Machine
Pivot à barre (landmine): how to use it at your gym
The pivot à barre, often called a landmine, lets you use a bar with plates in a fixed angle from the floor. You can push, pull, or do lower body moves like squats and lunges with it. It’s a very versatile piece of equipment that you’ll find in most gyms in Quebec.
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
- —
Setup
- Find the pivot à barre in your gym and make sure you have clear space around it to move safely.
- Insert a bar into the pivot if it’s not already there, and check that it sits properly.
- Load the free end of the bar with plates that fit your level, keeping them flat against the bar support.
- Stand facing the loaded end of the bar, or side-on, depending on the exercise you want to do (row, squat, press, lunge, etc.).
- Do a few light test reps to check your grip, stability, and space before starting your first real working set.
How to do it
- Pick your exercise from common landmine moves like rows, squats, presses, or deadlift variations.
- Set your feet in a stable stance around the bar end, often about hip- to shoulder-width depending on the movement.
- Grab the end of the bar with one hand or two, depending on the exercise (for example, one hand for a half-kneeling press, two for a squat).
- Take a deep breath before you move, brace your body, and start the motion while keeping the bar path under control.
- Raise and lower the bar smoothly without jerking, keeping control from the start to the end of every rep.
- At the end of your set, place the bar back down on the floor gently instead of dropping or throwing it toward the pivot.
Common mistakes
Loading too heavy on your first tries
Instead : Start with light plates, especially if it’s your first time using the landmine. Add more weight only once you control the movement well.
Moving randomly around the bar
Instead : Keep the same body position in relation to the bar end so the bar path stays predictable and safe.
Letting the bar pull you out of position
Instead : Stay solid through your feet and guide the bar with your body instead of letting it drag or push you away from a stable stance.
Dropping the bar at the end of the set
Instead : Finish each set by slowing the bar down and placing the end on the floor with control.
Coach tips
- Use a controlled tempo, especially on the way down, taking about 2 to 3 seconds to return to the start position.
- Breathe regularly: inhale before you move, then exhale during the hardest part of the rep.
- If you’re new to the landmine, start with two-hand exercises like the landmine squat or landmine row before moving to single-arm variations.
- Keep a small part of your workout for landmine movements when you want something different from dumbbells or fixed machines.
Variations
- Landmine deadlift
- Landmine squat
- Landmine single-arm row
Sets and reps
The landmine is often used for moderate working sets on pulling, pressing, or lower body exercises, depending on your overall training plan. It can be used for heavier, shorter sets or longer sets focused on control and technique.
Exercises on this machine
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Common questions
What exercises can I do with the pivot à barre (landmine)?
Common ones are the landmine deadlift, landmine Romanian deadlift, landmine squat, landmine row, landmine single-arm row, landmine press, half-kneeling landmine press, and landmine reverse lunge.
How do I load the landmine?
You load plates on the free end of the bar and track the total weight of the plates you’re using to follow your progression.
Who is the landmine for?
The landmine works for pretty much anyone who wants variety in pulling, pressing, or leg exercises using a bar and plates. You just adjust the load and exercise type to your level.
Does my gym have a landmine?
The pivot à barre is in 76 of the 76 gyms tracked by GoSet in Quebec, so chances are good your gym has one.