The Ultimate Guide to the Landmine Row Exercise

What muscles does the landmine row work?

The landmine row exercise primarily works the muscles of the back, including the lats, traps, and rhomboids. However, it also recruits the muscles of the shoulders and arms, making it an excellent compound exercise for building overall strength and muscle mass.

Let’s take a deeper dive into these muscle’s functions and use during the landmine row:

Latissimus dorsi (lats): The lats are the largest muscles of the back and are responsible for pulling the arms down and back. They are engaged during the landmine row to help you row the weight up to your chest.

Trapezius (traps): The traps are a group of muscles that run from the base of the neck to the middle of the back. They are responsible for stabilizing the shoulders and helping to move the shoulder blades. The traps are engaged during the landmine row to help you stabilize your shoulders and keep your shoulder blades pulled down and back.

Rhomboids: The rhomboids are a group of muscles that run from the inside of the shoulder blades to the middle of the back. They are responsible for stabilizing the shoulder blades and helping to move them towards each other. The rhomboids are engaged during the landmine row to also help you stabilize your shoulder blades and pull them down and back.

Rear Deltoid: The rear deltoid is the muscle that runs along the back of the shoulder. It is responsible for pulling the arm backward and stabilizing the shoulder joint. The rear deltoid is engaged during the landmine row to help you row the weight up to your chest.

Biceps: The biceps are a group of muscles on the front of the upper arm. They are responsible for bending the elbow and helping to stabilize the shoulder joint. The biceps are engaged during the landmine row to help you bend your elbow and keep your shoulder stabilized.

Triceps: The triceps are a group of muscles on the back of the upper arm. They are responsible for extending the elbow and helping to stabilize the shoulder joint. The triceps are engaged during the landmine row to help you extend your elbow and keep your shoulder stabilized.

How to perform the Landmine Row

The landmine row is a compound exercise that targets the muscles of the back, shoulders, and arms. It is important to maintain good form when performing this exercise to avoid injury and ensure that you are targeting the correct muscles. Here is a step-by-step guide on how.

To perform the landmine row:

• Start by placing a barbell in a landmine station or holding it in a corner.

• Position your body so that the barbell is at shoulder level and your feet are shoulder-width apart.

• Bend your knees and hips so that your torso is parallel to the floor and your back is flat.

• Grip the barbell with one hand and row it up to your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.

• Lower the barbell back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps.

• Switch sides and repeat with the other arm.

Common mistakes to avoid

There are a few common mistakes people make when performing the landmine row. These can lead to injury or poor results. Here are some mistakes to avoid:

• Rounding your back: Rounding your back during the landmine row can put you at risk for a lower back injury. Be sure to keep your back flat and your torso parallel to the floor throughout the entire exercise.

• Shrugging your shoulders: Shrugging your shoulders during the landmine row can put you at risk for a shoulder injury. Be sure to keep your shoulders down and back throughout the entire exercise.

• Using too much weight: using too much weight can cause you to round your back or shrug your shoulders. Be sure to use a weight that you can handle with good form.

Landmine Row Variations

There are a few variations of the landmine row that you can try to target different muscles or increase the difficulty of the exercise. Here are some variations to try:

Exercise #1: One-arm landmine row

This variation targets the muscles of the back and shoulders more than the two-arm landmine row. It also allows you to use more weight.

• To perform the one-arm landmine row, start by placing a barbell in a landmine station or holding it in a corner.

• Position your body so that the barbell is at shoulder level and your feet are shoulder-width apart.

• Bend your knees and hips so that your torso is parallel to the floor and your back is flat.

• Grip the barbell with one hand and row it up to your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.

• Lower the barbell back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps.

• Switch sides and repeat with the other arm.

Exercise #2: landmine row with resistance band

This variation targets the muscles of the back and shoulders while also incorporating a resistance band. This makes the exercise more challenging and different engagement for the muscles.

• To perform the landmine row with a resistance band, start by attaching a resistance band to the top of a squat rack.

• Loop the resistance band around the barbell

• Position your body so that the barbell is at shoulder level and your feet are shoulder-width apart.

• Bend your knees and hips so that your torso is parallel to the floor and your back is flat.

• Row the barbell up to your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.

• As you row the barbell, the resistance band will add resistance to the movement.

• Lower the barbell back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps

Exercise #3: Meadow Rows

This variation places more emphasis on the rhomboids and muscles of the upper back.

• To perform the one-arm landmine row, start by placing a barbell in a landmine station or holding it in a corner.

• Position your body so that the barbell is at shoulder level and your feet are shoulder-width apart.

• Bend your knees and hips so that your torso is parallel to the floor and your back is flat.

• Grip the bar with one hand and overhand grip with your elbow out to the side.

• Row the barbell up to the side of your chest.

• Lower the barbell back to the starting position.

• Repeat for the desired number of reps.

• Switch sides and repeat with the other arm.

Exercise #4: Chest Supported Single-Arm Landmine Row

This variation is a great exercise for those with lower back pain. It takes the stress off of the lower back by supporting it on a bench.

• To perform the chest-supported single-arm landmine row, start by placing a barbell in a landmine station or holding it in a corner.

• Position your body so that the barbell is at shoulder level and your feet are shoulder-width apart.

• Bend your knees and hips so that your torso is parallel to the floor and your back is flat.

• Position a bench behind you and rest your chest on the bench.

• Grip the barbell with one hand and row it up to your chest, keeping your elbow close to your body.

• Lower the barbell back to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps.

• Switch sides and repeat with the other arm.

Exercise #5: Machine Landmine Row

This variation is a great exercise for beginners or those with lower back pain. It takes the stress off of the lower back by supporting it on a bench.

• To perform the machine landmine row, start by adjusting the seat of a landmine row machine to fit your height.

• Sit down on the machine and grip the handles.

• Row the handles back until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.

• Pause for a moment and then return to the starting position.

• Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Summary

The landmine row is a great exercise for targeting the muscles of the back and shoulders. There are many variations of the landmine row that you can try to target different muscles or increase the difficulty of the exercise. The most important thing is to keep your form in check and to focus on using your back muscles to move the weight.