closer to the weight plates than to the attachment base.

3. Lean forward and grasp the bar using a neutral grip. While the landmine row typically doesn't utilize an attachment, employing a v-bar attachment effectively transforms it into a t-bar row.

4. Elevate your chest and engage your core muscles. Draw the bar toward the lower region of your chest.

5. Pause briefly at the top of the movement before gradually extending your arms to return to the starting position.

6. Repeat the exercise for the allocated number of repetitions.

2. Landmine Squat

Landmine squats, akin to traditional barbell squats, engage the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core, among other muscle groups. Due to the placement of the weight in front of the body, this exercise proves particularly beneficial for beginners or those lacking extensive lifting experience, as it necessitates maintaining an upright posture, thereby minimizing the risk of injury associated with the landmine front. A variation of this exercise is the landmine goblet squat, which is beginner-friendly and emphasizes proper posture and mobility.

How to Do the Landmine Squat:

1. Add the desired weight to the barbell.

2. Stand close to the weight plates with one foot on either side of the barbell and with your feet shoulder-width apart. You should be facing the landmine base.

3. Bend down to take hold of the barbell and deadlift it up to the starting position (this will be at chest height).

4. Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, then squat down as you would a regular squat. Aim to go at least parallel to the floor, but even lower is better.

5. Pause, then push through your heels to return to the top position.

6. Keep squatting for reps.

3. Meadows Row

The Meadows row is named after the late John Meadows who popularized the "Mountain Dog" training routine.  This one-arm row exercise is a great addition for targeting the lats/upper back, biceps, and grip in any landmine training program. It’s also a unilateral exercise that can improve imbalances between the left and right side of the body. 

How To Do the Meadows Row:

1. Stand perpendicular to the bar, then move your left leg backward so you’re in a split stance position (with a slight bend in the knees).

2. By bending at the waist, move your upper body forward so you’re able to take hold of the end of the bar with your left hand (an overhand grip will be needed for this exercise).

3. With your right arm, place your forearm on your right quad to help with stability.

4. Now, row the barbell up, making sure to keep a neutral spine throughout the movement.

5. Squeeze at the top of the movement. Lower the barbell down to the original position slowly to complete one rep.

6. Keep going for the desired number of repetitions, then repeat with your right hand.

4. Landmine Press

There are many variations of landmine presses target, but the one we're focusing on here is a basic variant that targets the chest (pecs), delts, and triceps. The bar path with this exercise is at an angle rather than straight above the head like traditional overhead presses, making it easier on the shoulder joints while putting more emphasis on the anterior deltoids and upper chest.

How To Do the Landmine Press: 

• Begin by loading the barbell with the desired weight, and then position yourself at the end of the bar that's loaded (facing the landmine setup).

• Squat down and lift the bar with both hands in an overhand-grip position. For this maneuver, interlocking the fingers may make it more comfortable to get the bar up to your chest.

• With the barbell now positioned at chest height, stand upright by activating your core muscles and proceed to press the bar upward and forward until your arms reach full extension. A deliberate pace will ensure maximum engagement of the pectoral muscles.

• Pause briefly, followed by a controlled descent of the bar to the starting position.

5. Landmine Rotation (aka Landmine 180s)

Landmine rotations engage core muscles, including the obliques, rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis, and lower back. Resembling a Russian twist, this exercise is deemed functional as rotational movements frequently occur in daily activities.

How To Do the Landmine Rotation: 

1. Stand close to the end of a barbell, facing the base of the landmine.

2. Adjust your feet so they’re flat on the ground slightly more than shoulder-width apart.

3. Lean forward to take hold of the bar with both hands. Then, stand up straight with your chest up and your arms extended in front of your body.

4. By rotating your torso, bring the bar down to your left side so it’s close to your left hip. 

5. Bring the weight up to the original position, then move the bar to the right hip, making sure your feet are planted on the floor at all times and your core is tight.

6. Continue for the desired number of repetitions, alternating between the left and right sides.

6. Landmine Reverse Lunge 

Comparable to the aforementioned landmine squats, landmine reverse lunges effectively engage the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core. This exercise involves stepping back (read: reverse lunging) with one leg at a time, thus mitigating the risk of over-relying on the dominant side.

How To Do the Landmine Reverse Lunge: 

1. Face the landmine base while standing at the end of the barbell.

2. Position your feet so they’re slightly more than shoulder-width apart, then bend down to pick up the bar.

3. Place the bar at chest height and engage your core and glutes. This is the starting position.

4. With your left leg, step backward as far as possible and lower your body so your left knee is close to the ground.

5. Pause, then use the heel of your right leg to come back to the original position. 

6. Repeat, but this time step back with your right leg.

7. Lunge until you’re finished, alternating between the left and right sides.

7. Landmine Lateral Raise 

The landmine lateral raise effectively engages all three heads of the deltoid muscle, encompassing the lateral, anterior, and posterior sections. This exercise offers a more extensive bar path and an expanded range of motion compared to traditional lateral raises performed with dumbbells or on a cable machine. Consequently, it may provide enhanced hypertrophy benefits.

How To Do the Landmine Lateral Raise: 

1. Start by standing with your side facing the bar and grab the end of the barbell with your left hand using an overhand grip. 

2. Stand up and place your left hand near your right hip, slightly in front of your body, to get into the starting position. Your left arm should be straight and your head neutral.
3. Perform a lateral raise by moving the barbell across your body diagonally. Your left arm will be extended laterally around head height in the end position.
4. Return the barbell to its original position in a controlled manner.
5. Perform all reps on the left side, then repeat the exercise with your right hand.

Programming Landmine Exercises

Incorporating landmine exercises into your workout routine can be highly effective for building strength and power. Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Start Small: Begin with 2-3 landmine exercises per workout. As you become more comfortable, you can gradually increase the number of exercises.

2. Frequency: Aim to include landmine exercises in your routine 2-3 times per week. Ensure you have at least one rest day between sessions to allow for recovery.

3. Variety: Choose a mix of exercises that target different muscle groups. For example, include exercises for the upper body, lower body, and core muscles to ensure a balanced workout.

4. Progressive Overload: Start with lighter weights to master the form and technique. Gradually increase the weight as you become stronger and more confident in the movements.

5. Focus on Form: Proper form and technique are crucial to prevent injury and maximize the effectiveness of the exercises. Adjust the weight or exercise as needed to maintain good form.

Here are some examples of landmine exercises to incorporate into your routine:

• Landmine Squat: Targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core muscles.

• Landmine Row: Focuses on the upper back, lats, and biceps.

• Landmine Press: Engages the shoulders, triceps, and core muscles.

• Landmine Lateral Raise: Works the deltoids and core muscles.

• Landmine Reverse Lunge: Activates the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core muscles.

Always remember to warm up before starting your workout and cool down afterward to prevent injury. Listen to your body and adjust the weight or exercise as needed to ensure a safe and effective workout.

Landmine Alternatives

If you don’t have a landmine at the gym or in your home gym, don’t worry. Here are two ways you can mimic landmine training using basic weight-training equipment:

• Use a dumbbell and a weight plate. Place one end of your barbell on top of a weight plate. Then, put a heavy dumbbell on top. This will allow the barbell to pivot but will help to prevent it from moving during your exercises. Then, add weights to the other end as normal.

• Place a barbell in the corner of your room. Another way to replicate a landmine is by placing the Olympic bar in a corner. This will do the same job as a landmine base, but it may damage your wall in the long run (so try to protect your wall before you do this!).

Both of these work but aren’t ideal. If you’re going to be doing landmine exercises often, getting a dedicated landmine attachment is well worth the investment.

Landmine Exercises: Key Takeaways

By enhancing grip strength and reducing strain on joints—due to the unique angle of the bar—landmine exercises provide an innovative addition to any workout regimen. Common landmine exercises like the landmine T-bar row and landmine squat can help correct muscle imbalances, increase muscle mass, improve strength, and much more.

• Warm-up. As with everything else, warm up before doing heavy sets on any landmine exercise. Do some cardio, do some dynamic stretching, and even do some lighter sets of the exercise you’re about to do.

• Use Lighter Weights to Start. The bar path of a landmine exercise can feel different compared to using dumbbells or barbells. If you’re new to landmine training, start with lighter weights and get used to the movement. Then, add more resistance.

• Brace Your Core and Focus on Technique. Any standing, kneeling, or lying down movement with a landmine uses your core. Breathe in to keep it engaged at all times.