Exercise · Legs and glutes
Landmine deadlift
The landmine deadlift is a guided deadlift variation where one end of the bar is fixed in a pivot. It mainly targets your glutes, with solid work for your hamstrings and core. It’s a good option if you want to practice the hip hinge while keeping the bar path more controlled.
Doable at all 76 gyms GoSet follows
The essentials
- Stand facing the bar, feet on each side of the shaft.
- Grip the bar with one or both hands, lift with a straight back.
- Push through your heels, avoid rounding your back.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- Glutes
- Secondary
- Hamstrings · Core
How to do it
- Stand facing the bar with your feet on each side of the shaft, slightly wider than hip-width, toes turned slightly out.
- Bend your knees a bit, push your hips back and lean your torso forward with a straight back to grab the shaft with both hands in the centre.
- Take a deep breath, brace your core, look forward or slightly down, then push through your heels to lift, straightening hips and knees together.
- Stand up tall with hips fully extended and glutes squeezed, without over-arching your lower back.
- Lower under control: start by pushing your hips back, keep the bar close to your body and let your knees bend only slightly as your hips move back.
- Go down until you feel good tension in the back of your thighs without rounding your back, touch or reset if needed, then repeat for your reps.
Common mistakes
Rounding the lower back
Instead : Keep the bar closer to your body, think about “chest up” and brace your core before pushing through your heels. If you can’t keep your back straight, reduce the range of motion.
Turning it into a squat
Instead : At the start of the move, think about sending your hips back instead of bending your knees a lot. You want to feel your glutes and hamstrings, not just the front of your thighs.
Lifting with the arms
Instead : Keep your arms long, like hooks. Focus on pushing the floor away with your feet and driving your hips toward the bar, not pulling with your hands.
Bar drifting away from the body
Instead : Keep the shaft close to your shins and thighs the whole time. If the bar drifts forward, adjust your foot position slightly and reset the bar closer between reps.
Coach tips
- Take about 2–3 seconds to lower the weight, brief pause at the bottom, then stand up more explosively while staying in control.
- Breathe out as you come up past the hardest point, breathe in through your nose as you lower.
- If you’re new to the movement, start with a shorter range and increase depth only when you can keep your back straight.
- If grip becomes the limiting factor, use a solid two-hand grip centred on the shaft to spread the load evenly.
Variations
- One-arm landmine deadlift while keeping your body square to the bar to challenge your core more.
- Landmine deadlift with a wider stance to place a bit more emphasis on the glutes.
- Landmine deadlift from a small platform or blocks under your feet to slightly increase range of motion if your mobility allows.
Sets and reps
The landmine deadlift is often done for 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps with a moderate to heavy load, depending on your technique. It’s commonly used as a main hip-dominant lift or after another leg exercise such as a squat.
Equipment
Alternatives for the same muscles
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Common questions
Is the landmine deadlift safer than a regular deadlift?
The bar path is more guided and the bar tends to stay closer to your body, which can help you keep a straighter back. If you feel any pain though, stop the exercise and talk to a professional before continuing.
What should I feel working during landmine deadlifts?
You should mainly feel your glutes, with strong tension in the back of your thighs and your core bracing to stabilize. If you mostly feel your lower back, reduce the load and range of motion and focus on pushing your hips back with a straight spine.
Where should I put landmine deadlifts in my leg workout?
They’re often used as one of the first glute or leg exercises, similar to a deadlift or hip thrust. You can also place them after a barbell back squat or goblet squat to add more hip-focused work.
What can I do if my gym doesn’t have a landmine pivot?
You can use other exercises that challenge your glutes as well, such as the deadlift, barbell back squat, goblet squat, barbell hip thrust, dumbbell hip thrust, or dumbbell Bulgarian split squat.