60 Must-Try Landmine Moves for Increased Muscle and Strength

When it comes to building muscle and increasing strength, the landmine attachment can be a game-changer. It transforms your standard barbell into a versatile training tool that can target every muscle group. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore with Marcus Filly – 6x CrossFit Games Athlete, 60 must-try landmine moves that will help you maximize your gains.

Why Landmine Training?

Landmine exercises are unique because they allow for rotational movements and multi-planar exercises that aren’t possible with standard barbell or dumbbell exercises. They’re perfect for improving functional strength, enhancing core stability, and targeting muscles from different angles.

Upper Body Moves

T-Bar Row: A classic landmine exercise. It can be performed with different grips, such as neutral or pronated, to target various parts of the back. A towel can be used if you don’t have the proper grip.
Single Arm Row: Use smaller plates to allow better range of motion. Stagger your stance and brace your non-working arm on your thigh for support.
Meadow Row: Turn your body perpendicular to the barbell. Focus on driving the elbow up and out, ensuring a deep stretch in your upper back and rear delts.
Bench Supported Row: Place one knee and the opposite hand on a bench for stability. This allows you to focus on rowing with the elbow out and up to the ceiling.
Bench Plank Row: Incorporates a pushing isometric on the opposite arm. This full-body exercise enhances core stability.
Upright Row: The unique arcing motion of the landmine makes this a great trap and delt exercise, providing a smoother movement than traditional barbell or cable rows.
Single Arm Press: Keep your feet together to challenge lateral core stability.
Staggered Stance Single Arm Press: This variation might feel more powerful and align better with your body. It provides a bigger stretch throughout the side of your body when the arm is overhead.
Seated Press: Ideal for beginners building confidence in overhead pressing. The bench provides a stable foundation to focus on the pressing action.
Half Kneeling Landmine Press: This position creates a stable foundation while working on mobility along the front of the working side of the body.
Kneeling Lateral Shoulder Press: Similar to a machine-style shoulder press, this targets the lateral delts.
Heel Sit Position: Enhances lower body mobility while working upper body strength. Press the head forward and through the arms at the top of each rep.
Landmine Z Press: A demanding press variation that challenges hip flexors, core, front delts, and thoracic spine.
Tall Kneeling Side to Side Press: Hits shoulders from unique angles, providing a nice variation compared to more linear press movements.
Tall Kneeling Push Press: An explosive press variation. Use a soft cushion under your knees for confidence and comfort.
Alternating Push-Up: Focus on bringing the chest close to the supported hand. Don’t rush the transitions to avoid injury.
Roll Out Push-Ups: Demanding on the shoulders, the arm on the floor does most of the work while the outstretched arm aids stability.
Archer Push-Up: Similar to an incline or flat bench dumbbell or cable fly, this targets the chest effectively.
Landmine Floor Press: Line up perpendicular to the landmine. Adjust your body position for comfort and full range of motion.
Incline Floor Press: Targets the upper chest and shoulders.
Decline Floor Press: Biases the lower chest and triceps.
Lateral Raise: Strip down the weight to focus on isolating the lateral delts. Angle your body for optimal shoulder engagement.
Shoulder Raise: Targets the rear delts. Lean forward at approximately 45 degrees and drive your elbow back and behind.

60 Must Try Landmine Moves You for Increased Muscle and Strength - Marcus Filly — 60 Must Try Landmine Moves You for Increased Muscle and Strength – Marcus Filly

Core Moves

Landmine Hip Rotations: Involve rotating the entire body and torso from side to side, passing the barbell past your chin.
Anti-Rotational Twist: Keep your torso and hips forward while rotating the arms and shoulders. This movement fights the rotation, working the core intensely.
Goblet Press Out: Involves a slight rotation of the shoulders as the weight moves further from the torso, engaging the shoulders and core.
Turkish Sit-Up: A challenging movement that engages hip flexors, core, and shoulders. Adjust your position relative to the landmine for comfort.
Russian Twist: Perform with heels slightly off the floor. Rotate from side to side for a comprehensive core workout.
Leg Wipers: Alternate side to side, bringing legs all the way down to the floor. This works the core and lower back muscles.

Lower Body Moves

Goblet Squat: Hold the barbell under your chin. Squat with a more upright posture for quad focus or reach hips back for glute focus.
Squat to Press: Add a press for a full-body movement. This can be done with both hands or single arm.
Angled Squat to Rotational Press: Shift your body slightly while holding the barbell with the outside arm, rotating and pressing through the squat.
Hack Squat: Turn your body around with the barbell on your shoulder for a more upright, quad-focused squat.
Knees Over Toes Squat: Drive your knees forward over your toes, aiming to touch the ground. This enhances strength and flexibility.
Low Hold Squat Jump: Hold the barbell low and jump explosively. This targets power and strength.
CAC Squat: Use a goblet or low hold position. This squat variation improves quad strength and inner thigh mobility.
CAC Lunge: Perform with a low hold or goblet hold. This variation builds frontal plane strength.
Curtsy Squat: Use a zercher hold. The slight step behind stretches the glutes.
Suitcase Reverse Lunge: Can be done with contralateral or ipsilateral loading to target stability and strength.
Overhead Reverse Lunge: Adds shoulder stability to the reverse lunge.
Lunged Press: Lower the barbell to your shoulder and drive it back up overhead.
Knee Drive Reverse Lunge: Focuses on balance and glute activation with a high knee drive.
Reverse and Forward Lunge: Combines both lunges for comprehensive leg training.
Tall Kneeling to Standing: Works hip flexors and single leg strength from a kneeling position.
Offset Stance Squat: Gives stability benefits of a two-legged squat with single leg strength.
Skater Squat: An advanced variation that demands coordination and strength.
Bulgarian Split Squat: Adds stability to this challenging single leg squat.
Front Foot Elevated Split Squat: Enhances mobility by sending the knee over the toe.
Traditional Split Squat: Provides single leg stability and strength.
Split Stance RDL: A unilateral hinging exercise focusing on the front leg.
Single Leg Deadlift: Advanced variation for balance and strength.
Romanian Deadlift: Focus on reaching the hips back to stretch the hamstrings.
Rotational Deadlift: Trains rotational strength and low back stability.
Rotational Deadlift to Press: Combines a deadlift and press for a dynamic movement.
Rotational Clean and Press: A fast, explosive movement improving coordination.
Single Leg Hip Thrust: A stable and effective way to perform hip thrusts.
Glute Kickback: Adjust your setup for optimal range of motion.
Calf Raise: Keep legs straight and lean into the landmine for a full stretch at the bottom of each rep.

Bonus Moves for Total Body

Landmine Thruster: Combine a front squat with an overhead press in one fluid movement. This full-body exercise enhances power and strength.
Landmine Squat to Twist: Perform a squat and, as you stand up, twist your torso and press the barbell to one side. This move targets your legs, core, and shoulders, providing a comprehensive workout.

Finishing Touches

These 60 landmine moves cover every part of your body, offering a versatile and effective way to build muscle and strength. Remember to focus on proper form and gradually increase weight as you become more comfortable with each movement. Whether you’re targeting upper body, lower body, or core, these exercises will help you reach your fitness goals.