Landmine Exercises: Setup, 8 Movements & Two Workouts

Landmine exercises use a barbell secured in a purpose-built pivot. The free end travels in an arc. Start with a press, a squat, a hinge and a row; choose the movement and grip before buying extra handles. The empty bar can already be too heavy for some exercises.

Set up before you load

Confirm the pivot accepts your bar’s sleeve diameter and has the vertical and horizontal travel your exercise needs. A rack attachment must match its upright, hole and mounting requirements; a floor or plate-post system needs its specified stabilizing arrangement. Put the pivot on a suitable level surface and test an unloaded movement path. Use collars or other retainers where the manufacturer specifies them. Do not assume the receiver fixes a sliding base.

Plan how the bar gets to its starting position and returns to the floor. Do not improvise a heavy clean to begin a press or squat. If you cannot lift the end into position under control, reduce load or use a purpose-built, compatible starting support. Plate diameter affects the floor start; a smaller plate can make a row or deadlift begin lower.

Choose landmine exercises by movement and grip

1. Half-kneeling press

Kneel with the knee on the pressing-arm side down and the opposite foot planted. Hold the bar end in front of that shoulder, with your wrist stacked over your forearm. Brace, press up and forward along the natural arc, then lower to the same starting position. Keep your ribs from flaring and your torso from twisting. Reduce load if the sleeve is too wide to grip securely; do not balance it on your fingertips.

2. Standing press

Use a stable split stance with the bar end at shoulder level. Press without leaning backward or driving through your legs, then lower slowly. Let your shoulder blade move rather than pinning it rigidly. Learn this strict version before adding a push press. A landmine changes the pressing angle; it does not guarantee a pain-free movement.

3. Landmine squat and reverse lunge

Hold the sleeve end close to the upper chest with both hands. Squat between your hips through a range you can control, then stand without pulling against the pivot. For the reverse lunge, step one foot back, lower steadily and push through the front foot to return. Practise each side unloaded first. Shorten the range or use a bodyweight version if balance or the front hold is limiting.

4. Landmine deadlift

Face the pivot with the working end between your feet. Hinge and bend your knees enough to take a secure two-hand grip. Brace, stand with the load close, and lower deliberately. Do not finish by leaning back. A hand grip that cannot close around the sleeve is a reason to change the handle or implement, rather than squeeze harder around an unsafe grip.

5. Two-hand T-bar row

Fit the handle according to its instructions. Hinge with a steady trunk, take the handle and pull toward the lower ribs without jerking your body upright. Lower until the arms lengthen under control. Check handle-to-plate clearance through the whole rep; a larger plate can shorten the available range. Reduce load or use a chest-supported alternative if you cannot maintain the hinge.

6. One-arm row

Stand beside the shaft and hinge, with the free hand supported on your own thigh if useful. Grip a secure exposed section of shaft and row without rotating your chest open. Keep the bar clear of your legs. The opposite-hand version is a different setup and may need a handle; do not assume every exercise shown online uses the same grip.

7. Landmine rotation

This is optional, not a beginner requirement. Hold the end with both hands and use a light load. Move through a modest arc while turning your feet and hips together; do not anchor your feet and force the lower back to twist. Keep the plates away from knees and objects. Skip this exercise if the setup or motion is unfamiliar.

Measure the working sweep, not just bar length

Illustrative geometry: if the measured pivot-to-grip distance is 6 ft, a grip 3 ft above a floor-level pivot projects about √(6²−3²) = 5.2 ft across the floor. That is the grip’s projection, not a safe room dimension. The shaft end, plate edge, hands, body and mounting can extend beyond it. The calculation assumes a straight bar and a pivot at floor height; use your actual pivot height and measurements.

Choosing the base or a handle? Our landmine attachment guide separates rack compatibility, free-standing bases, plate-post designs and the parts needed for a complete setup. It also links exact REP options; buy a handle only when your selected exercise or grip calls for it.

Two useful landmine sessions

Start with a load that leaves a few controlled repetitions available. Add reps within the range before adding a small plate. Repeat the new load only if the setup, range and final rep remain comparable. Log bar model, plate load, grip position and pivot; “20 lb added” is not directly equivalent to holding a 20 lb dumbbell because leverage changes through the arc.