Exercise · Back
Landmine row: how to do it properly at your gym
The landmine row is a bent-over row using a bar in a floor pivot. It mainly trains your back, with help from your biceps and core to keep you stable. It’s a good option if you want a free-weight row that feels more guided than dumbbells.
Doable at all 76 gyms GoSet follows
The essentials
- Hinge over the bar, feet on each side.
- Grip the sleeve, row toward your belly.
- Keep your back flat, avoid twisting your torso.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- Back
- Secondary
- Biceps · Core
How to do it
- Set the bar in the landmine pivot on the floor and load the free end if needed. Stand at the loaded end with your feet on each side of the bar.
- Hinge at your hips to lean over the bar, knees slightly bent, back flat, eyes on the floor a few feet in front of you.
- Grip the bar near the sleeve, either with your hands next to each other or slightly apart, whichever feels natural.
- Take a breath, brace your core, and row the bar toward your belly, keeping your elbows close to your body and your torso from twisting.
- Pause briefly when the bar touches or nears your belly while maintaining your back position.
- Lower the bar toward the floor over 2–3 seconds, keeping your back flat, then repeat for the planned reps.
Common mistakes
Rounding the back while rowing
Instead : Use a weight you can control and think about gently lifting your chest forward. Keep the same torso angle for the whole set and stop if you can’t hold that position anymore.
Twisting the torso to move more weight
Instead : Imagine your belly button always pointing to the same spot on the floor. Focus on pulling with your arms and back straight toward your belly, without any twist or hip drive.
Pulling too high toward the chest
Instead : Aim for your belly, not your chest. Adjust your torso angle and bar path so the contact is around your belly button or slightly below, depending on what feels comfortable.
Bouncing off the floor between reps
Instead : Keep a slight bend in your elbows at the bottom and control the descent. The bar can come close to the floor, but you stay in control and don’t let it bounce.
Coach tips
- Think about keeping your elbows close to your ribs as you row, to involve your back more and keep the movement close to your body.
- Breathe out as you row the bar to your belly and breathe in on the way down to keep a steady rhythm.
- If holding the bent-over position tires your lower back too much, bring your chest a bit more upright or shorten the set before your position breaks down.
- Start light to find a comfortable torso angle and grip on the sleeve, then build the weight gradually from session to session.
Variations
- Use a closer grip on the sleeve for a tight row toward the lower belly, or a slightly wider grip for a row that lands a bit higher, as long as it’s comfortable for your back and shoulders.
- Add a 1–2 second pause at the top of each rep to feel your back working more and to limit momentum.
- Use a controlled tempo with a 2–3 second lowering phase to make the set harder without loading the bar too heavy.
Sets and reps
This exercise often shows up for 3–4 sets of 6–12 reps, depending on load and your level. Many people use it as a main back row or after an assisted vertical pull movement.
Equipment
Alternatives for the same muscles
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Common questions
How far should I lean over for the landmine row?
Pick a torso angle that lets you keep a flat back from the first rep to the last. For many people that’s somewhere between almost parallel to the floor and a bit more upright. If your back works just to hold you up, come up slightly.
Where should I feel the landmine row?
You should mainly feel it in your back, with help from your biceps and core to keep you steady. If you mostly feel your lower back, reduce the weight, focus on a flat back, and keep the bar close as you pull toward your belly.
What if I feel pain during the landmine row?
Stop the set right away. See if it comes back when you try again with less weight and more control. If it keeps showing up, talk to a health professional before returning to the exercise.
My gym doesn’t have a landmine pivot, what can I do instead?
You can swap it for an assisted vertical pull like an assisted pull-up or an assisted chin-up so you still get solid back and biceps work in your session.