Landmine Deadlift

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Secure one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment or a corner, and load the desired weight onto the opposite end.
2. Stand facing the weighted end of the bar with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Hinge at your hips and bend your knees to grip the end of the barbell sleeve with both hands, using an interlocked finger grip or placing one hand over the other.
4. Position yourself so the bar is close to your body and your shins are nearly vertical.

How to do it

1. Inhale and brace your core, keeping your chest lifted and your spine in a neutral, flat position.
2. Exhale as you drive through your heels to stand up, extending your hips and knees simultaneously until you are fully upright.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower the weight by hinging your hips backward and allowing your knees to bend naturally.
4. Maintain a controlled 2-1-1 tempo: two seconds down, a brief pause at the bottom, and one second to stand up.

Form checklist

• Keep your back flat and avoid rounding your shoulders or lower spine.
• Ensure your weight is distributed through your heels and mid-foot, not your toes.
• Keep the end of the barbell close to your center of gravity throughout the entire lift.
• Engage your lats by pulling your shoulder blades down and back to stabilize the torso.
• Finish the movement by standing tall without leaning back or hyperextending the lumbar spine.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'pushing the floor away' with your legs rather than pulling the bar up with your arms.
• Squeeze your glutes forcefully at the top of the rep to ensure full hip extension and maximum muscle recruitment.
• If your grip fails before your legs, use a towel or lifting straps around the sleeve for better purchase.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second pause at the bottom of each rep to eliminate momentum and increase time under tension.
• Perform the movement as a Single-Leg Landmine Deadlift to significantly increase the demand on your core and hip stabilizers.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the landmine deadlift work?

The landmine deadlift primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius, and also works the erector spinae and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the landmine deadlift?

The landmine deadlift uses barbell.

Is the landmine deadlift good for beginners?

The landmine deadlift is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Band DeadliftBeginner · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Clean And JerkAdvanced · deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Deadlift From DeficitIntermediate · glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Hang Clean Below The KneesAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius