15 Landmine Exercises To Increase Your Functional Strength

The Half Kneeling Barbell Landmine Press is a demanding upper-body workout that targets the shoulders, arms, and core while improving strength, stability, balance, as well as body coordination.

Hence, it is a step down from the standing overhead press and may be used to assist in the development of necessary shoulder strength and stability to do the standing variety.

Steps To Do It:

• For safety, place a barbell in a landmine or wedge one end of the bar into a wall corner.
• With one knee on the floor and the other foot planted in front of you, assume a half-kneel stance. Maintain a hip-distance separation.
• With one hand, hold the barbell at chest height so that it is near your body, right in front of your shoulder.
• With your arm fully extended, press the barbell up and away from your body. Remember to keep your gaze forward and your torso erect.
• Repeat for the programmed number of repetitions after carefully lowering the barbell back down to chest height. After every set, switch hands and legs.

This workout features an overhand grip, a staggered stance, and a unilateral movement. Gripping the fat end of the barbell and the landmine's angle maximizes lat, upper back, and shoulder strain while minimizing shoulder joint stress. Lower lats and the upper back are trained by stumbling your stance with a modest elevation.

By requiring you to hold the fat end of the barbell, this kind of landmine row and others make you work harder. Because your rotator cuff is engaged, this increases the stability of your shoulders. If you have shoulder discomfort, this is an excellent variant.

Steps To Do It:

• With the front foot horizontal to the landmine setup, maintain a staggered posture.
• Gripping the barbell, bend your body forward.
• The front leg should support the opposite forearm.
• To stretch the lower lats, hike up the hip nearest the bar higher than the opposite hip.
• Retract the shoulder blade and drive the elbow behind you to begin this action. Maintain a downward working shoulder.
• Pull in the direction of your rear hip until your elbow and torso are level.
• Lower yourself gradually until your elbow is straight, then raise it again.

A useful landmine workout that improves upper body coordination, rotational stability, and core strength is Kneeling Pass Over. This exercise tests your ability to maintain stability and erect posture while passing a weighted barbell in an arc.

It increases grip strength and control and is perfect for athletes looking to increase rotational power. To get the most out of it, make sure you breathe correctly.

Steps To Do It:

• Kneel on the floor with your knees hip-width apart and the weighted end of the barbell in front of you.
• Using both hands, hold the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• With your body erect, raise the barbell in an arc to the middle of your chest.
• Avoid twisting your hips as you lower the barbell to the other side in a smooth arc.
• As you raise and lower the barbell, maintain an engaged core and take deep breaths.
• Repeat as many times as you like, keeping your form correct and your movements fluid and controlled.

The T-bar row is a barbell-pulling exercise that builds significant upper body strength, particularly targeting the upper back and lats. Some gyms have a specific T-bar row machine too.

With a close grip set-up, the t-bar row variation is one of the best back-building exercises out there. The primary muscles activated during the T Bar Row include; lats, rhomboids, traps, and rear delts.

Steps To Do It:

• With feet shoulder-width apart and facing the plates, straddle the bar. Hook the v-grip attachment slightly below the plates, beneath the barbell.
• Grasping the handle with hip hinged, raise the bar with flat back off the ground.
• Maintain a neutral spine and hinge forward until your body is at a 45-degree angle with the floor. 
• Row the handle in the direction of your belly button while bracing your core. Constrict the back muscles, squeeze the shoulder blades together, and push the elbow toward the hips.
• After pausing, drop the bar until your arms are back to their maximum length.
• After completing the recommended rep range, stand up and securely lower the bar back to the floor.

One exercise that is used to strengthen the leg muscles is the reverse lunge. In particular, the Landmine Reverse Lunge targets your hamstrings, glutes, calves, core, and quadriceps.

The landmine reverse lunge uses the landmine execution to load the movement pattern anteriorly and produce a fixed plane of motion. In addition to offering a little more stability than other workouts, this helps one stay upright during the movements.

Steps To Do It:

• Place your feet shoulder-width apart and grip a barbell end at chest height in a landmine attachment.
• Take a single step back and let both knees bend at the same time.
• Drop till the rear knee makes contact with the ground.
• As you completely get up and go back to the starting position, drive through the front foot and extend the knee.
• Continue until the required number of repetitions is reached.

The Y Press is a dynamic landmine workout that works the triceps, shoulders, and upper chest while stabilizing the core. To replicate the letter's form, a barbell is pressed in a diagonal or "Y" motion.

Because it puts less strain on the joints, it's a great substitute for overhead presses, especially for people who have shoulder mobility issues.

Steps To Do It:

• Secure one end of the barbell in a corner or landmine attachment. Put the necessary weight on the opposite end.
• Place your feet shoulder-width apart and face the barbell. Using both hands, hold the barbell at your chest.
• To stay stable during the workout, brace your core and maintain a straight back. Do not hunch over.
• Using your arms to form a "Y" shape, push the barbell upward and outward at a diagonal angle.
• At the peak of the exercise, completely extend your arms while maintaining grip on the barbell.
• Return the barbell to the beginning position gradually while keeping your shoulders and core taut.
• For the prescribed number of sets and repetitions, do the exercise using controlled movements, but weights can be adjusted as necessary.

When athletes run, leap, and change directions, it helps them build the single-leg strength they need to be explosive off both legs. Also, it targets the hamstrings and glutes.

Hence, one of the greatest all-around workouts for non-athletes to build lower body strength, enhance long-term health, and improve glute appearance is the Single-Leg RDL.

Steps To Do It:

• Hold a dumbbell in front of your thigh with your left hand while standing on your right leg for balance.
• Allow your right knee to bend slightly while you sit your hips back as though you were being pulled by a rope fastened to your waist. Throughout the repetition, keep your left leg straight and parallel to your torso.
• Continue to bend at the waist until the dumbbell is at around mid-shin height while maintaining a flat back; this will ultimately depend on how flexible your hamstrings are.
• To stand up to the starting position, press your hips forward and drive through your heel.

With the Hack Squat, you may execute the squatting movement under guidance, which guarantees that the technical gesture is executed correctly, concentrates your effort on the muscles and knee extenders, and minimizes the use of your glutes and hamstrings.

Squat variations are in between a leg press and a barbell squat. Its stability is similar to a leg press, but its upright body position and weight loading are identical to a barbell squat.

Steps To Do It:

• Set up a landmine bar with a weight you can manage for repetitions.
• Place the bar on your preferred shoulder after lifting the weight. Facing away from the landmine attachment, rest your back against the plates.
• Determine your ideal foot position and breadth while holding the bar in place with one or both hands. You should be on a considerable rearward tilt with your torso at a 90-degree angle to the landmine bar.
• Let the butt drop slowly but smoothly, and keep pressing with the entire foot. Engage your quadriceps by squatting deeply.
• Aim for sets of 15 to 20 repetitions. High volume and rep ranges are effective for the quadriceps.

The landmine clean and press is a compound exercise that hits multiple muscle groups, including the shoulders, chest, triceps, core, and legs.

It uses a landmine barbell setup that provides a controlled movement path, hence it's accessible and effective. This exercise will improve strength, power, and coordination in athletes and fitness fanatics.

Steps To Do It:

• Position a barbell in a corner or place in a landmine attachment. Use an appropriate weight to load the bar.
• Face the barbell and place your feet shoulder-width apart. Keeping the bar near your body, hold it in one hand.
• Keep your core active as you explosively raise the barbell to shoulder height using your legs and hips.
• Engage your core and keep your spine neutral to support the barbell after it reaches shoulder level.
• Keeping the action controlled, fully extend your arm and use your shoulder and arm to push the bar higher.
• Lower the bar to the beginning position after slowly raising it back to shoulder level.
• To ensure balanced strength growth, complete all of the repetitions on one side before moving on to the other.

The Delt Fly is a powerful exercise that works the shoulder and back muscles, which are crucial for proper posture. It supports improved alignment and lowers the risk of injury by strengthening the upper back and posterior deltoids.

The landmine configuration used for this exercise offers a steady and regulated range of motion, making it a useful tool for developing functional strength.

Steps To Do It:

• Put the barbell in a corner or a landmine attachment. With one hand, grasp the bar at thigh height while facing the bar.
• To maintain stability and avoid injury, keep your back straight, your feet shoulder-width apart, and your core active.
• Lift the bar in an arc while maintaining a straight arm, regulating the action to prevent jerking.
• At the top of the exercise, completely extend your arm behind your head to engage your back and rear deltoid muscles.
• To go back to the beginning position while keeping control, reverse the action and drop the bar in the same arc.
• After completing the suggested number of repetitions on one arm, switch to the other.
• Breathe steadily by exhaling as you raise the bar and inhaling as you lower it.

The landmine version of the rotational single-arm press may help you get better at the overhead press and train your deltoids. Also, it calls for a great deal of core stability, particularly while moving from the lower to the upper body.

Steps To Do It:

• Add weight to the bar while facing the landmine attachment. Make sure your feet are hip-width apart.
• To grasp the barbell with both hands and get to your feet, squat down.
• Let go of the barbell with your right hand and position it near your left shoulder as you'll be starting with your left.
• To maintain your head neutral and activate your core, take a deep breath.
• Push up through your heels after squatting down a little.
• At the same time, fully extend your left arm and slide the bar across your torso. You should pivot with your left foot while your torso rotates to the left. Lower the bar once more.
• After completing the repetitions, switch to your right arm and repeat.

The lateral, anterior, and posterior heads of the delts are all targeted by landmine lateral rises. Compared to lateral lifts using dumbbells or a cable machine, the bar's path (and eventually the range of motion) is larger, which may have advantages for hypertrophy.

Steps To Do It:

• To begin, stand with your side to the bar and use your left hand to grasp the barbell's end in an overhand hold.
• Similarly, stand up and place your left hand next to your right hip, a little in front of your body. Keep your head neutral and your left arm straight.
• Move the barbell diagonally across your torso to execute a lateral raise. In the final posture, you will extend your left arm laterally to about head height.
• Move the barbell back to its starting position.
• Raise for 10 repetitions, then use your right hand to perform the exercise again.

One of the most common strength training exercises is the deadlift. Landmine Romanian deadlifts target your hamstrings, glutes, core, and lower back, much like the barbell Romanian deadlift does.

Steps To Do It:

• Position yourself at the end of the barbell, facing the base, after adding the required plates.
• To pick up the bar, crouch down and place your feet hip-width apart. For this exercise, you should cup your hands beneath the bar.
• Place the bar around your pelvis while standing. Inhale to maintain a neutral head position, contract your glutes, and engage your core.
• Lower the bar toward the floor by doing a hip hinge while bending your knees slightly. Make sure your back remains straight as you descend as far as you can.
• Hold for a second, then push your hips forward to stand again, while you do this, contract your glutes and hamstrings. Repeat as necessary.

Regular practice of this exercise may help you become more proficient at complex ones like barbell bench presses. It is also a single-arm exercise, which is perfect for correcting imbalances in the muscles.

Steps To Do It:

• With your feet flat and your knees bent, lie down on the floor next to the weight plates.
• Make sure the end of the bar is near your left shoulder by adjusting your body.
• Lift the barbell off the ground with both hands, then raise your arms over your chest.
• Remove your right hand from the barbell; you will use your left hand for this exercise.
• Lower the bar gradually until your left triceps and delts make contact with the floor.
• Push the bar back up after holding. Consider using one arm to perform a dumbbell bench press.
• Use your left arm to press for repetitions, then go to your right.

The rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis, obliques, and lower back are among the core muscles targeted during landmine rotations. Because you do rotations frequently in daily life, it is a functional workout and is comparable to a Russian twist.

Steps To Do It:

• Facing the landmine's base, stand at the end of a barbell.
• Make sure your feet are level on the floor and just a little wider than shoulder-width apart.
• To grasp the bar with both hands, bend forward. After that, stand up with your arms out in front of you and your chest high.
• Bring the bar down to your left side so it's at your left hip by turning your body.
• Make sure your feet are always on the floor and your core is firm before moving the bar to your right hip after bringing the weight back to its starting position.
• Alternate between the left and right sides for as many times as you like.